Bangkok, 30 August, 2018 – Travel Weekly UK has unveiled the results of its ‘Best Destinations in The World’ survey and Thailand has made it into the top 10 of four important categories.
Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) Governor Mr. Yuthasak Supasorn said TAT was delighted to again be recognised by the UK’s leading travel agents.
“We are very grateful to the readers of Travel Weekly UK for these high honours. Amazing Thailand continues to remain resilient as an aspirational travel destination for millions of travellers both in the UK and worldwide.”
Travel Weekly polled a cross-section of experienced agents, including independents, online travel agents and others to compile a comprehensive shortlist of 20 destinations in each category. Readers were then allowed to vote for their top destinations in each sector of the survey with over 500 agents participating over the course of four weeks.
Best for Spa & Wellness (1st Place)
The survey asked if there was any better place to pamper yourself? The answer to that was of course no. Thailand is an ascending global leader in the booming spa and wellness sector. Holistic wellness, Ayurveda, and acupressure is all part of Thailand’s current spa culture. While classic Thai massage continues to hold sway, there are heaps of spa packages and wellness retreats to make them affordable for most budgets.
Best for Value for Money (2nd Place)
One respondent noted that, “Thailand represents the best value, rather than just the cheapest, in the region.” The survey fittingly stated the obvious, that luxury travellers also like excellent food at bargain prices and are more than happy to stay at pocket-friendly hotels. Combined with affordable flights, it means visitors can explore more of Thailand without sacrificing on creature comforts. This explains why voters have placed Thailand in the top three of the best value destinations after more than four years running.
Best for Food & Drink (4th Place)
Respondents said that speak to anyone who’s been to Thailand and you’ll get rave reviews of the food, with coconut-infused curries, peanut-covered Phat Thai and satisfyingly thick noodles among the delights. Visitors don’t need to splash the cash to eat well either, with freshly cooked street food found in every province. But this does not mean that fine dining is off the table as evidenced by the Michelin Guide Bangkok 2018 and the incoming Michelin Guide Bangkok, Phuket and Phang Nga 2019.
Best for Luxury (9th Place)
Of course, the Kingdom’s impeccable service culture makes its presence most felt in the luxury sector. The selection of high-end hotels is the “cherry on the cake” for travel agents surveyed, as nowhere does luxury like Thailand they concluded.
