Thai cuisine has turn into a cornerstone of the country’s tourism industry, gaining global recognition and energetic support from each the federal government and the private sector. But Japan has recently overtaken Thailand by way of constructing a culinary tourism brand, in response to Nithee Seeprae, deputy director of promoting and communications on the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT).
Seeprae revealed that the study conducted by KinetiCs Consulting Co Ltd included assessments of Thailand’s culinary image and the Michelin Guide Thailand 2023 project. The study covered the perspectives of 1,800 foreign tourists surveyed via online platforms and 1,200 respondents via interviews, in addition to 800 Thai tourists surveyed via online platforms and 400 via interviews.
According to The Nation Thailand, the study indicates that Japan has emerged as the highest destination for culinary tourism with a rating of 56% in 2023, up from 54% the previous 12 months. Thailand is available in second with a rating of 44%, up from 38% previously, followed by China with a rating of 30%, also up from 24%. South Korea is in fourth place with a rating of 28%, down barely from 29% previously, while Hong Kong is available in fifth with a rating of 27%, up from 25%.
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The study also highlights the impact of the Michelin Guide Thailand on restaurant decisions. According to the study, awareness of the guide amongst foreign tourists stays regular at 76%, with 18% of them having detailed knowledge of the Thailand edition – up from 16% previously.
The guide continues to have a big impact, with 62% of tourists citing it as a very important factor when selecting a destination. In addition to improving Thailand’s culinary image, the Michelin Guide also has a big impact on traveler behavior and satisfaction.
In 2023, around 95% of guests at Michelin-starred restaurants expressed high satisfaction, and in 2022, 97% of them would recommend Thailand as a culinary destination.
The Michelin Guide Thailand project has also been an awesome economic success. In 2023, the project generated additional revenue of about 262.99 million baht from foreign tourists’ spending on food, up from 223.34 million baht within the previous 12 months.
The influence of the Michelin Guide can be felt by local tourists, with 96% of them feeling motivated to go to Thailand due to the guide, despite the fact that overall awareness of the guide has declined in comparison with previous years.
The study reveals a big drop in awareness of the Michelin Guide amongst Thai tourists, falling to 58% from 78% in comparison with the previous 12 months. Similarly, awareness of the Michelin Guide in Thailand fell to 46% from 61%.
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