Both events were graced by the presence of Her Royal Highness Princess Ubolratana. Warmly welcoming distinguished guests, members of the media, TAT’s partners, and friends of Thailand attending both events were a TAT delegation led by Ms. Thapanee Kiatphaibool, TAT Governor.
Ms. Thapanee said “Here in New York, we are showcasing the five essential experiences in Thailand, each representing a facet of the kingdom’s unique charms, from food, fashions, and arts and crafts to culture and scenery. Through these special showcases, we’re inviting travellers to discover our beautiful country, experience our culture in new ways, and witness how we’re shaping the future of tourism.”
The ‘Unveiling Thailand’s Charm: A 2024 Showcase’ placed emphasis on immersive experiences of the ‘5-Must Do’ pillars; these being: Must Taste, Must Try, Must Buy, Must Seek, and Must See.
Starting with Must Taste, attendees were taken on a culinary journey by experiencing the flavours of Thailand with organic chocolates imported from the destination. Traditional Thai dances through contemporary exercise were performed throughout for a Must Try element. Overall, indicative of Must Buy, the showcase presented Thailand’s advancement in the fashion industry and how fashion can help conserve local resources and community participation through the globally recognised Thai brand Pipatchara.
Virtual reality videos were a Must Seek moment, presenting immersive content of hidden gem sights and experiences from the destination. Thai artist Subannakit Kraikum’s traditional Thai paintings were displayed throughout the space depicting Thai culture and festivities as a Must See.
The showcase was followed by ‘A Royal Gala Night’ to showcase Thailand’s fashion and sustainable tourism as part of TAT’s vision to drive Thailand tourism toward high-value and sustainability.
The Royal Gala featured a fashion show curated by Pipatchara Kaeojinda, the co-founder of Pipatchara. Sustainability is at the core of Pipatchara’s philosophy. The Thai designer shared pieces from her new collections, all representing their mission to craft sustainable fashion, that supports local Thai communities.
Ms. Pipatchara said “A key element to creating our art is the Thai local community being a focal part of our process. The collection you see here today is our craft created with and by local artisans and members of our community. Today, we are proud to connect the fashion community with our Thai community.”
The fashion show told a story of transformation, turning waste into something purposeful and elegant in partnership with local artisans and members of local Thai communities.
“The partnership with Pipatchara underscores TAT’s commitment to sustainable tourism that benefits visitors, communities, and the environment. Our initiatives include the STAR system and Thailand Tourism Awards to assess and recognise eco-friendly practices in the industry. Here in the US, our partnership with Tourism Cares aims to positively impact local communities,” Ms. Thapanee concluded.
The US is one of Thailand’s important markets, having recorded over 930,000 US travellers in 2023. Year-to-date statistics, during 1 January – 21 August, showed 632,378 US travellers visited Thailand.
TAT has set a target to attract 1.13 million US travellers in 2024. Key strategies being implemented in the US market include the ‘Come Re-Discovery Your Thailand’ project in partnership with Virtuoso, Thailand Meaningful Map with Tourism Cares, and various other marketing and publicity activities, including the partnership HBO for the filming and promotion of The White Lotus season 3 in Thailand.
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