thailand tourist authority

TAT creates new strategy to promote Thailand as 'sustainable' destination

Thailand will be rebranded as a “sustainable” destination to attract better quality tourists as well as preserve local communities and the environment..

The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) devised this plan just as the industry is starting to recover, with up to 7.3 million arrivals so far this year.

TAT governor Yuthasak Supasorn told the press on Friday that Thailand’s priority is not just to be a top destination but also a sustainable one.

He said TAT will launch three key strategies next year, namely greater change, a more affordable experience and collaborative networking.

“Greater change indicates that tourism-related businesses should be ready to transform operations in line with the bio-circular-green [BCG] economy model,” the TAT chief said. “That includes waste reduction, resource efficiency and carbon emission neutrality.”

The SHA Green stamp – Thailand’s standard for environmentally friendly practices and low emissions – will be given to hotels and businesses that genuinely strive to be sustainable, Yuthasak added.

TAT is also planning to launch a new awards system for companies that excel in sustainable tourism, he said, adding that offering tourists a “wonderful experience” will also inspire them to contribute to the local economy and environment.

Yuthasak also announced that TAT is collaborating with real-estate conglomerate Assets World Corporation (AWC) and leading hotel groups to promote Thailand as a top destination for eco-friendly travel.

“[With this partnership], we hope to set a real example of what sustainable tourism should be like and demonstrate how serious we are about keeping the nation’s engine industry – tourism – revved up,” he said.

Wallapa Traisorat, AWC’s CEO and president, said the group shares TAT’s sustainability goals and hotels like Marriott, Banyan Tree, Okura, Hilton, IHG and Melia are also joining in.

“AWC is working with other partners from different industries and global hotel chains to bring all properties up to TAT’s ‘SHA’ standards to achieve the objective of carbon neutrality and zero waste by 2030,” Wallapa said.

Yuthasak, meanwhile, said TAT will propose that the Cabinet extend the “We Travel Together” co-payment travel scheme for a fifth time to cover the New Year holidays.

“If extended, the fifth phase will provide funding for 2 million rooms totalling about 7.2 billion baht,” the TAT chief said.

TAT expects 10 million people to travel around the country this year, and double the number next year with about 40 per cent being locals.

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Thailand Relaxes Its Visa Program: Longer Stays For Tourists And Digital Nomads

Beginning next week, Thailand will roll out an initiative that will allow travelers from 93 countries to stay up to 60 days, and relax rules for digital nomads, students and retirees.

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Thailand is pulling out the stops to attract more tourists from a larger pool of countries and for longer stays.

T his week, Thailand’s government announced that it is significantly relaxing its visa program, approving longer stays for tourists, students and remote workers in an initiative that will allow travelers from 93 countries (up from 57) to stay 60 days (up from 30).

The changes will go into effect on June 1.

For digital nomads, as well as self-employed and remote workers, visas will extend to five years—a significant jump from 60 days—with each stay limited to 180 days, Thai government spokesperson Chai Wacharonke said at a press conference. Previously, digital nomads were allowed only two 30-day stays.

Foreign postgraduate students will be able to stay an additional year after graduation.

In addition, Thailand is drastically lowering insurance requirements for foreign retirees. Currently, retirees aged 50 years and up must have health insurance coverage of 3 million baht (nearly $82,000). The new requirement will be just 440,000 baht ($12,000).

Thailand is hoping these moves will collectively help juice its stuttering economy. Earlier this month, the finance ministry reduced its 2024 economic growth forecast to 2.4% from 2.8%. The country is aiming for a record 40 million foreign tourism arrivals in 2024, with an anticipated revenue of 3.5 trillion baht ($95.3 billion).

Around the world, there’s a marked trend toward fewer countries requiring traditional paper visas affixed in a passport, according to UN Tourism’s latest Tourism Visa Openness Report , which revealed that just 47% of travelers in 2023 required a traditional visa, falling steadily from 77% in 2008 and 59% in 2018. Instead, travelers are finding looser rules and less friction when traveling to destinations around the world. Today 21% of the world’s population does not need any visa—up from 17% in 2008—and visa-on-arrivals and eVisas are popping up around the world.

This trend is most visible in the Middle East and Africa. Consider that in 2015, about seven in 10 people in the world needed to obtain a visa prior to visiting the Middle East. By last year, that figure had dropped to 57%.

The list of countries soon eligible for visa-free short stays in Thailand include large tourism source markets like China and India, as well as U.S., U.K., Albania, Cambodia, Jamaica, Kazakhstan, Laos, Mexico, Morocco, Panama, Romania, Sri Lanka, UAE and Uzbekistan.

A Thai visa-on-arrival will soon be available for 31 countries (up from 19), including Armenia, Fiji, Malta, Saudi Arabia and Serbia.

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An increasing of tourists visiting Bangkok each year has proven that Bangkok is always a popular city for tourists.

For major tourist attractions in Bangkok, most of them are Historical sites or religious sites such as temples in Bangkok. There is beautiful architecture, wall painting and also important in History, such as Wat Phra Sri Rattanasamaram (Phra Kaew), Wat Phra Chetuphon Wimon Mangalaram (wat pho), wat arun Ratchawararam, Wat Sra Ket, and Phra Bor Banphot (Golden mountain), Wat Ratchanadda, Wat Traimit, Wat Benchamabophit, Wat Bowonniwet Vihara Suthasan, Wat Thep Wararam etc.

