Thailand unveils bold tourism strategy to future-proof the industry amid global uncertainty

Minister Sorawong outlines a future-proof vision for Thai tourism focused on sustainability, inclusivity, and innovation.

PATTAYA, Thailand – Thailand’s Ministry of Tourism and Sports has launched a comprehensive five-year strategy to transform the country’s tourism sector and make it resilient in the face of global uncertainty. Speaking at a tourism policy forum, Minister Sorawong Thienthong emphasized the need to pivot Thai tourism toward sustainability, inclusivity, and adaptability, especially as new generations like Gen Z demand more meaningful travel experiences.

Minister Sorawong highlighted that the sector must respond to fast-moving global shifts — including economic recessions, geopolitical volatility, and global health crises — by adopting flexible, forward-looking policies. Thailand aims to position itself as a Sustainable Tourism Hub by 2028, balancing economic growth with the preservation of culture and natural resources.

Five Core Strategies for Transforming Thai Tourism (2025–2030)

1. Quality Over Quantity: The ministry will shift key performance indicators (KPIs) from focusing purely on tourist arrival numbers to metrics that emphasize quality and sustainability, aligning with the global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

2. Community-Based Tourism Expansion: By channeling more tourism revenue into secondary cities and rural communities, the strategy seeks to empower local economies, promote cultural preservation, and reduce reliance on urban tourist hotspots.

3. Harnessing Soft Power and Digital Economy: Thailand will leverage its rich cultural heritage, culinary arts, and sports while integrating digital technologies to modernize the travel experience and boost accessibility.

4. Market Diversification: To reduce dependence on traditional markets like China, Thailand is broadening its appeal to emerging markets such as the Middle East, India, Latin America, and Africa.

5. Crisis Preparedness: The government plans to bolster risk management by introducing systems like Tourism Risk Match Maps and Early Warning Systems, as well as enhancing health and safety standards with tools like the Digital Health Passport and SHA Plus certification.

Minister Sorawong added that public-private collaboration will be key in building trust across international platforms such as the UN, ASEAN, and APEC forums. “Everyone is now a broadcaster, and every opinion on social media can impact national image. We must collectively build broad-based confidence,” she said, urging all sectors to help shape Thailand into a “Future-Proof Destination” for next-generation travelers.

AI’s Role in Revolutionizing Thai Tourism

Artificial intelligence is also playing a growing role in reshaping the future of Thai tourism. Mr. Daniel Wu, Head of Global Affairs at Agoda, revealed that AI is transforming service delivery, travel planning, and ecosystem development across the industry. Agoda now uses AI to serve over 80 million tourists annually and to predict travel trends through big data analytics.

Wu proposed three key steps to drive the tourism sector forward:

1. Upskill the Workforce in AI and tech
2. Improve Public Policy & Regulation
3. Develop Smart Platforms tailored to individual travelers

Ms. Michelle Jie Gao, Regional Manager at Booking.com, shared that travelers spend up to five hours browsing over 145 web pages before making travel decisions. By 2025, it’s estimated that 10% of users will plan trips with AI tools, and 80% already find AI recommendations helpful. In Asia-Pacific, around 66% of travelers are regular AI users in travel planning.

Tech-Powered Tourism: From Virtual Reality to Smart Maps

Local Alike founder Somsak Boonkham said AI has shortened the response time for community-based tourism requests from 1–2 weeks to just 2–3 days. However, he emphasized the need for further development in local infrastructure, ecosystem support, and management systems to unlock AI’s full potential.

Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) Deputy Governor Teerasilp Thepen added that TAT’s digital platform, tourismthailand.org, is now evolving into a dynamic version 3.0, enabling real-time updates to attractions and services. TAT is also developing 34 VR (Virtual Reality) tourism projects and launched “TAT AI” at ITB Berlin 2025 to assist tourists with real-time travel recommendations.

The Ministry of Tourism and Sports aims to achieve full tourism sustainability by 2028 by investing in digital infrastructure, enhancing travel quality, and boosting Thailand’s global competitiveness. The sector remains a cornerstone of Thailand’s economic engine.

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