Thailand holds travel trade fair to promote sustainable, wellness-led tourism

PATTAYA, Thailand, June 13 (Xinhua) -- Thailand Travel Mart Plus 2026, the country's flagship tourism trade show, concluded here on Friday, showcasing high-quality products and experiences centered on wellness, sustainability, and world-class events to inspire and attract global visitors.

The annual trade fair, organized by the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), returned to the eastern coastal city of Pattaya, bringing together 429 buyers from 58 countries and regions, 428 Thai sellers, and more than 100 international media representatives.

Despite global economic headwinds driven by geopolitical tensions in the Middle East and elevated energy prices, the robust response to this year's event underscores continued confidence in Thailand's tourism potential, said TAT governor Thapanee Kiatphaibool.

Under the theme "Healing is the New Luxury," this business-to-business gathering positioned restorative travel and holistic wellness at the heart of Thailand's tourism offering, Thapanee said in a statement.

By highlighting wellness-oriented products and services from all five regions, alongside "hidden gems," she noted that the event reinforced the Southeast Asian nation's standing as a premier destination for travelers seeking physical and emotional renewal through responsible tourism experiences.

Nithee Seeprae, TAT deputy governor for marketing communications, said 2026 is set to be a pivotal year for Thailand as it advances a strategic roadmap focusing on "value over volume."

In his keynote address, Nithee emphasized that this quality-led direction prioritizes the development of high-impact travel experiences that generate substantial economic value while fostering sustainable and inclusive growth across the industry.

During the first five months of 2026, Thailand recorded over 14 million foreign arrivals, generating an estimated 679 billion baht (around 20.74 billion U.S. dollars) in tourism receipts.

Capitalizing on this performance, he said the agency is targeting a total annual revenue of 2.65 trillion baht (around 80.92 billion dollars), with 33 million inbound tourists projected for 2026. Enditem