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E-NEWSLETTER

Ministry prioritises upgrade of tourism

Pledge follows drop in tourism ranking

PUBLISHED : 31 May 2024 at 05:47

NEWSPAPER SECTION: Business

WRITER: Molpasorn Shoowong

Thailand still has weaknesses in infrastructure and services, as destinations have not developed to keep pace with demand, though the government has pledged to improve the nation's ranking in the tourism development index during its four-year term.

Thailand fell in the latest World Economic Forum (WEF) Travel and Tourism Development Index to 47th from 36th, with Tourism and Sports Minister Sermsak Pongpanich acknowledging some tourism destinations still have flaws in infrastructure and services, requiring a special improvement plan for upgrades.

Mr Sermsak said the ministry will cooperate with relevant authorities to upgrade transport to improve convenience for tourists, as well as developing Thailand as an inclusive destination for all ages and needs.

As Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin has been active in accelerating infrastructure upgrade plans, such as airport expansion in many key areas, he believes that the government will be able to improve Thailand's WEF ranking within its four-year term.

Given the cabinet has approved expanding visa-free stays for citizens from 93 countries from next month, Mr Sermsak said the ministry has coordinated with related authorities to ensure tourists' safety and convenience, such as the Immigration Bureau and Tourist Police.

He said it is possible to expand the visa-free scheme to more countries.

Sisdivachr Cheewarattanaporn, president of the Association of Thai Travel Agents, said the 60-day visa-free scheme might not directly benefit inbound tourism since the average length of stay is no more than a week or two, with the exception of some European markets which have long vacation leave.

On the contrary, the longer eligible stay could lead to more foreigners seizing the opportunity to illegally work in Thailand, said Mr Sisdivachr.

Thailand Science Research and Innovation, Program Management Unit for Competitiveness, Tourism Authority of Thailand, and Association of Thai Travel Agents signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation to develop and drive tourism industry with creative economic reserach. (Photo supplied)

As of May 27, Thailand earned 683 billion baht revenue from 14.3 million tourists, while the target of the overall international market this year is set at 2.38 trillion baht.

Mr Sisdivachr said it is very challenging to achieve the goal looking at the five-month data, as it means the tourism industry will have to triple revenue in the final quarter.

"Thailand's tourism sector relies too much on existing or old attractions. We've just wrapped old things in new packages by adding event promotions without developing or having any new appeal," he said.

Thienprasit Chaiyapatranun, president of the Thai Hotels Association, said facilitating longer stays for more tourists might have an unexpected outcome, as foreign tourists may opt for long-stay properties rather than hotels.

He said since apartments are not required to submit guest information daily to the government as licensed hotels do, the government should look into new methods to track tourists' whereabouts.

He said the government should consider a budget to boost domestic tourism this low season, particularly properties of under three stars in provinces with slower recovery.

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Eva air, tourism authority of thailand launch mother's day giveaway three lucky moms, guests to fly u.s. to bangkok and chiang mai, thailand.

NEW YORK , June 3, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Award-winning EVA Air and Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) are celebrating Mother's Day in a big way this year, giving away roundtrips to Bangkok and Chiang Mai for three winners, including one guest each.

EVA Air  Mother's Day Giveaway , in partnership with the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) , will commence on Mother's Day, Sunday, May 12th , and close on Wednesday, June 12th , offering the public the chance to win a trip to Thailand . The trip of a lifetime for three winners will include roundtrip Premium Economy Class flights on EVA Air from the US to Bangkok for each winner and a guest, including airfare between Bangkok and Chiang Mai . Additionally, winners will be hosted for three-night hotel stays in Bangkok and two-night hotel stays in Chiang Mai . Airport transfers and one-time guided day tours in both cities are included.

"EVA Air is humbled to celebrate our real-life superheroes, our mothers. As we honor mothers from coast-to-coast, we are also doubling down on our commitment to creating opportunities for travelers to make cherished memories each and every time they travel with us," said EVA Executive Vice President and Head of North America Operations Andrew Su. The campaign demonstrates EVA Air's steadfastness in cultivating meaningful and emotion-fused travel experiences, and redefines air travel by approaching each flight as a canvas for deep exploration and for memories that will last a lifetime.

The winners will have the option to select their own travel dates, valid until Tuesday, December 31st, 2024.

EVA AIR Mother's Day Giveaway will begin on May 12, 2024 . Travelers can visit the www.evalovesmothers.com to enter the giveaway from Sunday, May 12th - Wednesday, June 12th , 2024.

Winners will be announced Wednesday, June 19th, 2024 . Winners must have a valid legal travel documents and must travel at their own expense to the following departure destinations in North America *:

Los Angeles

San Francisco

* All travel will be from one of the above departure cities to Bangkok, Thailand via Taipei,Taiwan

ABOUT EVA AIR

EVA Air is a Star Alliance member and one of only 10 SKYTRAX-rated 5-Star airlines worldwide. Travelers responding to SKYTRAX's global survey voted EVA number one for the "World's Cleanest Aircraft Cabins" and "Best Economy Class Airline Catering." TripAdvisor recognized it among the "Top 10 Airlines – World" and awarded it top spots in four more categories in its annual Travelers' Choice Awards for Airlines. Travel + Leisure and Conde' Nast Traveler readers also voted EVA Air among the top 10 Best International Airlines. The carrier was established in 1989 as Taiwan's first privately owned international airline. It is part of the respected Evergreen Group and a sister company to global container-shipping leader Evergreen Line. It flies a fleet of more than 80 Boeing and Airbus aircraft to over 60 international destinations throughout Asia , Oceania, Europe and North America where gateways in Los Angeles , San Francisco , Seattle , Chicago , Houston , New York , Toronto and Vancouver . Travelers can learn more about EVA and schedule, book and buy tickets at www.evaair.com .

