Mr. Suraphon Svetasreni, Governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), said that a recent survey shows Indian tourists have strong confidence in Thailand, and the fact that young couples are making plans to visit the kingdom to get married proves the market’s assurance of the country’s long term stability.
“Indian tourists continue to travel to Thailand as usual. It is a very positive development that for this month and the next, four large wedding parties have confirmed that their events will be held in Pattaya as planned,” the Governor said.
The four wedding groups are a 200-person event held at a five-star hotel on Wong Amat Beach from 14 to 16 December. Next week, from 22 to 25 December, another 400-person wedding is scheduled to take place at a five-star hotel on Phra Tamnak Hill.
Next month, a five-star hotel on North Pattaya Beach is set to host two wedding groups from India, comprising a 220-person event from 20 to 23 January and another 250-person celebration during 22 to 23 of the same month.
Thailand has always been the number one choice for hosting a destination wedding for couples from India. Popular destinations are Hua Hin, Phuket, Khao Lak, Pattaya and Bangkok. Upcoming wedding destinations have included Chiang Mai, Kanchanaburi, Rayong, Ko Samui and Krabi.
According to the TAT New Delhi and Mumbai Offices, Thailand can fulfil every need of an Indian wedding from the customs, the space required, lavish set up, expansive décor, floral arrangements, ice sculptures and culinary experience to arranging priests. All these combined with a reasonable pricing option and Thai hospitality makes Thailand the ideal wedding location.
Thailand was awarded “The World’s Best Wedding Destination” by Travel and Leisure India magazine in 2011 and 2012 and by Hospitality India magazine in 2012 and 2013.
India is now the biggest source market for visitors from South Asia and one of Thailand’s fastest growing tourist markets overall. In 2012, the number of Indian visitors to the kingdom passed the one million mark – an 11 per cent increase over 2011.
Between January and November 2013, the number of Indian visitors to Thailand rose 4.07 per cent year-on-year to 958,921. TAT is confident that by the end of the year, more than one million Indian tourists will have visited the kingdom.
