Strong Thai delegation is promoting Thailand’s drive towards a meaningful travel experience, along with sustainability as well as health and wellness being highlighted, on the world travel stage.
Graciously supporting Thailand’s presence at the leading travel show is Princess Ubolratana, who visited the Thailand Stand on March 7 and showed how to make Thai potpourri and herbal compress. The activities correspond with the tourism direction that focuses on promoting the health and wellness segment for European travelers.
The Thai delegation to the show led by the TAT comprises 70 tourism sellers from Thailand, predominantly hotels and resorts, with one health provider – Bumrungrad Hospital. The majority of sellers (47 per cent) are from the South, reflecting the preference in the European market for beach holidays, while 35 per cent are from Bangkok, 11 per cent from the Central region, and 7 per cent from the East, which is an emerging islands destination for the German market.
Yuthasak Supasorn, TAT Governor, said “The Thailand presence at ITB Berlin 2023 is focused on creating awareness of the ‘Visit Thailand Year 2023: Amazing New Chapters’ campaign, and the kingdom’s direction towards more sustainable and responsible tourism.
“TAT is currently developing the Sustainable Tourism Goals (STGs) in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations, which will help drive the entire Thai tourism industry to put sustainability into practices. There will be a STAR (Sustainable Tourism Acceleration Rating) system that certifies tourist businesses in the area of tourism sustainability. Businesses that are able to comply with a number of goals will attain a corresponding amount of stars.”
The Thailand Stand at ITB Berlin 2023 – the 56th edition of the show, and the first in-person staging of the event since the pandemic – features the ‘Visit Thailand Year 2023: Amazing New Chapters’ theme and is promoting the leveraging of Thailand’s 5Fs soft-power foundations – Food, Film, Fashion, Festival, and Fight.
In line with the kingdom’s new direction toward more sustainable and responsible tourism, the stand has been decorated with reused materials from the previous trade event. Participating sellers must also have met certain criteria showing they have sustainable, responsible or environmental activities in place. This includes recycling, water conservation/efficiency, support of local communities, and other such eco-sustainable related activities in their operations.
The TAT information counter at the stand places emphasis on sustainable and responsible tourism, and promoting tourism communities all around Thailand. This is highlighting both major and emerging destinations in combination with natural and cultural attractions.
At the Thailand Mini Mart, comprising two sessions on March 9, over 20 buyers from emerging markets in Europe such as the Czech Republic, Poland, Romania and Hungary, will meet with the Thai sellers and have a chance to update themselves on Thai tourism products and services. This will be followed by the Thailand Mini Mart Happy Hour, a more informal and social opportunity for networking.
For the overall European market, the TAT is expecting to welcome around 5.8 million arrivals in 2023, generating 406.42 billion Baht or 11.28 billion Euros.
