BANGKOK: The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is holding an integrated meeting on its 2027 action plan from Monday to Thursday.
At the meeting, Tourism and Sports Minister Surasak Phancharoenworakul and the TAT board have set policies and directions for marketing operations to serve as a framework for the agency’s work in 2027.
The plan aims to position Thailand as a leading destination in the region while shifting the tourism industry from volume-led growth towards higher-value creation, or “Value over Volume”, by delivering meaningful travel experiences, meeting the needs of quality travellers and advancing Thai tourism towards sustainability in every dimension.
Phancharoenworakul said: “Thailand’s tourism sector faces another highly challenging year in 2027. The target is to generate total revenue from domestic and international markets at least equal to the 2026 level and attract at least 33 million foreign tourists to Thailand.”
The government regards tourism as a “key engine” of the national economy, generating revenue, spreading opportunities to the regions, improving people’s quality of life and strengthening the grassroots economy.
Against a rapidly changing global backdrop, Thailand’s tourism sector must adapt more quickly and work proactively with partners across all sectors to maintain its competitiveness.
The goal is to drive quality, balanced and sustainable tourism growth through “four key approaches”.
These are positioning Thailand as a destination offering high-value experiences under the High Value Destination concept, balancing markets and strengthening competitiveness, driving the industry through data, technology and innovation, and developing the agency into a high-performance organisation capable of adapting to change.
The measures are intended to advance Thai tourism as an industry of the future that adds value to the economy, brings happiness and confidence to tourists and gives Thai people a sense of pride.
“Against a rapidly changing global backdrop, tourism is a strategic industry linked to the economy, trade, investment and foreign affairs.
“It must, therefore, adapt to the challenges and strengthen the country’s competitiveness.”
The government led by Thai Prime Minister (PM) Anutin Charnvirakul views tourism as a key engine of the Thai economy.
Phancharoenworakul has been assigned to participate in official overseas delegations whenever possible, operating under the Team Thailand approach.
The aim is to advance tourism cooperation alongside trade, investment and efforts to strengthen tourist confidence in key markets worldwide.
“This week, the prime minister has asked me to join the delegation visiting China to discuss cooperation with leading companies, business operators and airlines such as Sichuan Airlines.
“We will also hold talks with the Chinese government on coordinating information and strengthening tourists’ confidence in safety.”
During the visit to Malaysia last week, discussions covered cross-border travel, bilateral trade and efforts to promote peace along the border to support a favourable environment for tourism.
On an earlier visit to Vietnam, the PM set out a vision of treating Vietnam not as a competitor, but as a friend with which Thailand could develop the tourism industry and strengthen the region.
The private sector has proposed a central budget allocation for 2027 to stimulate tourism, including a co-payment programme under which the state would help cover people’s travel expenses.
“After hearing the private sector’s views, a joint policy will be developed by the Tourism and Sports Ministry and TAT,” the minister said.
TAT Governor Thapanee Kiatphaibool added that the co-payment programme would be called “Thais Travel Thailand”.
In addition to state support for hotel accommodation, it could include a “Plus” component covering spending on car hire and public transport.
Under TAT’s strategic plan for 2027, the framework sets total tourism revenue at 2.76 trillion baht, based on maintaining more than 33 million foreign tourists and recording 203 million domestic trips.
The focus is on raising travel frequency from the current average of more than two trips per person per year to three, in response to the Thai population being expected to remain broadly stable.
At the policy level, however, TAT will need to drive total revenue growth of 5% to 7%, taking it to “2.8 trillion baht to 2.9 trillion baht” in 2027, compared with the expected total revenue of 2.68 trillion baht to 2.78 trillion baht in 2026.
The figures are based on the revenue structure of all traveller segments coming to Thailand, including leisure tourists, those travelling for trade and investment, the meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions or MICE segment, medical and health tourists, sports tourists, digital nomads, education travellers and others.
In 2026, Thailand’s tourism sector has faced challenges from the “war in the Middle East” since late February, severely affecting the Middle Eastern market, in which TAT is seeking revenue growth.
Most of the remaining travel demand came from the United Arab Emirates.
By mid-year, conditions appeared likely to improve, but expectations were not met as clashes resumed.
“In the long term, TAT aims to increase the share of high-spending quality tourists by at least 10% a year.
“Their current average expenditure is about 52,000 baht per person per trip.
“This will be pursued by marketing to specific-purpose travel segments.
“At the same time, TAT will target travellers from new long-haul markets such as Eastern Europe, Africa and South America.
“The challenge is to persuade them to visit Thailand for the first time and then develop them into repeat visitors in the future.”
Thapanee said the meeting to integrate the 2027 action plan was an opportunity for TAT to undertake a major review and repositioning, marking “The Year of Transformation” across strategy, mindset, marketing operations, tourism product development and organisational management.
She stressed that TAT would press ahead through every challenge, act immediately and to the fullest extent, and prioritise equality, in line with the government’s policy of making Thailand a major regional travel destination and shifting tourism from a focus on volume towards higher value.
The “four strategic pillars” are: Restructuring the market with an emphasis on targeting high-value tourists; and shifting from selling tourism products to selling experiences so tourists can travel throughout all 365 days of the year, with more travel directed towards secondary cities and communities.
The other pillars are developing a new engine to accelerate growth in the tourism economy through the new economic models of Life Economy, Creative Culture & Subculture Economy and Sustainable Tourism; and developing TAT into an agile, data-driven organisation ready for change in every situation.
Following the integrated meeting on TAT’s 2027 action plan, a Market Briefing will present market conditions and the market-promotion approaches of TAT’s overseas offices in each region worldwide to Thai tourism operators. — The Nation/ANN
