Thailand's tourism industry is keen to attract more visitors from India, the world's largest country with a population of 1.4 billion. In the post-COVID era, Thai tourism business operators hope to expand the Indian tourism market to provide a more balanced market diversity and reduce over-reliance on Chinese tourists.
Prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, 1,961,069 Indian tourists visited Thailand in 2020, generating over 80 billion baht in revenue, according to a report from the Ministry of Tourism and Sports.
The Association of Thai Travel Agencies (ATTA) has implemented a project to help Thai tour operators develop their marketing campaigns to attract more foreign tourists by analyzing their behavior, especially from India, Saudi Arabia and the UK.
A survey and in-depth interviews conducted among a target group of Indian tourists showed that Indians are looking for the following features in their trips abroad: an unforgettable experience, an interesting time spent with family, an enjoyable, relaxed and carefree holiday, good value for money, and personal safety. .
The top 3 platforms used by Indian travelers during their trips to Thailand include Google/Yahoo, Facebook and Google Maps. Thai tour operators use these channels to effectively communicate and provide access to their tourism products.
Another interesting aspect is the influence of influencers on the decision of Indian tourists to visit Thailand.
Regarding the profile of the majority of Indian visitors to Thailand, the target group is millennials, aged 28 to 42. They are considered a new generation who are looking for freedom, fun and unforgettable experiences for their families.
The perception of Thailand among Indian tourists is that it is seen as a good value country with a convenient destination. Popular holiday destinations among Indians visiting Thailand include night tours, relaxation, shopping and beach visits.
