Thailand links Middle East travel trade with 80 tourism businesses - Get updated on what's happening in tourism!

Thailand is stepping up its tourism trade activities in the Middle East, bringing 40 travel industry representatives from the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia together with 80 Thai tourism businesses. The B2B meetings formed the centrepiece of Amazing Journeys Through Thailand Trade Connect 2026, held in Bangkok on 1 October.

The event concluded a six-day Mega FAM Trip & Trade Connect programme that introduced participants to tourism products in Pattaya, Hua Hin and Bangkok. The Tourism Authority of Thailand is targeting Middle Eastern partners that already sell Thailand or are considering expanding their programmes, with particular emphasis on wellness, nature, halal-friendly gastronomy, family travel and culturally adapted services.

The timing also reflects Thailand’s efforts to generate more demand during its Green Season. Summer holidays in Gulf markets overlap with Thailand’s traditional low season, creating an opportunity to counter seasonal fluctuations. Middle Eastern arrivals reached 531,743 between 1 January and 20 September 2026, down 11.53 percent year on year. However, the period from 1 July to 20 September produced 321,304 arrivals, an increase of 11.82 percent compared with the same period in 2025.

Product discovery turns into business

The Trade Connect event at Hyatt Regency Bangkok Sukhumvit combined a Thailand product presentation with a series of B2B meetings. Middle Eastern buyers and Thai suppliers discussed products, rates and potential cooperation before the programme concluded with a networking dinner.

“Amazing Journeys Through Thailand gives our partners first-hand knowledge of products they can develop for their clients, while Trade Connect turns that discovery into business connections,” says Wajanan Silpawornwiwat, Executive Director of the Americas, Middle East and Africa Region at TAT.

Under the tourism authority’s “Healing is the New Luxury” direction, partners are being encouraged to combine wellness and nature experiences with healthy dining, halal cuisine and family-oriented accommodation. Festivals and events are also intended to provide additional reasons for repeat visits and travel beyond established destinations.

The programme was organised through TAT’s Dubai Office in cooperation with Air Arabia and the Association of Thai Travel Agents. Air connectivity provides an important basis for expanding the market: Air Arabia currently operates 21 weekly flights on both the Sharjah–Bangkok and Sharjah–Phuket routes.

Pattaya, Hua Hin and Bangkok showcased

Before the B2B event, participants travelled along two different routes from 27 to 29 September. The Pattaya programme combined resort accommodation with Nong Nooch Tropical Garden, Ocean Marina Yacht Club Pattaya, island-hopping and snorkelling, Central Pattaya and the Sanctuary of Truth.

The second group explored Hua Hin, where the programme focused on seaside resorts, heritage areas, wellness experiences and Vana Nava Waterpark. Both groups subsequently reunited in Bangkok for further product discovery.

On 30 September, Bangkok Product Discovery Day introduced participants to riverfront hotels, VIP services, wellness clinics and spas as well as the Charoen Krung and Talat Noi neighbourhoods. Thai design and crafts, halal-friendly gastronomy and major shopping destinations were also included before the programme ended with a dinner cruise on the Chao Phraya River.

The initiative maintains Thailand’s direct engagement with Middle Eastern travel companies after TAT decided not to participate in Arabian Travel Market amid regional instability. With the latest programme, the tourism authority is combining destination familiarisation with direct contracting opportunities, while using the stronger summer performance from Gulf markets to support travel during Thailand’s lower-demand months.

Image Credit: © AI generated illustration with material courtesy of TAT