Amazing Thailand Weddings and Honeymoons

campaign to promote tourism in the Kingdom. The campaign, entitled, “Amazing Thailand. It begins with the people…” was launched at the World Travel Market (WTM) in London, which was held at the Excel Exhibition Centre from November 4-7.

This year marked Thailand’s 34th year of participation in the WTM, and the promotion of honeymoons and weddings formed a major part of the TAT’s marketing strategy. Thailand’s latest tourism tagline is also a vital part of the country’s marketing strategy, according to Khun Suraphon Svetasreni, the governor of TAT.

“This tagline speaks to the increasingly human-centric aspect of Amazing Thailand, one that allows visitors to understand Thais and Thailand on a different level. It deepens the emotional value of visiting the country; one that is linked to its people in their attitude, hospitality and spirit,” he told the press.

This year’s Thai pavilion at the WTM featured a “Romantic Thailand” theme, which promoted the country as a destination for weddings and honeymoons. These sectors join golf, health & wellness and green tourism as the major prongs of the TAT’s strategic plan for 2014.

One of the reasons destination weddings and honeymoons in Thailand have become so popular in recent years is due to the high quality of accommodation and hospitality services on offer around the country. In particular, the growth of the private holiday home rental sector has boosted the country’s reputation as a destination for couples seeking to get married abroad.

In addition, Thailand is home to a large number of reputable wedding planning agencies who work hand-in-hand with each couple to plan every aspect of the wedding day before they even arrive in the country. Couples are able to personalise their wedding day to create a bespoke celebration, complete with a peppering of unique Thai traditions to spice up the ceremonies.  Traditional Thai entertainment often goes down well with couples getting married in one of the country’s private villas. Traditional drum processions, fire performers and dancers clothed in brightly coloured Thai silk costumes often feature in the choices for wedding day celebrations. Some couples even choose to go include even more Thai touches, by riding to their wedding ceremony on the back of an elephant.

According to a TAT survey conducted earlier this year, Europe remains one of Thailand’s key source markets for weddings and honeymoons. The UK is Thailand’s second largest source market in Europe, and the Kingdom welcomed 590,000 visitors from the UK to its shores in January 2013 alone. From January to March 2013, visitors from the UK stayed in Thailand for an average length of 17 days, significantly higher than the average 10-day stay of many other overseas visitors to Thailand.

The chance to get married in exotic surroundings and in a warm climate, combined with value for money, personalised services and high quality accommodation are all key drivers for the growing popularity of weddings in the Land of Smiles.