The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has been awarded the prestigious Best Stand Feature 2024 at WTM London this year.
The TAT stand won for its creative showcasing of local products. The judges remarked: “It was actually evocative of the local culture. A lot of thought went into the dressing and presentation.” They also admired “the link between tourism and local communities.”
Commenting on the win, the Governor of TAT, Ms. Thapanee Kiatphaibool said: “We are so happy to have won the best stand feature award this year. We are really proud of the design and what it embodies and are thrilled this was recognised by the judges. We continue to promote sustainability and eco-tourism and this is echoed throughout the design in particular highlighting Thai community based traditions such as weaving. The map feature at the welcome desk is created using local patterns and fabrics, hand weaved and printed, special to each region of Thailand. For example, Batik fabric from southern Thailand.”
As part of TAT’s new marketing campaign ‘Thai Craft Destinations’ it is breathing new life into old traditions like this and highlighting Thailand’s rich cultural identity to drive experiential tourism even further.
It showcases popular destinations in a fresh light while unveiling new regions for travellers to explore through hyper-local experiences and products. Focusing on Thai Charms and Hidden Gem Cities TAT’s goal is to inspire travel across more of Thailand to achieve better distribution of tourism income and even out peak travel seasons, easing the demand on our popular resorts.
Ms Kiatphaibool added: “To inspire travellers even further, we have segmented activities into ‘five must do’s’ including Taste, Try, Buy, Seek and See, encouraging them to lean into the full Thailand experience. During WTM exhibitors have been able to taste Peang Thai coffee, sourced from Chiang Rai, and browse a selection of beautiful handicrafts from across Thailand such as bags, cushions and scarfs. You can also make your own Thai style pin at the stand (N10-210) using recycled fabric to take home as a keepsake.”
The judges for this year’s stand competition included:
- James Campion, Head of Exhibition Sales at Excel London
- Tina Charisma, Conference Advisor for WTM
- Kathryn McCarthy, Marketing Director at UK Hub, RX Global
- Hugo McCullagh, Communications Officer at Just a Drop
- Dan Pearce, Chief Executive of TTG Media
- Paul Richer, Senior Partner at Genesys Digital Transformation/TTI
