Thailand is targeting Norwegian travelers with a fresh tourism strategy that aims to lift visitor numbers in the target year. The plan places a strong emphasis on wellness experiences and on promoting destinations that lie off the usual tourist trail, with the intention of encouraging guests to stay longer and to visit throughout the entire year.
The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) organized a showcase event in Oslo on September 8, bringing together fifty representatives from Norway’s travel industry and media. During the gathering, the authority presented a series of itineraries, marketing concepts, and partnership ideas designed to move beyond the country’s well-known beach resorts and city attractions.
The gathering, branded “Thailand Beyond the Familiar,” took place at the Sommerro Hotel and assembled 50 tour operators, travel agents, online travel agencies, airline representatives and media partners, while the Thai delegation was led by Chiravadee Khunsub, TAT Deputy Governor for International Marketing – Europe, the Americas, the Middle East and Africa, and Paslin Sawetrat, Director of the TAT Stockholm Office, with senior officials Jaturon Phakdeewanit, Director-General of Thailand’s Department of Tourism, and General Suphamanas Pharop also in attendance.
Norway: A High-Value Market
In 2025, Norway sent over 123,000 visitors to Thailand, with an average stay of 19 days and spending of 71,985 baht per trip. Those figures position the Scandinavian nation as a valuable source market, ranking fourth among Thailand’s European long-haul origins when measured by average expenditure per visitor.
Collectively, Norwegian visitors generated more than 8.835 billion baht in tourism revenue in 2025, showing the market’s profitability despite its modest size.
The authority’s 2027 plan seeks to draw repeat travelers as well as first-time guests, urging them to explore routes and seasons that have traditionally seen less traffic. Objectives include growing the number of bookings, lengthening the duration of each stay, and raising overall tourism revenue for the kingdom.
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Wellness and Cultural Experiences
The approach highlights wellness and cultural immersion as central draws. The RXV Wellness Village Sampran, located in Nakhon Pathom, is presented as a flagship location, offering a blend of modern medical services, physiotherapy, and traditional Thai healing practices that together create a full health-focused retreat.
In addition, the campaign promotes lesser-known spots such as Nakhon Si Thammarat in the south, a province celebrated for its historic temples, lively cultural festivals, and a peaceful coastline that remains largely untouched by mass tourism. Further north, the focus shifts to slow-travel experiences in the northeast, where travelers can wander local markets, sample regional cuisine, and engage with riverside communities that preserve authentic ways of life. TAT also highlighted experiences such as mangrove boat tours, culinary walks through Phuket Old Town and seasonal festivals that showcase regional food traditions, giving travelers immersive cultural touchpoints beyond the standard beach itinerary.
Air Connectivity and Trade Engagement
Thai Airways operates daily direct flights from Oslo to Bangkok, while Norse Atlantic Airways adds seasonal services to both Bangkok and Phuket. This air link is important for turning interest into actual bookings, as it reduces travel time and simplifies itinerary planning for European guests.
A Strategic Shift Amidst Challenges
Thailand’s long-haul tourism sector recorded a modest decline in 2026, with 6.88 million arrivals between January and August, reflecting a 1.44% drop compared with the same period the previous year. Arrivals from Europe as a whole also slipped by 0.26% amid a backdrop of economic uncertainty and geopolitical tensions.
Nevertheless, the combination of lengthy stays, high per-trip spending, and direct flight options makes the Norwegian market a cornerstone of the authority’s plan for the target year. By centering the campaign on wellness retreats and destinations that lie off the beaten path, Thailand hopes to attract Norwegian visitors who are looking for unique, immersive experiences that go beyond typical sightseeing. In the broader context, TAT reported 10.8 million long-haul arrivals in 2025, a 10.6% year-over-year rise that produced 685 billion baht in revenue, reflecting a 13.6% increase and reinforcing the importance of sustaining growth in key source markets.
