Currently, these 55 provinces get only four million visitors a year but obviously have a much higher potential. There are only four of these secondary provinces that welcome over 100.000 tourists a year, including the northeastern provinces of Nong Khai and Udon Thani, both the gateway to the Laos and popuar with Thai expats for their routine visa visits; and northern provinces of Chiang Rai or Mae Hong Son. The destinations which receive between 55.000 and 100.000 visitors are Isan provinces of Ubon Ratchathani and Mukdahan plus Satun located in the south on the Andaman Coast and boasting some of the most pristine islands in the whole Kingdom. All other provinces are seldom visited by tourists.
TAT will divide these destinations into three large groups:
1. Provinces which offer local experience to visitors like specific crafts, traditions and lifestyles of certain communities or ethnic groups.
2. Future challenge provinces where development of tourism in a sustainable way will help benefit locals.
3. Connecting destinations group will include secondary cities which are adjacent to bigger Thai cities or serve as convenient gateways to the neighbouring countries.
In October 2018, TAT already launched domestic campaign inviting tourists to 'Visit a Secondary City: Must Try, Must Love and Must Care'.
'Secondary cities are beautiful, full of culture and interesting activities. If we facilitate low-carbon tourism to these places, everyone can get involved in environmental conservation, reducing greenhouse gases and enhancing the value and uniqueness of each tourist attraction'. – TAT says.
55 Secondary Cities in Thailand Need Their Share of Tourists
News in Asia
The Tourist Authority of Thailand (TAT) has developed three concepts to attract tourists to 55 secondary destinations around the country. Tourism will boost local economies and tourirsts will benefit from getting glimpses of a more authentic way of living in Thailand than what can be observed in famous tourist destinations like Phuket or Pattaya.