The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is accelerating its efforts to capture the Middle Eastern tourist market, focusing on high-spending groups visiting Thailand during the high season. Recently, TAT partnered with the airline flydubai to launch a new Dubai-Don Mueang flight route, leading a delegation of Thai operators on a Middle East roadshow and aiming to secure over 900 business matching appointments.
Ms. Thapanee Kiatphaiboon, Governor of TAT, revealed that the Middle Eastern market, especially the United Arab Emirates (UAE), is a strategic treasure for Thailand's tourism sector. From 1 January to 21 June 2026, 188,447 tourists from this region have visited Thailand.
To continuously expand the market base, TAT welcomed the inaugural flight of flydubai’s new route from Dubai International Airport to Don Mueang Airport. Official service began on 1 July 2026. Flight details and capacity are as follows:
Adding this direct flight to Don Mueang Airport helps ease congestion at Suvarnabhumi Airport and provides more convenient travel options to other tourist provinces within Thailand. This aligns with TAT’s ongoing efforts to enhance international passenger handling capacity.
Beyond expanding travel options, TAT plans an aggressive marketing campaign by hosting the “Amazing Thailand Takes Off with flydubai Roadshow 2026” to strengthen business relations and boost pre-sales. The events are scheduled in two major cities:
Dubai: 7 July 2026.
Abu Dhabi: 8 July 2026.
On this trade mission, TAT is taking 40 Thai tourism operators to meet and negotiate with leading local tour companies. The goal is to arrange at least 900 business-to-business (B2B) meetings, expected to drive sustained growth in tourist arrivals to Thailand.
According to TAT’s compiled tourist behavior data, visitors from the UAE are categorized as high-spending quality tourists, showing strong growth and notable spending patterns as follows:
Behavior categories | UAE tourist statistical data |
| Average spending | Exceeds 100,000 baht per person per trip. |
| Average length of stay | Long stays of 10 to 12 nights. |
| Travel style | Prefer traveling in large family groups. |
| Accommodation choices | Five-star hotels and luxury resorts. |
| Repeat visit rate | As high as 65 percent. |
Currently, this tourist segment increasingly seeks highly specific new experiences, especially luxury travel, health and wellness or medical tourism, and shopping for brand-name and premium Thai products.
TAT is confident that this strategic cooperation with flydubai will serve as a key driver to enhance Thailand’s tourism competitiveness and reinforce the country’s image as a premium destination favored by travelers worldwide in a sustainable way.
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