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North America Andrea Holden , PURPLE PR [email protected] Amanda Benedetto , PURPLE PR [email protected]

View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/eva-air-tourism-authority-of-thailand-launch-mothers-day-giveaway-three-lucky-moms-guests-to-fly-us-to-bangkok-and-chiang-mai-thailand-302162213.html

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Thailand targets tourism boost with longer stays for visitors, students, 'digital nomads'

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Netanyahu to address US Congress on June 13, Punchbowl reports

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will address a joint meeting of the U.S. Congress on June 13, Punchbowl News reported on Monday, following an invitation by top lawmakers intended as a show of support despite partisan divides over the Gaza war.

Yemen's Houthis say they targeted a military site on Israel's port city of Eilat with a new ballistic missile, the Iranian-backed group's military spokesperson Yahya Saree said on Monday.

Innovative Marketing Collaboration: Huawei Petal Ads and Tourism Authority of Thailand Promote Bilateral Tourism

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8 Best Beaches Around Phuket, Thailand

D ubbed the “Pearl of the Andamans,” Thailand’s largest island, Phuket, has an abundance of gorgeous coastlines and spectacular beaches to enjoy. The island is, after all, Thailand’s top holiday destination.

Phuket has over 30 beaches, each with something different to offer, with the best on the Andaman Sea-facing west coast. Many have accommodations, activities, and entertainment in their immediate vicinity, making them one-stop holiday destinations. Starting in the southwest corner, this best beach guide for Phuket includes a few personal favorites.

1. Nai Harn

Nai Harn has become a popular beach destination on the southern end of Phuket’s west coast. With feather-soft sand and shallow clear blue waters, it’s no wonder visitors and locals head to this beach haven. Finding a comfy spot to spread your towel is easy and the small stalls beyond the beach’s casuarina tree line mean refreshments, tasty snacks, and street food are on hand. Another plus is the on-duty lifeguards during the high season.

With only a handful of hotels dotting the surrounding green hills, Nai Harn retains its authentic local atmosphere. As a sheltered bay, yachts and fishing boats anchor here in the high season’s calm waters. The nearby Nai Harn Lake, another shady respite, is popular with locals during Thai festival celebrations like Loi Krathong in November.

Pro Tip: Before returning to your hotel at the end of the day, take a 2-mile detour up to nearby Cape Phrom Thep — Phuket’s most famous sunset viewpoint.

2. Kata Beach

Kata Beach is the next major beach destination heading north from Nai Harn. There are two Kata beaches: the smaller and less congested Kata Noi to the south and the pandanus and tropical almond-tree-lined Kata Yai to the north, where most of the action can be found. Both beaches are outstanding.

The shallow seas off Kata Yai allow more accessible, safer snorkeling in the nearby coral reefs off the northern and southern ends of the beach. You can also enjoy surfing, stand-up paddle boarding, diving, and swimming. Pu Island sits just offshore of Kata Yai, adding another element to your sunset viewing and photography. Parallel to the beach, Kata Road hosts most of Kata Yai’s bars, restaurants, hotels, and resort offerings. Everything you need is in the immediate vicinity.

Pro Tip: Some of Phuket’s most spectacular viewpoints are along the winding hilltop road between Nai Harn and Kata Beach. Above Kata Noi, several hillside bars and restaurants with spellbinding Andaman Sea views offer excellent Thai food and refreshing beverages.

3. Karon Beach

Positioned between Kata and Patong Beaches, Karon Beach is almost perfectly straight, with 2 miles of the typical soft, golden sand this region is famous for. The overall vibe is easygoing, with long stretches of beach free of crowds.

A popular venue for watersports like windsurfing, parasailing, wakeboarding, and waterskiing, Karon’s compact sands are also well-suited for beach volleyball and it’s often used for international championship matches. The “sport” of relaxing is similarly easy on Karon.

Karon has a great selection of hotels and resorts to suit most budgets. The beach road adjacent to the southern and central sections offers a good selection of Thai eateries and seafood restaurants. Everything you need is in the neighborhood, making Karon particularly appealing to families.

4. Freedom Beach

Rated as one of Phuket’s most beautiful beaches, Freedom Beach is a hidden gem. It is only accessible via a 10-minute, long-tail boat ride from neighboring Patong or Karon, or a hike along a rough forest trail across private land.

Given the extra effort required to access the 330-yard-long secluded cove, this little touch of heaven is relatively quiet — crowd and noise-wise. People come to Freedom to swim, snorkel, and laze on the soft white sand, away from the bustle of the main beaches. You can eat on the sand at one of the street food stalls or drop into the third-generation Barefoot Bistro and organic farm at the end of the beach.

Pro Tip: The return long-tail boat rides typically cost 200 THB (less than 6 USD). Simply tell the boat driver a pickup time and he will return. Sea access is only available during the high season.

5. Patong Beach

Patong is Phuket’s most famous beach, and at 1.77 miles long, there is room for everyone. With a distinct party vibe, it’s the place to see and be seen. Bustling Patong Beach is activity central with jet skiing, surfing, or parasailing available off the beach. Roving vendors sell snacks, drinks, and sarongs, or you can get a massage in Salas under the trees separating the beach and Thaweewong Road.

As well as the water activities, Patong is Phuket’s number-one party zone with multiple attractions, restaurants and bars, and the famous (or infamous) busy night scene on Bangla Road. An abundance of accommodation options can be found in the streets around the beach, from budget to all-inclusive hotels and luxury resorts.

