Gastronomy Tourism Thailand

Posted by On January 17, 2020 0 Comment

Mr. Klissada Ratanapruk, Executive Director for ASEAN, South Asia and the South Pacific Region

“Gastronomy Tourism Thailand” was the high-profile theme of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT)’s presence and activities at the 39th ASEAN Tourism Forum between 12-16 January, 2020, in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam.

The theme was in line with the ASEAN Gastronomy Tourism Master Plan, which was one of the key outcomes of Thailand’s chairmanship of ASEAN in 2019. It was a concrete implementation of the Joint Declaration on Gastronomy Tourism issued by the ASEAN Tourism Ministers at the January 2018 ATF in Chiang Mai, Thailand.

The ASEAN plan is designed to give a major boost to the combined appeal of the wonderful culinary delights of all the 10 ASEAN countries. It will see the establishment of expert networks related to gastronomy tourism from various fields, create competitions for outstanding gastronomy tourism cities, and undertake numerous other activities to give more global prominence to ASEAN gastronomy.

“Broadening the appeal of Thai cuisine to encompass ASEAN cuisine is a logical step forward. It will go a long way towards enhancing ASEAN cultural and culinary integration, in accordance with the principles of the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Blueprint, one of the three development pillars of ASEAN.” – Mr. Kilssada Rattanapruk, TAT’s Executive Director for ASEAN, South Asia and the South Pacific Region

Mr. Kilssada noted that the Thai economy has revolved around agriculture for centuries, well before tourism. As such, gastronomy tourism builds bridges between these two sectors. Many Thai dishes also place great emphasis on nutritional ingredients including high-value herbs, which helps TAT to enhance health and wellness tourism.

In 2017, TAT teamed up with the renowned Michelin guidebooks, well-known for their restaurant star rating system, to produce the first Michelin Guide covering Bangkok, Phuket, Phang Nga and Chiang Mai. This has significantly boosted the quality and standards of Thai chefs and restaurant owners and helped boost the kingdom’s status as one of the world’s leading gastro tourism destinations.

In addition to Gastronomy Tourism, TAT will also publicise various activities to mark the 60th anniversary of its founding. One of the key projects will be the “Thailand Grand Invitation Campaign” a mega fam trip for media, tour operators, bloggers and other travel influences from 60 countries to experience the best of Thailand. Sixty routes have been carefully curated for introduction at the event to help participants gain new insights on the New Shades of Thailand.

TAT is also joining forces with Thai Airways International, the national airline which is also celebrating its 60th anniversary with a range of tourism promotions aimed at strengthening the country’s positioning as a preferred destination. TAT and Thai Airways will work together to promote events; such as, the Amazing Thailand Marathon Bangkok, World Wai Kru Muay Thai Ceremony, the Great Mekong Bike Ride, as well as international events like the Honda LPGA Thailand and PTT Thailand Grand Prix.

source: TAT News