Thailand has surged to the top spot in global gastronomy at the Wanderlust Reader Travel Awards 2026 in London, surpassing Italy and France. The Tourism Authority of Thailand highlights soft power to attract investment, aiming to push revenue from the UK market beyond 71.6 billion baht.
Ms. Thapanee Kiatphaiboon, Governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) accepted the Gold Award for Most Desirable Country for Gastronomy at the 25th Anniversary Wanderlust Reader Travel Awards ceremony in London, United Kingdom.
In this announcement, Thailand made a remarkable leap, rising from 8th place in 2025 to 1st place in 2026 based on votes from over 250,000 readers of the leading travel magazine, totaling more than 5.5 million votes. This outpaced culinary powerhouses Italy, which received the Silver Award, and France, awarded Bronze.
The Governor of TAT stated that this award reflects the strength of Thai food culture, a key driver of the economy and tourism. The highlights of Thai cuisine range from street food to fine dining and Michelin-starred restaurants, aligning with the “Must Taste” policy under the 5 Must-Do in Thailand concept. This aims to distribute income to local entrepreneurs and communities, alongside the “Value over Volume” approach focusing on generating value from quality experiences rather than relying solely on tourist numbers.
To support growth in the final quarter of 2026, TAT is advancing its market stimulation plan through the “Airline Focus” strategy, collaborating with airlines to expand direct flights to Thailand. Virgin Atlantic launched its inaugural London-Phuket flight in October, while Norse Atlantic plans to introduce new routes from London to Phuket and Manchester to Bangkok by December 2026.
Regarding UK tourist statistics, from 1 January to 3 November 2026, 818,380 visitors arrived in Thailand, with an average stay of 14.18 days and average spending of 68,720 baht per person per trip. TAT estimates that total UK tourist arrivals will reach 1,041,987 in 2026, generating over 71.6 billion baht in revenue for the country.
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