Khun Nattachit Oonsiam, Director of Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT)-Mumbai
Thailand is pivoting its 2026 India strategy toward "value-led growth," targeting a 10% increase in tourism revenue by prioritising high-spending travellers over sheer arrival volumes. Following a year where Indian arrivals surged to 2.48 million, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is now shifting its focus toward increasing the length of stay and promoting secondary destinations to combat overtourism in hubs like Bangkok and Phuket.
Travel Daily Media interviews Nattachit Oonsiam, Director, Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), Mumbai Office to find out more about the destinations marketing plans in India.
Wat-Arun-Temple-Bangkok-Thailand
Travel Daily Media (TDM): Thailand is a very popular destination with Indian tourists. To further promote the destination, what all campaigns did you launch in India in 2025? Can you also share the numbers of tourists that have visited Thailand in 2025 globally and statistics from India as well?
Nattachit Oonsiam (NO): In 2025, our focus in India was on targeted engagement rather than broad-based promotion. Campaigns such as ASEAN + India Shoppers in Thailand, Living It Up in Thailand, and Celebrations with Care and Inner Shine, corporate and incentive group scheme were designed around evolving travel preferences of not just Indians but global travellers, including shopping, culture, food, weddings, and milestone travel. These were supported by sustained trade activity, roadshows, and familiarisation programmes, and aligned under the Amazing Thailand Grand Tourism and Sports Year 2025, which gave us a strong year-round cultural and experiential framework.
Thailand welcomed 32.97 million international visitors in 2025. From India, arrivals crossed 2.48 million, marking a 17 per cent year-on-year increase and reinforcing India’s position as one of Thailand’s top three source markets.
Chiang Rai - Wat Rong Suea Ten - Blue Temple
TDM: Which parts of India are you getting the maximum tourists from? What are you doing to promote the destination in Tier-2 cities? Which are the main airlines that connect to your country from India?
NO: Metros like Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai and Hyderabad continue to be our strongest source markets, while Tier-2 cities like Nagpur, Kochi, Indore, Coimbatore etc are showing consistent growth. To support this, we expanded our trade efforts like workshops, sales calls to these cities with the aim to improve product knowledge and encourage more diverse itineraries even from Tier- 2 markets.
Air connectivity plays a crucial role. Direct services by IndiGo, Air India, Thai Airways, Thai AirAsia, SpiceJet, and Thai VietJet now connect multiple Indian cities to Thailand’s key gateways. Combined with visa-free entry, this has supported repeat visits and family travel from across India.
Scuba Diving at Koh Tao
TDM: Going forward, what will be the direction of your marketing and promotional strategies for 2026? What are your targets for 2026? Which new source markets for tourism are you looking at in 2026?
NO: Our approach for 2026 is firmly centered on value-led growth. We expect tourism to grow by a minimum of 10 per cent year-on-year, with a stronger focus on quality, length of stay, spends per person and experience depth rather than volume alone. India will remain a priority market, particularly for luxury travel, wellness, event-led travel, weddings & MICE.
TDM: Seeing the progress that Thailand tourism has made, many other SE destinations are promoting themselves further for tourism. Which destinations are your competitors, and how well geared are you to face the competition?
NO: Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Singapore are all actively engaging the Indian market. Thailand’s advantage lies in its diversity and maturity as a destination. Beaches, cities, culture, wellness, and gastronomy can all be experienced within a single journey.
Our focus is now on raising service standards, promoting sustainability, and highlighting secondary destinations alongside established hubs such as Bangkok, Phuket, and Chiang Mai, allowing Thailand to remain competitive while offering depth and balance.
Phang Nga, Thailand
TDM: Crowds and congestion completely destroy a destination and irk the locals. Which destinations in Thailand have succumbed to overtourism? What are you doing to reduce the same?
NO: Destinations such as Bangkok, Phuket, and Pattaya do experience seasonal pressure at certain times of the year due to their popularity. Acknowledging this openly is important. Our focus has been on managing growth more responsibly so that tourism does not come at the cost of local communities or the environment.
Measures include promoting secondary cities and regions to spread visitor flows, introducing capacity controls in environmentally sensitive areas, and strengthening community-led tourism so local stakeholders benefit directly. These efforts are supported by close coordination between provincial authorities, tourism bodies, and the private sector, with clearer visitor guidelines and improved infrastructure. The objective is to reduce pressure on key hotspots while maintaining a positive, well-managed experience for travellers.
Railay beach, Krabi, Thailand
TDM: How do you see the traveller profiles changing going into 2026? What new tourism trends will rule 2026? How can travel advisors get well prepared for the same?
NO: Travellers are becoming more intentional in their choices. In 2026, we expect stronger demand for wellness travel, longer stays, regional exploration, hidden places and culturally immersive experiences, particularly among millennials and families.
Travel advisors who move beyond standard packages and develop expertise in regional destinations and thematic travel will be better placed to meet these evolving expectations.
Khao Sok National Park
TDM: Can you share for our readers lesser-known beautiful destinations in Thailand worth exploring?
NO: For travellers looking to venture beyond Thailand's most popular hubs, several destinations provide depth, character, and a strong sense of place.
- Nan: Known for its heritage temples and peaceful townscape.
- Mae Hong Son & Ban Rak Thai: Mountain landscapes and slow-paced village life & A Yunnan-influenced village with tea culture.
- Lampang: Preserved architecture and traditional charm.
- Chiang Rai and Doi Tung: Royal Gardens and Hill Country Views
- Trat (Koh Kood, Koh Mak and Koh Chang): Quiet beaches and low-impact island stays, Community-led tourism and relaxed island life
- Trang Islands: Pristine islands with limited development.
- Khao Sok National Park: It features ancient rainforest and freshwater landscapes.
- Kanchanaburi: Waterfalls, Caves, and Historical Sites
These destinations promote slower travel and more evenly distributed tourism, thereby supporting long-term growth and providing visitors with more meaningful experiences.
Surat Thani-Ko Samui-Bang Rak Beach
