Thailand: A Masterclass in Tourism Branding (and Package Deals)

So, I went to Thailand during my holiday. Not because I’d spent months planning, but because my family grabbed a last-minute package tour, squeezed in a trip during my one month trip to Vietnam. Four days, all meals included, hotels nicer than we deserved. And the kicker? It was dirt cheap because the Thai government literally subsidises tourism.

Yep, they sponsor part of your trip. The catch? You must stop at two government-approved shops flogging “royal family endorsed” products per day. Scammy? Absolutely. But unless you want to cough up $20 to skip, you’ll find yourself politely nodding at overpriced herbal creams, latex pillows and jade trinkets. If you’re a grandma with disposable income, trust me, you’ll walk out lighter in the wallet and heavier in “authentic Thai treasures” that cost much cheaper at home.

And let me tell you, these shops are a case study in themselves. At every single one, they had Vietnamese-speaking staff on hand, ready to reel us in with a slick presentation about the products, how they’re made, why they’re a national treasure, and why we absolutely must take them home. The kicker? The sales pitch always moves into a private room where no photos or videos are allowed. It’s part performance, part exclusivity play. Build the hype, shut off the outside world, and then go for the hard sell. It’s theatre marketing at its finest.

Before they herded us into the secret sales room to ‘seal the deal,’ we got a warm-up act, snake charmers risking their lives for our entertainment. Because nothing says authentic Thai treasure like a python around someone’s neck, right?

That trip got me thinking. Thailand isn’t just a destination—it’s a global brand. Every detail I saw, from the malls to the makeup, felt less like chance and more like a carefully constructed marketing strategy. And honestly? It’s brilliant. It reminds me so much of the Place Branding module I had back in my bachelors days.

Thailand Knows Its Audience

Thailand knows how to do tourism. They’ve made it their national brand. And what’s clever is how they cater differently to different groups.

For Westerners, Thailand is exotic, cheap, spiritual, and yes sexy. The temples promise enlightenment, the pad thai is practically free, and the nightlife? Let’s just say the neon never sleeps. For anyone used to trams and buses, hopping on a tuktuk is a bizarre joyride in itself. And sex? That’s part of the packaged “experience” too.

At the clubs, local women and trans women, because Thailand has never hidden that side of its culture, could tear single male Westerners to shreds with just a skimpy outfit, a sharp Thai-English accent, and seductive look in the eye. I don’t judge them. For some, a foreigner is a ticket out, or at the very least a ticket to a stronger Thai baht.

For a fellow Vietnamese like me, they have a different approach. The beaches, weather, even the food, we’ve got those back home (and between us, Vietnam’s beaches beat Thailand’s hands down, no contest). So how do they hook us? With relentless shopping. Mall after mall until your legs give up. Night markets you can’t resist. And snacks so addictive you find yourself hoarding banana cake from 7-Eleven at the airport like it’s gold dust.

Pattaya: Branding at Its Boldest

Case in point: Pattaya. Once a fishing village, now “the city that never sleeps.” And unlike other places where sex work sits in a murky grey zone, here it’s legal. That alone fuels a huge slice of the city’s reputation.

Tourists pile in for the infamous Ping Pong shows, which are equal parts shocking, hilarious, and let’s be honest a rite of passage for many backpackers. My brother is still traumatized to this day whenever I asked him do you want to see the Ping Pong show again.

If that’s too wild, there are the “family-friendly” shows starring all-trans casts. The fascination isn’t just the glamour, it’s the guessing game: Was that performer born male or female? Is this real? Surely not. 

For 200 bahts, you can take photos with the cast. Yes, they are very beautiful, I've never seen women this beautiful in real life. My brother was hesitant but went for it anyway, I mean, he was in Pattaya.

Taken during one of the family-friendly shows in Pattaya. The performance had a little bit of everything, Vietnamese ballads, Chinese classics, even Western pop hits. A cultural mix designed to keep every audience member entertained, and of course, spending

Like it or not, Pattaya leans all the way in. They’ve taken sex, performance, and spectacle, and turned them into export products. And people keep buying.

Service Ready, Always

Something else that stuck with me: Thai women in service roles, from receptionists to janitors, are always fully made up. Lipstick, foundation, the works. At first I thought it was over the top, but it’s part of the service theatre. Thailand sells smiles, polish, readiness. The branding extends down to the very last bow.

Oh, and Now There’s Weed

As if sex, sun, and spirituality weren’t enough, Thailand recently made cannabis legal. Cue yet another wave of “green tourism” rolling in. It’s playful, it’s rebellious, it adds to the already heady mix of what the country markets: fun, freedom, and a bit of sin wrapped in palm trees and cocktails.

Respect Where It’s Due

I’ll be honest, I have mixed feelings about Thailand. As a marketer, I respect it. It’s not easy to brand an entire country like this. They’ve built something fun, playful, sinful, and globally irresistible. But it comes with a price: the brand perception isn’t all sunshine. For some (like me), it feels a bit too commercial, too gaudy. Yet when you look at the numbers, the tourist arrivals, the dollars flowing in, it’s impossible to argue with the results.

Thailand may not have the “clean” brand image, but it has the dollar brand image. And in the world of tourism, that’s what counts.