PATTAYA, Thailand – The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) held The Middle East and Africa Trade Meet 2026 (MTM): Bangkok Edition at Siam Kempinski Hotel Bangkok, concluding a connected buyer programme designed to expand trade networks, strengthen product distribution, and stimulate quality travel to Thailand from growth markets across the Middle East and Africa. Mr. Santi Sawangcharoen, TAT Executive Director for the Americas, Middle East, and Africa Region, said, “MTM 2026 is a strategic platform for connecting high-potential buyers with Thailand’s tourism products and services. By bringing Middle Eastern and African travel partners into direct discussion with Thai operators, TAT aims to convert market potential into stronger business opportunities, wider product distribution, and sustained demand from these markets.”
At MTM 2026, 39 travel companies from the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa joined a TAT market briefing, a Thailand Privilege Card presentation, B2B appointments, and networking sessions with Thai tourism suppliers to deepen product knowledge and support future businesses. The Bangkok trade meet built on a wider buyer programme linked to Thailand Travel Mart Plus (TTM+) 2026, held from 10 to 12 June 2026 in Pattaya, Chon Buri. With support from Air Arabia and Oman Air, TAT brought 44 travel companies from the region to join TTM+ activities, meet Thai sellers, and experience Pattaya as a quality destination for international travellers.
As part of the pre-MTM programme, TAT also brought the buyer delegation to the VIP Open House Event: Lost World Experience at Centara Grand Mirage Beach Resort Pattaya on 12 June 2026. The activity showcased Thailand’s premium hospitality, accommodation, family-friendly experiences, and tourism services, strengthening product understanding ahead of the Bangkok business matching event. The Middle East and Africa markets are increasingly important to Thailand’s tourism industry, generating more than one million visitor arrivals in 2025 for the first time, up about 3% year-on-year. The result reflects rising demand from markets with distinct travel patterns and strong potential for quality-led tourism.
Through MTM 2026, TAT is aligning Thai tourism products with these market needs. For Middle Eastern travellers, the focus is on wellness, medical tourism, family travel, luxury experiences, privacy-led travel, premium hospitality, and shopping, with wellness positioned beyond spa and treatment services to include preventive care, recovery, mental well-being, healthy cuisine, family wellness, and luxury wellness journeys. For African travellers, particularly from South Africa, Kenya, and Nigeria, Thailand offers strong appeal through beach holidays, main tourism cities, shopping, nightlife, soft adventure, family attractions, gastronomy, and value-led packages. These strengths support Thailand’s competitiveness among travellers seeking leisure, group travel, honeymoons, incentive trips, and memorable experiences.
TAT is also using regional market engagement to promote Thailand as a year-round destination, including Green Season travel, which aligns with summer holidays and school breaks in parts of the Middle East. In African markets, demand linked to school holidays, leisure travel, honeymoons, and incentive travel creates further opportunities to stimulate visits throughout the year. The market approach also supports travel to emerging and high-potential destinations, including Chiang Rai, Kanchanaburi, Khao Yai, Krabi, Hua Hin, Trat, and other areas. TAT will continue working with airline partners, travel agents, online travel agencies, tour operators, and tourism businesses to improve market access, develop attractive packages, support joint campaigns, and make Thailand easier to sell across the region. (TAT)