Pro Tip: While consistently busy, Patong can be even more crowded in the late afternoon as visitors from around the island descend to watch the Sun sink below the horizon. For a quieter and equally spectacular sunset spot, pop over to nearby Kamala.

6. Kamala Beach

Head north from Patong along the cliff-edged millionaire’s row to the long (just under 2 miles), wide, and soft pale sands of Kamala Beach. Fringed by casuarina and coconut trees, the beach offers plenty of space for those seeking a more low-key beach experience. And as the sea is clear and shallow, with no sudden drop-off, it is popular with couples and families. For surfers, Kamala also boasts beginner and intermediate surf breaks.

Kamala has excellent Thai and international restaurants on the beach’s edge; ideal for daytime grazing or dinner under the stars. The beach road at Kamala’s southern end hosts budget hotels plus a busy bar and restaurant scene. Novotel Kamala and the upmarket InterContinental Phuket Resort have prime beachfront locations at the beach’s northern end.

Pro Tip: Those seeking an Ibiza-style beach club experience will find Café Del Mar on Kamala Beach the ideal spot. Just steps from the sand, comfortable lounge chairs surround a stunning swimming pool with onsite dining and the opportunity to party well into the night.

7. Surin Beach

Surin Beach’s exceptional water clarity makes it popular for swimming and snorkeling in the high season. This once-famous party beach was cleared of illegally erected restaurants, bars, and beach clubs almost 10 years ago. Surin’s natural beauty now shines with turquoise water, impeccable sand, and palm trees, complemented by just a handful of restaurants and massage salons.

Motorized watersports are rare around Surin Beach, with kayaks and surfboards more common. People watching and celebrity spotting is a new beach sport, thanks to nearby high-end resorts like Amanpuri and The Surin.

8. Nai Yang Beach

Further north, near Phuket International Airport , is the beachside Sirinath National Park. Bordering this park on the southern side is Nai Yang Beach — one of my favorites in Phuket. The casuarina-shaded beach gives a glimpse of what Phuket may have been before mass tourism — and there’s a lot to like.

Safe, shallow, clean water is ideal for families, plus the quiet green of the national park beachfront campgrounds adds to the restive nature of Nai Yang Beach. This 1.5-mile sandy crescent also offers toes-in-the-sand restaurants and bars, plus the usual complement of beach massage and other vendors.

The Slate and Marriott Nai Yang are luxury resort accommodation options, along with a good selection of affordable hotels and resorts a little further from the beach. Nai Yang is a beautiful hideaway but with enough to do to not feel isolated.

When To Visit

Phuket is open to visitors year-round. You will never be cold in its tropical climate, with the coolest nights dropping a very comfortable 77 degrees Fahrenheit and the hottest days peaking around 93 degrees Fahrenheit.

May to October are monsoon seasons, and although accommodation and other holiday-related prices are very enticing, the ocean can be rough with currents and undertows, plus poor water visibility.

The best time to visit Phuket is the high season between November and April when weather conditions are ideal for beach activities like swimming, water sports, and boating. Notably, the island is big enough to not feel overly crowded during the high season. I recommend visiting when your beach experience is at its best.

Related Reading: 

• 9 Incredible Beachfront Resorts To Experience In Thailand
• 7 Things I Loved About My First Trip To Thailand
• 3 Meaningful Travel Experiences I Loved In Northern Thailand

This article originally appeared on TravelAwaits

TAT announces 2024 strategic direction towards high value and sustainability 

Enhancing efforts on elevating supply and sustainable standards and raising awareness on a multitude of meaningful travel experiences that reflect thai soft powers and sustainable goals..

Bangkok, 18 July 2023 – The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has announced the 2024 strategic direction that will continue to elevate the tourism supply and sustainable standards, as well as leverage Thai soft powers to promote and develop high-value and sustainable tourism in Thailand.

Mr. Yuthasak Supasorn, TAT Governor, said “2024 will be the year of accelerating Resilience, transforming Thailand’s tourism into High Value and Sustainable Tourism that emphasises on elevating and moving forward to a better tourism ecosystem. To build a new ecosystem, we need to become less reliant on the number of tourists and focus more on increasing tourist spending, attracting quality tourists, developing the supply chain with our partners, and distributing income fairly to the local communities. We need to create a balance between economic wealth, social well-being, environmental wellness, and human wisdom.”

To strengthen the country’s tourism industry, TAT is committed to building tourism security with long-term immunity, so that the industry can face global polycrisis and keep moving forward.

The 4 key factors to create tourism security are: 1) Strengthen the supply chain with quality and sustainability to cater to the rising demand, and distribute income to the local community fairly. 2) Develop factors supporting tourism and tourism infrastructure to create safe and smooth travel. 3) Leverage the digital transformation through innovation and technology to create value-added and sustainability to the tourism industry. 4) Focus on external risk management effectively.

Ms. Thapanee Kiatphaibool, TAT Deputy Governor for Domestic Marketing, said “TAT will continue to focus on creating  and delivering ‘meaningful experiences’ to quality travellers with different demands in tourism experiences. To achieve this, TAT is concerned about the subculture movement and will strengthen partnerships at all angles with stakeholders and suppliers to drive Thailand’s tourism industry towards sustainability.”

International Market

For the international market, five directions have been devised to boost the overseas market comprising:

1) Enhance the sustainability image of Thailand and utilising it as the country’s unique selling point, which aims to strengthen the awareness of the Kinnaree Brand (Thailand Tourism Awards) to international travellers.

