London, 6 November 2026 – The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) received the Gold Award for “Most Desirable Country for Gastronomy” at the 25th Anniversary Wanderlust Reader Travel Awards 2026, held at Maritime Greenwich in London. TAT Governor Ms. Thapanee Kiatphaibool accepted the award on behalf of Thailand, which climbed from eighth place in 2025 to take the top honour in recognition of its distinctive food culture and diverse culinary experiences.
Ms. Thapanee said, “We thank Wanderlust readers for recognising Thailand’s rich and diverse food culture. From regional traditions and local street food to world-class dining, Thai cuisine offers meaningful connections to our heritage, local wisdom and communities. This Gold Award reinforces Thailand’s position as a leading culinary destination for travellers from the United Kingdom and around the world, encouraging more visitors to discover our culinary heritage and diverse food experiences while supporting local producers, entrepreneurs and tourism businesses across the country.”
Organised by Wanderlust, a leading UK travel publication and Official Consumer Media Partner of World Travel Market 2026, the awards ceremony featured Prince Harry, The Duke of Sussex and founder of Travalyst, who spoke on the role and responsibility of travel and presented the “Most Desirable Destination for Sustainability” award. This year’s awards drew votes from more than 250,000 readers, with over 5.5 million votes cast across 23 categories. Thailand topped a field of 10 nominated countries, receiving Gold ahead of Italy (Silver) and France (Bronze), with Japan, Greece, Spain, South Korea, Malaysia, Turkey and Vietnam also nominated.
Thailand’s gastronomic appeal spans regional cuisines rooted in local ingredients and generations-old traditions, internationally recognised street food and fine dining, including Michelin-starred restaurants. TAT promotes this diversity through initiatives such as The MICHELIN Guide Thailand, connecting culinary excellence with travel experiences across the country’s destinations.
Gastronomy also forms an important part of TAT’s “Healing is the New Luxury” direction, recognising food as a source of wellbeing, cultural connection and meaningful travel. Through “Must Taste”, one of Thailand’s 5 Must-Do Experiences, TAT highlights the country’s culinary heritage and contemporary creativity while encouraging visitors to discover local food traditions and contribute to community economies. This approach supports TAT’s “Value Over Volume” policy, which prioritises the quality of tourism experiences and wider economic benefits across the tourism ecosystem.
The recognition comes as TAT continues its marketing activities in the United Kingdom, a key long-haul market for Thailand. Under its “Airline Focus” strategy, TAT is working with airline partners to expand connectivity and encourage travel during the final quarter of 2026. Virgin Atlantic inaugurated its London–Phuket service in October, while Norse Atlantic is preparing to introduce London–Phuket and Manchester–Bangkok routes in December, providing additional travel options between the UK and Thailand.
From 1 January to 3 November 2026, Thailand welcomed 818,380 visitors from the United Kingdom, with an average length of stay of 14.18 days and expenditure of approximately 68,720 Baht per person per trip. For the full year, TAT forecasts more than 1,041,987 UK arrivals, generating an estimated 71,605 million Baht in tourism revenue.
