In alignment with the Go South Campaign, TAT is
seeking to promote tourism to the under served areas in the region and offer a
respite to the overcrowded tourism hotspots while providing a more meaningful
travel experience to the intensive and discerning tourist.
Multi-Sector Collaboration Fuels Regional Tourism Expansion
The opening
ceremony brought together provincial leadership,
consuls-general, international representatives, government agencies,
private-sector partners, tourism operators, and media, highlighting
strong cross-sector commitment to advancing Southern Thailand’s tourism
growth agenda.
This collaboration reflects growing confidence in Hat Yai’s ability to serve as a regional tourism hub, capable of attracting international audiences and hosting events that stimulate sustained visitor flows into the southern provinces.
Expat and Long-Stay Travel Drive a New Phase of Tourism Growth
TAT emphasised
that Expat Travel Fair 2026 is designed to attract travellers who stay
longer, spend more, and engage deeply with local communities.
Expatriates and long-stay visitors contribute significantly to tourism growth
by generating stable demand for accommodation, dining, healthcare, transport,
and lifestyle services.
By focusing on these segments, TAT is shifting tourism growth from short-term volume toward long-term economic value, ensuring that tourism benefits are more evenly distributed across Southern Thailand.
United Southern Destinations Expand Regional Travel Demand
Tourism
operators from Phuket, Krabi, Phang-Nga, Nakhon Si Thammarat,
Phatthalung, Songkhla, and Ko Samui participated in the fair,
presenting a unified Southern Thailand tourism offering. Discounts of up to 50%, flash sales, and exclusive
on-site deals encouraged immediate bookings and stimulated
regional travel demand.
This collective
promotion supports tourism growth by encouraging multi-destination itineraries, extending length of
stay, and spreading visitor spending across multiple provinces rather than
concentrating it in a single hotspot.
Cultural Experiences Deepen Tourism Value and Visitor Engagement
Beyond
commercial travel offers, the fair highlighted Southern
Thai cultural identity through live performances and
interactive workshops such as Peranakan dance,
chocolate-making, and bead crafting. These elements are essential to
tourism growth strategies focused on experiential and cultural
travel, which attract repeat visitors and higher-value travellers.
By integrating
culture into travel promotion, TAT reinforces Southern Thailand’s position as a
destination offering authentic, experience-led
tourism, strengthening its competitiveness in the regional and
global travel market.
Go South Campaign Supports Balanced and Sustainable Tourism Growth
Expat Travel
Fair 2026 serves as a practical extension of the Go South campaign, which aims to diversify tourism flows, reduce seasonality, and support
lesser-known destinations. By anchoring the event in Hat Yai, TAT
strengthens the city’s role as a gateway for tourism growth
across Southern Thailand. This approach supports sustainable tourism
development by balancing visitor numbers with community engagement, local
business participation, and regional income distribution.
Strong Economic Impact Highlights Tourism Growth Potential
TAT projects
that the fair will attract more than 2,000 visitors and
generate over 8 million baht in economic activity, reinforcing
confidence in Southern Thailand’s tourism recovery and growth trajectory. The
projected impact reflects direct spending on travel products, accommodation,
dining, and local services, as well as broader economic spillovers. These
outcomes demonstrate how targeted tourism events can
deliver high-impact growth, particularly when aligned with long-stay
and expatriate travel segments.
Hat Yai Emerges as a Key Driver of Southern Tourism Growth
The successful launch of Expat Travel Fair 2026
highlights Hat Yai’s growing significance as an emerging key player in driving
tourism growth in Southern Thailand. With robust connectivity, an international
profile, event-hosting capabilities, and tourism growth in Southern Thailand.
Thailand’s ongoing emphasis on balanced growth in
quality tourism, long stays, and regional dispersion, demonstrates how
initiatives like Expat Travel Fair 2026 can focused sustain tourism growth
locally while increasing the international and expat tourism market to Southern
Thailand.
Image Source: TAT