2) Penetrate emerging quality markets to focus on new markets in Europe and the Middle East region and other potential segments, such as Oya Rich, business travellers, and wedding and honeymoons.

3) Seek new partners and expand collaboration with global partners, such as Tourism Cares, Alipay, and WeChat.

4) Promote overland travelling via the high-speed train between the People’s Republic of China-Lao PDR-Thailand.

5) Empower marketing with digital content, such as utilising virtual influencers to promote Thailand to Generation Z and Y to Thailand.

Domestic Market

The domestic market promotion will be prioritised on stimulating Thais to travel in Thailand, increasing travel frequency, and distributing tourism income to the local communities, so to generate income for all sectors equally. TAT will also showcase the strengths of the Thailand Soft Power (5F) and highlight meaningful travel experiences across all five regions of Thailand.

The ‘Northern Region’ invokes nostalgia through local arts and crafts and soft power of the North.

The ‘Central Region’ highlights the happiness of travelling through 4HD or the 4 Happy Definitions, which aim to stimulate frequent travels in the Central Region.

The ‘Northeastern Region’ leverages the fabulous Isan food and the Michelin Guide to whet the domestic travel appetite to the Northeast.

The ‘Eastern Region’ highlights the gastronomic delights, local beliefs, getaway destinations, and responsible tourism in the East.

The ‘Southern Region” recommends an exciting array of food, nature, superstitions, and work from anywhere in the South.

For marketing communication in 2024, the ‘Amazing Thailand’ brand is being implemented for both the domestic and international markets. ‘Create Your Great Moment Now’ is the key concept, which is being conveyed to domestic tourists, while the ‘Meaningful Relationship’ is being communicated to international travellers to encourage them to engage in meaningful connections with the local people and community.

By synergising with the private sector, TAT will strengthen Thailand’s five soft powers under the Brand Collaboration: Amazing Thailand x 5F project.

2024 Targets

“With the carefully planned 2024 strategic direction, TAT has set an overall revenue target in the best-case scenario of 3 trillion Baht. This constitutes 1.92 trillion Baht from international tourism and 1.08 trillion Baht from domestic tourism. TAT expects to welcome 35 million foreign tourists and inspire 200 million domestic trips in 2024,” Ms. Thapanee concluded.

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Now boarding: Faces, places, and trends shaping tourism in 2024

After falling by 75 percent in 2020, travel is on its way to a full recovery by the end of 2024. Domestic travel is expected to grow 3 percent annually and reach 19 billion lodging nights per year by 2030. 1 Unless otherwise noted, the source for all data and projections is Oxford Economics. Over the same time frame, international travel should likewise ramp up to its historical average of nine billion nights. Spending on travel is expected to follow a similar trajectory, with an estimated $8.6 trillion in traveler outlays in 2024, representing roughly 9 percent of this year’s global GDP.

About the authors

This article is a collaborative effort by Caroline Tufft , Margaux Constantin , Matteo Pacca , and Ryan Mann , with Ivan Gladstone and Jasperina de Vries, representing views from McKinsey’s Travel, Logistics & Infrastructure Practice.

There’s no doubt people still love to travel and will continue to seek new experiences in new places. But where will travelers come from, and where will they go? We developed a snapshot of current traveler flows, along with estimates for growth through 2030. For the purposes of this report, we have divided the world into four regions—the Americas, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East and Africa.

Our analysis identifies three major themes for industry stakeholders to consider:

• The bulk of travel spending is close to home. Stakeholders should ensure they capture the full potential of domestic travel before shifting their focus to international travelers. And they should start with international travelers who visit nearby countries—as intraregional trips represent the largest travel segment after domestic trips.
• Source markets are shifting. Although established source markets continue to anchor global travel, Eastern Europe, India, and Southeast Asia are all becoming fast-growing sources of outbound tourism.
• The destinations of the future may not be the ones you imagine. Alongside enduring favorites, places that weren’t on many tourists’ maps are finding clever ways to lure international travelers and establish themselves as desirable destinations.

The bulk of travel spending is close to home

International travel might feel more glamorous, but tourism players should not forget that domestic travel still represents the bulk of the market, accounting for 75 percent of global travel spending (Exhibit 1). Domestic travel recovered from the COVID-19 pandemic faster than international travel, as is typical coming out of downturns. And although there has been a recent boom in “revenge travel,” with travelers prioritizing international trips that were delayed by the pandemic, a return to prepandemic norms, in which domestic travel represents 70 percent of spending, is expected by 2030.

The United States is the world’s largest domestic travel market at $1 trillion in annual spending. Sixty-eight percent of all trips that start in the United States remain within its borders. Domestic demand has softened slightly, as American travelers return abroad. 2 Dawit Habtemariam, “Domestic U.S. tourism growth levels off as Americans head overseas,” Skift, August 18, 2023. But tourism players with the right offerings are still thriving: five national parks broke attendance records in 2023 (including Joshua Tree National Park, which capitalized on growing interest from stargazers indulging in “dark sky” tourism 3 Scott McConkey, “5 national parks set attendance records in 2023, and the reasons may surprise you,” Wealth of Geeks, April 16, 2024. ).

