BANGKOK, Thailand – The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) expanded its outreach to the Middle East and Africa with the 3rd Middle East & Africa Trade Meet 2025 (MTM 2025), held on September 19 in Bangkok. The event was opened by TAT Governor Thapanee Kiatphaibool, joined by Deputy Governor Chiravadee Khunsub, senior executives, and airline partners such as Emirates and Singapore Airlines.
Tourism operators from the Middle East and Africa, ahead of the trade sessions, began taking part in a familiarization trip, with stops in Bangkok and Ko Samui. The program, scheduled between September 14 and 21, is showcasing Thailand’s luxury, wellness, and romance travel offerings, which remain highly attractive to these markets.
The trade meeting itself was divided into two sessions. On September 16, CELES Samui Hotel hosted 54 Thai sellers, including hotels, destination management companies, and wellness providers. The Bangkok session on September 19 expanded to 62 sellers offering a mix of hotels, tour services, health facilities, and lifestyle products.
The event also coincided with announcements of new flight connections expected to improve access from the Middle East. Etihad Airways will launch services from Abu Dhabi to Krabi and Chiang Mai, Air Arabia will add a Sharjah–Krabi route, and Thai AirAsia will begin flights between Don Mueang and Riyadh.
From January 1 to September 14, Thailand recorded 681,738 visitors from the Middle East and Africa, up 1.81 percent from the same period last year. TAT has set a goal of reaching 1 million arrivals from these markets in 2025, citing strong purchasing power and rising demand for premium travel experiences. (NNT)
