London, 5 November 2026 – The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) presented Thailand’s long-term vision for sustainable tourism at World Travel Market (WTM) London 2026, where TAT Governor Ms. Thapanee Kiatphaibool addressed international tourism leaders on The Wanderlust Headliner Stage at Excel London on 4 November. Under the theme “Pioneering Sustainability in Paradise – The View from Thailand”, TAT outlined the approach to high-value tourism, responsible business practices and wider economic benefits for local communities.
Joining the discussion was Assistant Professor Dr. Kaewta Muangkasem, Lecturer in Tourism and Hospitality Management at Mahidol University International College (MUIC) and Director of STAC-Thailand. With expertise in sustainable tourism policy, destination branding and community-based tourism, Dr. Kaewta contributed perspectives on balancing tourism growth with social and environmental responsibility.
Ms. Thapanee said, “Transforming Thailand’s tourism industry requires collaboration beyond the tourism sector. Through our Transform Together initiative, TAT is joining forces with 11 ministries, industry associations and private-sector partners to advance Thailand’s ambition of becoming Asia’s No. 1 High-Value and Meaningful Destination. Guided by Value Over Volume and Healing is the New Luxury, we aim to create meaningful travel experiences that generate lasting economic, social and cultural benefits for local communities, while placing sustainability at the heart of Thailand’s tourism future.”
TAT’s “Value Over Volume” direction supports Thailand’s ambition to become Asia’s No. 1 High-Value and Meaningful Destination by 2027, guided by “Healing is the New Luxury”. The approach prioritises travel experiences connecting visitors with nature, culture and local ways of life, while encouraging longer stays, deeper destination exploration and more equitable tourism revenue distribution.
To extend these benefits nationwide, TAT is promoting 55 target tourism communities and 19 priority destinations across Thailand’s five regions through proactive marketing and travel routes linking established tourism centres with emerging destinations. The initiative supports TAT’s target of a 60:40 visitor distribution between major and lesser-known destinations, creating opportunities for local businesses and spreading tourism income to more communities.
Sustainability remains central to this transformation. Under the Thailand Green Tourism Plan 2030, TAT is working to raise environmental responsibility across the tourism industry through sustainability standards, including TAT STGs STAR and CF Hotels, which are aligned with international standards. These programmes encourage tourism operators and accommodation providers to adopt responsible practices, strengthen environmental management and contribute to the long-term sustainability of Thailand’s tourism industry.
At the destination level, TAT highlighted Krabi Prototype, an initiative to develop Krabi as a model for green tourism, with plans to extend the approach through Chiang Mai Prototype. The approach emphasises cooperation among government agencies, tourism businesses and local communities to balance economic development, natural resource conservation and improvements in residents’ quality of life.
Looking towards 2030, Thailand envisions a tourism ecosystem in which sustainability becomes a fundamental industry standard, supported by collaboration across sectors, strong local participation and responsible business practices. This vision also prioritises safety and extraordinary travel experiences, while ensuring that tourism contributes positively to the country’s socio-economic development, environmental protection and the long-term well-being of local communities.