China’s $744 billion domestic travel market is currently the world’s second largest. Chinese travelers spent the pandemic learning to appreciate the diversity of experiences on offer within their own country. Even as borders open back up, Chinese travelers are staying close to home. And domestic destinations are benefiting: for example, Changchun (home to the Changchun Ice and Snow Festival) realized 160 percent year-on-year growth in visitors in 2023. 4 Shi Xiaoji, “Why don’t Chinese people like to travel abroad anymore? The global tourism industry has lost 900 billion yuan. What is the situation?,” NetEase, February 12, 2024. In 2024, domestic travel during Lunar New Year exceeded prepandemic levels by 19 percent.

China’s domestic travel market is expected to grow 12 percent annually and overtake the United States’ to become the world’s largest by 2030. Hotel construction reflects this expectation: 30 percent of the global hotel construction pipeline is currently concentrated in China. The pipeline is heavily skewed toward luxury properties, with more than twice as many luxury hotels under construction in China as in the United States.

India, currently the world’s sixth-largest domestic travel market by spending, is another thriving area for domestic travel. With the subcontinent’s growing middle class powering travel spending growth of roughly 9 percent per year, India’s domestic market could overtake Japan’s and Mexico’s to become the world’s fourth largest by 2030. Domestic air passenger traffic in India is projected to double by 2030, 5 Murali Krishnan, “Can India’s airports cope with rapid passenger growth?,” Deutsche Welle, February 7, 2024. boosted in part by a state-subsidized initiative that aims to connect underserved domestic airports. 6 “India is seeing a massive aviation boom,” Economist , November 23, 2023.

When travelers do go abroad, they often stay close to home (Exhibit 2).

Europe and Asia, in particular, demonstrate strong and growing intraregional travel markets.

Recognizing this general trend, stakeholders have been funneling investment toward regional tourism destinations. An Emirati wealth fund, for instance, has announced its intent to invest roughly $35 billion into established hospitality properties and development opportunities in Egypt. 7 Michael Gunn and Mirette Magdy, “UAE’s $35 billion Egypt deal marks Gulf powers’ buying spree,” Bloomberg, April 27, 2024.

Europe has long played host to a high share of intraregional travel. Seventy percent of its travelers’ international trips stay within the region. Europe’s most popular destinations for intraregional travelers are perennial warm-weather favorites—Spain (18 percent), Italy (10 percent), and France (8 percent)—with limited change to these preferences expected between now and 2030.

Despite longer travel distances between Asian countries, Asia’s intraregional travel market is beginning to resemble Europe’s. Intraregional travel currently accounts for about 60 percent of international trips in Asia—a share expected to climb to 64 percent by 2030. As in Europe in past decades, Asian intraregional travel is benefiting from diminishing visa barriers and the development of a low-cost, regional flight network.

Thailand is projected to enjoy continued, growing popularity with Asian travelers. Thailand waived visa requirements for Chinese tourists in 2023 and plans to do the same for Indian tourists starting in 2024. It has aggressively targeted the fast-growing Indian traveler segment, launching more than 50 marketing campaigns directed at Indians over the past decade. The investment may be paying off: Bangkok recently overtook Dubai as the most popular city destination for Indian tourists. 8 “Bangkok overtakes Dubai as top destination for Indians post visa relaxation, reveals Agoda,” PR Newswire, January 18, 2024.

A McKinsey ConsumerWise survey on consumer sentiment, conducted in February 2024, suggests that Chinese travelers are also exhibiting high interest in international travel, with 36 percent of survey respondents indicating that they intend to spend more on international travel in the next three months. 9 Daniel Zipser, “ China brief: Consumers are spending again (outside of China) ,” McKinsey, April 8, 2024. Much of this interest is directed toward regional destinations such as Southeast Asia and Japan, with interest in travel to Europe down from previous years. 10 Guang Chen, Zi Chen, Steve Saxon, and Jackey Yu, “ Outlook for China tourism 2023: Light at the end of the tunnel ,” McKinsey, May 9, 2023.

Given travelers’ preference for proximity, how can tourism stakeholders further capitalize on domestic and intraregional travel demand? Here are a few strategies:

• Craft offerings that encourage domestic tourists to rediscover local gems. Destinations, hotels, and transportation providers can encourage domestic tourists to integrate lesser-known cultural landmarks into their trips to visit friends and relatives. In France, the upscale hotel chain Relais & Châteaux markets historic properties that lie far from classic tourist sights—such as Château Saint-Jean in rural Auvergne—as a welcome escape from the bustle of Paris. In Mexico, the Pueblos Mágicos program has successfully boosted domestic tourist visits to a set of “magical towns” that showcase Mexican heritage.
• Fold one-off domestic destinations into fuller itineraries. Route 66 in the United States is a classic road trip pathway, which spurs visits to attractions all along the highway’s length. Tourism stakeholders can collaborate to create similar types of domestic itineraries around the world. For instance, Mexico has expanded on its Pueblos Mágicos concept by branding coordinated visits to multiple villages as “magical routes.” In France, local tourism boards and vineyards have collaborated to promote bucket list “wine routes” around the country.
• Make crossing borders into neighboring countries seamless. Removing logistical barriers to travel can nudge tourists to upgrade a one-off trip to a single attraction into a bucket list journey across multiple, less-trodden destinations. In Africa, for example, Ethiopian Airlines is facilitating cross-border travel to major regional tourist sites through improved air connectivity. In Asia, Thailand has announced its intent to create a joint visa easing travel among Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam.

Source markets are shifting

The United States, Germany, the United Kingdom, China, and France remain the world’s five largest sources of travelers, in that order. These countries collectively accounted for 38 percent of international travel spending in 2023 and are expected to remain the top five source markets through 2030. But interest in travel is blossoming in other parts of the world—causing a shift in the balance of outbound travel flows (Exhibit 3).

