TAT focuses on upscale Indian golfers, movies and marriages

About 1 million big spenders expected to generate Bt 33.8 bn

The Tourism Authority of Thailand will continue to focus on upscale visitors from India this year, targeting 1 million arrivals and Bt33.8 billion in receipts.

Sethaphan Buddhani, director of TAT's Mumbai office, said yesterday that weddings, golf and film shoots remain the top priority of TAT's strategy to lure big spenders from India.

Last year about 11 Indian weddings were held in Thailand, generating about Bt165 million in income. Each wedding party had 250-350 members.

Already eight Indian couples have booked weddings in Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Krabi and Phang-Nga this year. Each is expected to inject Bt10 million-Bt15 million into the economy.

TAT will introduce golf packages to multinational companies, top executives and private golf clubs in key cities like Mumbai, New Delhi and Chennai.

In India, golf fees are quite expensive while golf courses in Thailand offer more value, Thai hospitality and world-class facilities. Thailand is also a shopping paradise.

TAT has joined hands with GolfTripz.com to promote golf travel by Indians while ICICI Bank is introducing special offers for 35 golf links in Thailand for its customers.

"TAT will be the support unit for Indian filmmakers who plan to use Thailand for movie production," he added.

This year TAT forecasts a 20-per-cent surge in tourist arrivals from India to 1 million, of whom 50 per cent would be from the leisure market, 30 per cent from incentive groups and the rest from the niche segments of golf, film shoots and weddings.

Although those niche markets contribute about 20 per cent of all Indian tourists to Thailand, they are big spenders and repeaters.