China, Russia and India will be the fastest-growing markets for Thai tourism in 2014, according to the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT).
However, the three markets are mostly in the medium- and low-end segments.
To expand these markets, the TAT will try to attract medium- to high-end tourists as their economies have a positive outlook, said Pongsathorn Kessasamli, deputy governor for policy and planning.
To boost the Chinese market, the TAT opened its fifth office in China in Guangzhou by the end of the year to cover South China. The first four offices are in Beijing, Kunming, Shanghai, and Chengdu.
TAT expected the number of Chinese tourist arrivals to Thailand to reach 5.4 million in 2014, compared to the projected 4 million this year.
The Guangzhou office will also cover Shenzhen. At present, per-capita revenue for Guangzhou people is on par with that of Beijing and Shanghai, at around 100,000 yuan, while Shenzhen is 150,000 yuan.
For the Indian market, TAT projects the number of visitors from India will reach 1.3 million this year. The spending per head of Indian tourists is estimated around 5,281 baht per day, compared to 4,389 baht per day for general tourists.
Runjuan Tongrut, the TAT's director for North and East India, Bangladesh, Bhutan and Nepal, said more than half of India's population are under 25 years old. They will grow up and be a future tourism market.
Ms Rungjuan added that 94% of Indian tourists are smartphone users and can access mobile internet, so travel agents can use the online channel to promote their tourism products.
Pasakorn Supannapan, director at the TAT's Moscow Office, said the Russian market showed the highest growth in Europe. The arrivals of Russian tourists to Thailand will be more than 1.9 million next year.
To capture the high-end market in Russia, TAT should seriously promote honeymoon and wedding, medical and wellness especially check-up services. It also plans to introduce Koh Samui as a honeymoon and wedding destination.