North Americans’ travel spending is projected to hold steady at roughly 3 percent annual growth. US consumers voice growing concerns about inflation, and the most cost-constrained traveler segments are reducing travel, which is affecting ultra-low-cost airlines and budget hotels. Most travelers, however, plan to continue traveling: McKinsey research suggests that American consumers rank international and domestic travel as their highest-priority areas for discretionary spending. Instead of canceling their trips, these consumers are adapting their behavior by traveling during off-peak periods or booking travel further in advance. Travel spending by Europeans paints a slightly rosier picture, with roughly 5 percent projected annual growth. Meanwhile, the projected 12 percent annual growth in Chinese travelers’ spending should anchor substantial increases in travel spending across Northeast Asia.

Alongside these enduring traveler segments, new groups of travelers are emerging. Eastern Europe, India, and Southeast Asia are still comparatively small source markets, but they are developing fast-growing pools of first-time tourists (Exhibit 4).

India’s breakneck GDP growth of 6 percent year over year is bolstering a new generation of travelers, 11 Benjamin Laker, “India will grow to become the world’s third-largest economy by 2027,” Forbes , February 23, 2024. resulting in a projected annual growth in travel spending of 9 percent between now and 2030. Indian air carriers and lodging companies are making substantial investments to meet projected demand. Budget airline IndiGo placed the largest aircraft order in commercial aviation history in 2023, when it pledged to buy 500 Airbus A320 planes 12 Anna Cooban, “Biggest plane deal in history: Airbus clinches massive order from India’s IndiGo,” CNN, June 19, 2023. ; that same week, Air India nearly equaled IndiGo’s order size with purchase agreements for 250 Airbus and 220 Boeing jets. IndiGo later added an order for 30 additional Airbus A350 planes, well suited to serving both domestic and international routes. 13 “Airbus confirms IndiGo's A350 aircraft order,” Economic Times , May 6, 2024. The Indian Hotels Company Limited is ramping up its hotel pipeline, aiming to open two new hotels per month in the near future. International players are not sitting on the sidelines: seven hotel chains are launching new brands in India in 2024, 14 Peden Doma Bhutia, “Indian Hotels expansion plans: 2 new brands launching, 2 hotels opening every month,” Skift, February 2, 2024. including Marriott’s first Moxy- and Tribute-branded hotels in India and entrants from Hilton’s Curio and Tapestry brands. 15 Forum Gandhi, “Check-in frenzy: International hotel giants unleash fresh brands in India’s booming hospitality landscape,” Hindu Businessline , February 13, 2024. Development focus has shifted away from major metropolises such as Mumbai and Delhi and toward fast-developing, smaller cities such as Chandigarh and Hyderabad.

Southeast Asian travel spending is projected to grow at roughly 7 percent per year. Pockets of particularly high growth exist in Cambodia, Malaysia, and the Philippines. To capitalize on this blossoming source market, neighboring countries are rolling out attractive visa arrangements: for example, China has agreed to reciprocal visa waivers for short-term travelers from Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand. 16 Julienna Law, “China launches ‘visa-free era’ with Southeast Asia. Will travel retail boom?,” Jing Daily , January 30, 2024.

Travel spending by Eastern Europeans is expected to grow at 7 percent per year until 2030—two percentage points higher than spending by Western Europeans. Areas of especially high growth include the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Poland, where middle-class travelers are increasingly venturing farther afield. Major tourism players, including the TUI Group, have tapped into these new source markets by offering charter flights to warm-weather destinations such as Egypt. 17 Hildbrandt von Klaus, “TUI develops Czech Republic as a new source market,” FVW, December 22, 2023.

Although the number of travelers from these new source markets is growing, their purchasing power remains relatively limited. Compared with Western European travelers (who average $159 per night in total travel spending), South Asians spend 20 percent less, Eastern Europeans spend 40 percent less, and Southeast Asians spend 55 percent less. Only 3 percent of the current Asian hotel construction pipeline caters to economy travelers, suggesting a potential supply gap of rooms that could appeal to budget-constrained tourists.

While acknowledging that historical source markets will continue to constitute the bulk of travel spending, tourism players can consider actions such as these to capitalize on growing travel demand from newer markets:

• Reduce obstacles to travel. Countries can look for ways to strategically invest in simplifying travel for visitors from growing source markets. In 2017, for example, Azerbaijan introduced express processing of electronic visas for Indian visitors; annual arrivals from India increased fivefold in two years. Requirements regarding passport photocopies or in-person check-ins can similarly be assessed with an eye toward reducing red tape for travelers.
• Use culturally relevant marketing channels to reach new demographics. Unique, thoughtful marketing strategies can help destinations place themselves on first-time travelers’ bucket lists. For example, after the release of Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara , a popular Bollywood movie shot in Spain with support from the Spanish Ministry of Tourism, Indian tourism to Spain increased by 65 percent. 18 “ Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara part of syllabus in Spain colleges,” India Today , June 6, 2004.
• Give new travelers the tech they expect. Travelers from newer source markets often have access to tech-forward travel offerings. For example, Indian travelers can travel anywhere within their country without physical identification, thanks to the Digi Yatra app. The Southeast Asian rideshare app Grab has several helpful travel features that competitors lack, such as automated menu translation and currency conversion. Tourism stakeholders should consider how to adapt to the tech expectations of newer travelers, integrating relevant offerings that ease journeys.
• Create vibrant experiences tailored to different price points. Crafting lower-budget offerings for more cost-constrained travelers doesn’t need to result in giving them a subpar experience. Capsule hotels, in which guests sleep in small cubbies, began as a response to the high cost of accommodations in Japan, but they have become an attraction in their own right—appearing on many must-do lists. 19 Philip Tang, “24 of the best experiences in Japan,” Lonely Planet, March 23, 2024.

