Bangkok, Thailand, February 15, 2022 / TRAVELINDEX / The Tourism Authority of Thailand is advancing its goal to revitalize and transform Thai tourism with the “Visit Thailand Year 2022: Amazing New Chapters” campaign and is developing a DASH model to revive the tourism sector and the Thai economy as a whole.

The “Visit Thailand Year 2022: Amazing New Chapters” campaign was originally launched globally at the World Travel Market in London, in line with the quarantine-free reopening of the country to international travelers from November 1, 2021.

• Discover more destinations in fascinating Thailand as part of the Tourism Year Thailand 2022 – Amazing Chapters.

Mr. Yuthasak Supasorn, Governor of the TAT, stated: “With Tourism Year 2022: New, Exciting Chapters, the TAT aims to transform tourism into stronger, more sustainable, responsible, digital, and inclusive growth. This will be achieved by leveraging Thailand’s 5F and 4M soft power foundations: Food, Film, Fashion, Festivals, Martial Arts, Music, Museums, Arts, and Culture. To accomplish this, the TAT has developed the ‘DASH’ model, which aligns the entire organization toward the common goal of transforming the tourism sector.”

D – Domestic travel: The model emphasizes both tourists and tour operators in the tourism industry;

A – Increase demand: The model aims to increase qualitative demand, build trust and create a good image by focusing on tourist safety, appealing to high-income segments and offering impressively diverse and valuable experiences;

S-shaped offering: The model appears to be designed to develop the tourism ecosystem in a high-quality and sustainable way, based on responsible and digital tourism, from which all stakeholders benefit and which leads to a sustainable distribution of income in the individual sectors;

H – Healing the Thai economy: The model focuses on reviving the Thai economy through tourism by supporting the reopening of the country to ensure a rapid recovery and strong, sustainable growth.

Mr. Yuthasak explained: “With the DASH model, the TAT is placing a stronger focus on domestic tourism. For international tourism, the TAT is introducing the new project ‘Amazing Thailand Workplace Paradise’, with the aim of making Thailand the world’s leading destination for remote workers.”

The “Amazing Thailand Workplace Paradise” project focuses on remote workers from international markets, responding to a growing trend as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, where people work remotely and take a vacation at the same time.

For international short-haul markets, the TAT will utilize the TEST & GO entry program, highlighting offerings under the motto "New Chapters, New Opportunities." New target groups will be addressed, including business travelers (bleisure), students, digital nomads, and travelers seeking gentle adventures. New regions are intended to attract attractive audiences from potential markets such as Mongolia and South Korea (Busan) and to gain new partners in existing markets. New infrastructure projects will be promoted, particularly new transport routes—especially the high-speed rail line between Kunming and Laos, which will connect to Thailand's Nong Khai province. The focus is on inspiring millennials to experience Thailand in an environmentally friendly and sustainable way.

Within the country, the TAT will prioritize a 3-Ex concept – Experience, Expectation and Exceptional – to stimulate domestic travel with 3 ideas for tourism products and services: namely, preserving nature, discovering food and discovering Thailand, with five colors representing the regions of Thailand.

Crimson red for the central region – Chic Central; emerald green for the eastern region – East at Ease; navy blue for the northern region – North Nostalgia; ivory for the northeastern region – Isan in Love; and silver for the southern region – Savoury South.

In line with the DASH model and tourism marketing strategies, the TAT will prioritize innovative travel experiences for its target groups – workations and staycations, wellness, sports, and sustainable tourism. The offerings will target both domestic and international tourists and respond to a growing trend, including astronomy, water, and community tourism – a model that benefits both tourists and the local population – as well as culinary tourism with a focus on health and an eco-friendly lifestyle.

Mr. Yuthasak explained: “The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) will continue to communicate with domestic and international tourists through the established ‘Amazing Thailand’ brand. A specific campaign will be used for the domestic market to promote domestic travel. For the international market, the TAT will use the ‘Amazing New Chapters’ campaign to promote Thai cultural values ​​under the motto ‘From A to Z – Amazing Thailand has it all’ and inspire travelers from around the world to return to Thailand.”

Last but not least, the TAT will further develop its innovative approach with the introduction of a "TAT Amazing Influencer." This will create personalized experiences in the Metaverse world using virtual characters. The TAT also plans to promote Thai tourism through digital art, starting with TAT NFTs that convey local knowledge. Furthermore, the TAT will strengthen its marketing and digital skills by implementing a hybrid work model that allows employees to work effectively from home. This aligns with the goal of positioning Thailand as an ideal location for remote workers. To solidify the TAT's position as a high-performing organization, particular emphasis will continue to be placed on efficient resource management and the elimination of waste—both internally and externally.

With the transformation of Thai tourism under this year's strategic plans, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) anticipates total revenues of 1.28 trillion baht, of which 656 billion baht are expected from the domestic market (160 million trips) and 625 billion baht from the international market (10 million tourists). Average spending by domestic tourists is estimated at 4,100 baht per person, and by international tourists at 62,580 baht per person.