Thailand might get more tourists from the Middle East as a result of U.S. President Donald Trump’s entry ban on people from seven Muslim-majority countries, the head of the tourism authority said on Monday. “The Middle East is a big market for us, especially in the medical tourism sector. They may choose to visit Thailand more and this may also boost our sector,” Tourism Authority of Thailand Governor Yuthasak Supasorn said.
Trump has presented his ban as a way to protect the United States from Islamist militants, but it has been condemned by a growing list of foreign leaders and drawn protests by tens of thousands in American cities.
The Tourism Authority of Thailand is the government agency responsible for promoting tourism to Thailand. Thailand might get more tourists from the Middle East as a result of U.S. President Donald Trump’s entry ban on people from seven Muslim-majority countries, the head of the tourism authority said on Monday.
Recently, Etihad Airways and the Tourism Authority of Thailand signed a $1million deal to promote travel from the UAE to Thailand. Through innovative joint marketing campaigns, we aim to bring hundreds of thousands of first-time and repeat travellers from Europe and the Middle East to Thailand to enjoy this beautiful country and to experience the warm, friendly hospitality for which the Thai people are world-renowned.”
Bangkok continues to be one of Etihad Airways’ busiest routes – around 800,000 guests travelled to and from Bangkok in 2016 alone. In all, more than 6 million guests have flown on the airline’s Thailand routes since 2007 and further growth is expected.
TAT signed a similar agreement with Qatar Airways under which TAT and Qatar Airways will develop joint promotions to mutually increase tourism and visibility for Thailand to travellers in more than 150 destinations the airline flies to.
MoU being signed by Ehab Amin, Qatar Airways Chief Commercial Officer and Tanes Petsuwan, TAT Deputy Governor for International Marketing, Europe, Africa, Middle East and Americas, at a commemorative event in Dubai. They were joined by Yuthasak Supasorn, TAT Governor, Chalermsak Suranant, Director of the TAT Dubai and Middle East
Thailand, one of Qatar Airways’ earliest destinations in the Far East, has grown from strength to strength in the last two decades. Effective 1 June, Qatar Airways will have five daily flights from Doha to Bangkok. The increased frequency, along with its double-daily Phuket flights and the five-month-old Krabi operations (4 flights a week), take the number of weekly Qatar Airways departures from Thailand to Doha to 53.
In 2017, TAT has set a target of 34.5 million international visitors, generating an estimated 1.81 trillion – a 10 per cent increase year on year – in international tourism receipts. Etihad Airways added a second daily service in June 2006, a third daily flight in April 2012, and a fourth on July 1, 2015.
Analysis of government figures shows visitors to Thailand from key majority Muslim nations in the Middle East and Asia have risen from 2.63 million in 2006 to 6.03 million last year.
