Bangkok, 7 September, 2015 – The top seven Middle East bloggers were in Thailand last week to reveal all why they love Thailand and what they love about Thailand, under the ‘7 Bloggers, 7 Destinations, 7 Days in Amazing Thailand’ project organised by the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) in collaboration with Etihad Airways.

Mr. Chalermsak Suranant, TAT Dubai and Middle East Office said, “The project was initiated with the objective of further strengthening the image of Thailand as a top destination that offers a wide variety of attractions and unique culture, especially among the new generation of Arabs from the Middle East market aged 21-35 years.”

The activity also formed a core part of TAT’s strategy to reassure the market confidence after the recent tragic incident in Bangkok’s Ratchaprasong Intersection, and to stimulate travel to Thailand during the last quarter of this year as well as after the Eid Al Adha Festival (22- 23 September, 2015).

The project places emphasis on promoting the unique culture and Thai way of life in the TAT’s 12 Hidden Gems Cities or the secondary destinations which tourists must not miss when they are in the kingdom (Lampang, Phetchabun, Nan, Buri Ram, Loei, Samut Songkhram, Ratchaburi, Trat, Chanthaburi, Trang, Chumphon, and Nakhon Si Thammarat). Key cities are also being featured.

During their stay in Thailand on 31 August – 7 September, 2015, the seven different routes were offered to each blogger comprising Chiang Mai-Chiang Rai-Bangkok; Krabi-Bangkok; Bangkok-Phuket; Bangkok-Ko Samui-Ko Phangan; Chanthaburi-Trat-Bangkok; Bangkok-Samut Songkhram-Ratchaburi, and Bangkok-Trang-Krabi, to share their first-hand experience of the endless variety of Thai tourism services, magical scenery and memorable culture to their followers.The seven Middle East bloggers comprise top social media personalities and influencers; namely Aiisha Ramadan (Aiisha), Najla Kaddour (Najla Kaddour), Sheida (Sheida Fashionista.com), Laura Baruda (Laura Baruda.com), Teresa Irena Karpinska (Style Drifter), Karen Mclean (Secret Squirrel), and Shereen Mitwalli (shereenmitwalli.com).
Mr. Chalermsak said, “Being the Middle East’s top social media personalities and influencers, these seven bloggers have the capability to inspire and affect people’s lives; how they see things, how they appreciate beauty, how they do a certain way, social media personalities are not just faces on the screen or an account but role models to influence the minds of people who will shape the future of this world.”

n 2014, Thailand attracted a total of 506,713 visitors from the Middle East market with the top source from the region being the UAE with 153,594 travellers, and Kuwait with 61,303 travellers. From January – July, 2015, Thailand recorded a total of 286,581 travellers from the Middle East, contributing approximately 18,037 billion Baht to the Thai economy.