BANGKOK, July 22 (Xinhua) -- The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) announced its 2026 direction on Monday, highlighting a quality-first strategy in a move toward sustainable and balanced growth in the Southeast Asian country's vital tourism sector.
In his keynote address, Minister of Tourism and Sports Sorawong Thienthong said the government has allocated a 4.5 billion baht budget (about 139.5 million U.S. dollars) to drive 22 strategic initiatives in response to the changing tourism landscape based on a forward-looking framework of five new paradigms.
With a focus on new customers, products, partnerships, marketing strategies, and key performance indicators, the goal is to enhance trust, safety, and accessibility, develop sport tourism, promote hidden destinations, and leverage Thai soft power and cultural identity, Sorawong said.
TAT Governor Thapanee Kiatphaibool said next year will mark the beginning of a fundamental shift from volume-driven tourism to quality-based growth.
Thapanee said that this approach will prioritize value over volume, using precision marketing and promoting cultural experiences, balancing tourism across regions and seasons, encouraging creative and thematic travel, and making sustainability a key standard for the entire industry.
Thailand has received over 18.08 million foreign visitors, generating 1.4 trillion baht (about 43.44 billion dollars) in revenue so far this year, official data showed. ■