The places you’ll go: The destinations of the future may not be the ones you imagine

The world’s top ten destination countries (the United States, Spain, China, France, Saudi Arabia, Türkiye, Italy, Thailand, Japan, and India, in that order) currently receive 45 percent of all travel spending, including for domestic travel. But some new locales are gaining traction (Exhibit 5).

A significant number of travelers are expanding their horizons, booking journeys to less visited countries that are near to old standbys. For instance, Laos and Malaysia, which both border Thailand—an established destination that is home to Bangkok, the world’s most visited city 20 Katherine LaGrave, “This is the world’s most visited city,” AFAR , January 31, 2024. —are up a respective 20 percent and 17 percent, respectively, in year-over-year international travel spending.

The world’s top ten destination countries currently receive 45 percent of all travel spending, including domestic-travel spending. But some new locales are gaining traction.

Several other countries that have crafted thoughtful tourism demand generation strategies—such as Peru, the Philippines, Rwanda, and Vietnam—are also expected to reap benefits in the coming years. Vietnam logged a remarkable 40 percent increase in tourism spending in the five years before the pandemic. Postpandemic, it has rebounded in part by waiving visa requirements for European travelers (while indicating intent to offer similar exemptions in the future for Chinese and Indian travelers). 21 Ashvita Singh, “Vietnam looks to offer visa-free entry to Indians: India report,” Skift, November 20, 2023. The Philippines has made a concerted effort to shift its sun-and-beach branding toward a more well-rounded image, replacing its long-standing “It’s more fun in the Philippines” tourism slogan with “Love the Philippines.” Peru is highlighting less visited archeological sites while also marketing itself as a top-notch culinary destination through the promotion of Peruvian restaurants abroad. Rwanda is investing in infrastructure to become a major African transit hub, facilitated by Qatar Airways’ purchase of a 60 percent stake in the country’s major airport. 22 Dylan Cresswell, “Rwanda plots ambitious tourism recovery,” African Business , July 28, 2022. Rwanda has also successfully capitalized on sustainable tourism: by charging $1,500 per gorilla trekking permit, for instance, it has maximized revenue while reducing environmental impact.

Tourism players might consider taking some of these actions to lure tourists to less familiar destinations:

• Collaborate across the tourism ecosystem. Promotion is not solely the domain of destination marketing organizations. Accommodation, transportation, and experience providers can also play important roles. In Singapore, for instance, the luxury resort Marina Bay Sands partners extensively with Singapore Airlines and the Singapore Tourism Board to offer compelling tourism offerings. Past collaborations have included flight and stay packages built around culinary festivals and a Lunar New Year drone show. 23 “Singapore Tourism Board, Marina Bay Sands & UOB partner to enliven Marina Bay precinct,” Singapore Tourism Board news release, January 25, 2024.
• Use infrastructure linkage to promote new destinations. By extending route options, transportation providers can encourage visitors to create itineraries that combine familiar destinations with new attractions. In Asia, Thailand’s tourism authority has attempted to nudge visitors away from the most heavily trafficked parts of the country, such as Bangkok and Phuket, and toward less popular destinations.
• Deploy social media to reach different demographics. Innovative social media campaigns can help put a destination on the map. Australia launched its “Ruby the kangaroo” campaign in China to coincide with the return of postpandemic air capacity between the two places. A video adapted for Chinese context (with appropriate gestures and a hashtag in Mandarin) garnered more than 20 million views in a single day on one of China’s largest social media platforms. 24 Nicole Gong, “Can Ruby the kangaroo bring Chinese tourists hopping back to Australia?,” SBS, June 5, 2023.
• Embrace unknown status. “Off the beaten path” messaging can appeal to widely traveled tourists seeking fresh experiences. Saudi Arabia’s “#WhereInTheWorld” campaign promoted the country’s tourist spots by acknowledging that they are less familiar to travelers, using a series of images that compared these spots with better-known destinations.

As tourism stakeholders look to the future, they can take steps to ensure that they continue to delight existing travelers while also embracing new ones. Domestic and intraregional tourism remain major opportunities—catering to local tourists’ preferences while building infrastructure that makes travel more seamless within a region could help capture them. Creative collaboration among tourism stakeholders can help put lesser-known destinations on the map. Travel tides are shifting. Expertly navigating these currents could yield rich rewards.

Caroline Tufft is a senior partner in McKinsey’s London office, Margaux Constantin is a partner in the Dubai office, Matteo Pacca is a senior partner in the Paris office, Ryan Mann is a partner in the Chicago office, Ivan Gladstone is an associate partner in the Riyadh office, and Jasperina de Vries is an associate partner in the Amsterdam office.

The authors wish to thank Abdulhadi Alghamdi, Alessandra Powell, Alex Dichter, Cedric Tsai, Diane Vu, Elisa Wallwitz, Lily Miller, Maggie Coffey, Nadya Snezhkova, Nick Meronyk, Paulina Baum, Peimin Suo, Rebecca Stone, Sarah Fellay, Sarah Sahel, Steffen Fuchs, Steffen Köpke, Steve Saxon, Sophia Wang, and Urs Binggeli for their contributions to this article.

This article was edited by Seth Stevenson, a senior editor in the New York office.

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