BANGKOK, 12 October 2020: Airbnb has partnered with the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) on their 2020 Thailand Rural Tourism Awards to drive awareness of rural communities and destinations across the country.
Airbnb says it has an ongoing commitment to encourage travel beyond big cities and spread the benefits of tourism to emerging destinations across Thailand.
“In line with the government’s goal to promote community-based tourism, the Tourism Authority of Thailand has partnered with organisations, including Airbnb, on the inaugural Thailand Rural Tourism Awards,” said Tourism Authority of Thailand deputy governor for tourism products and services, Thapanee Kiatphaibool. “We believe that Airbnb’s extensive local and global reach as a global platform will help encourage travellers to visit Thailand’s rural destinations, which will help support the growth of community-based tourism and ensure the tourism benefits are spread throughout the country.”
As part of its support, Airbnb has introduced dedicated website showcasing the winners of the 2020 Thailand Rural Tourism Awards from 15 communities across Thailand. These stays and experiences are bookable through the platform, further driving economic growth and empowerment for these local communities.
“Airbnb’s proposition of delivering local and authentic travel experiences is very much aligned with the TAT’s goal to raise awareness of off-the-beaten-path destinations,” said Airbnb general manager, India, Southeast Asia, Hong Kong and Taiwan Amanpreet Bajaj.
Promotions focus on Thailand’s emerging destinations such as Buriram and Saraburi and most recently Meet Thailand’s Villages, A Beyond Big Cities campaign that was launched in partnership with the Ministry of Interior’s Community Development Department.
According to a landmark report by Oxford Economics released recently, in 2019 Airbnb contributed THB43.7 billion to Thailand’s GDP and supported 113,300 local jobs, and between 2015 and 2019 Airbnb guests spent THB150 billion.
