Thailand Targets Indonesian Travellers with TAT Partnerships with TransNusa and Traveloka

Thailand has upped its efforts in trying to attract tourists from Indonesia, following a Memorandum of Understanding which was signed between the Tourism Authority of Thailand, commonly referred to as TAT, and TransNusa Airlines and Traveloka on 4th August 2026 in Jakarta. The Memorandum of Understanding incorporates connectivity, digital marketing, and intelligence, and the goal is to increase the number of visitors from Indonesia, enhance accessibility to destinations in Thailand, and promote business collaboration within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

The agreements were signed in Fairmont Jakarta in the presence of high-ranking officials in the government. The role of TransNusa will be to enhance air connectivity and destination promotion, whereas Traveloka will help Thailand to reach out to the travelers from Indonesia through its online platform and insights into consumer behavior. TAT has set an ambitious target of receiving 890,000 tourists from Indonesia in 2026.

Why Do the Two Agreements Matter?

The partnerships address different stages of the international visitor journey. TransNusa focuses on the physical ability to reach Thailand, while Traveloka strengthens the digital process through which travellers discover, compare and book destinations and experiences. This gives TAT a broader route to market than a conventional advertising campaign. Air access can stimulate demand only when consumers understand what they can experience and how different Thai destinations match their interests.

Digital promotion can generate curiosity, but limited route awareness or complicated booking processes may prevent that interest from becoming an actual journey. By linking an airline with a major Southeast Asian travel platform, Thailand is attempting to close that gap while strengthening tourism and business relationships between two influential ASEAN economies.

How Will TransNusa Improve Thailand–Indonesia Connectivity?

TAT’s agreement with TransNusa Airlines centres on tourism promotion, travel-product development and stronger air links between Indonesia and Thailand. Joint activity will include tourism fairs, promotional campaigns, digital content, industry workshops and familiarisation trips designed to raise destination awareness and stimulate bookings. The programme will support promotion around the Jakarta–Bangkok and Bali–Phuket corridors.

These city pairs connect important Indonesian gateways with two of Thailand’s strongest tourism destinations. Bangkok provides culture, cuisine, shopping, entertainment and onward domestic connections. Phuket acts as an international gateway to beaches, islands, wellness resorts and destinations across southern Thailand. For TransNusa, the cooperation offers greater visibility for its Thailand-linked services. For TAT, it creates a mechanism for connecting destination campaigns with routes that Indonesian consumers can research and book.

How Will Traveloka Turn Interest Into Bookings?

The agreement with Traveloka adds considerable digital scale to Thailand’s Indonesian-market strategy. TAT plans to use the platform’s distribution network, marketing capabilities and consumer intelligence to promote destinations and tourism experiences throughout the country. Traveloka can influence the journey from the initial destination-search stage to the final booking decision. Search behaviour, travel preferences and booking patterns can help identify which Thai products are attracting Indonesian consumers and where additional promotion may be required.

The partnership will also support the communication of practical information covering entry requirements, tourism policies and safety measures. TAT has stated that information sharing and market analysis will remain subject to appropriate data privacy and security safeguards. This is important as tourism authorities increasingly rely on digital intelligence to improve campaign relevance and booking conversion.

Which Thailand Tourism Campaigns Will Receive Support?

The TransNusa cooperation will support TAT’s Feel All the Feelings – Visit Thailand, Feel Every Emotion campaign. The campaign presents Thailand as a country capable of delivering several emotional and experiential rewards rather than one standard holiday product. It allows destinations to promote food, wellness, culture, adventure, heritage, beaches and community experiences under a common international identity.

The agreements also support TAT’s Partnership 360 strategy, which coordinates airlines, digital platforms, tourism companies and public-sector organisations. A further connection is the global Healing is the New Luxury campaign. This concept expands the meaning of premium tourism beyond expensive accommodation and exclusive services. It promotes wellness, nature, food, cultural connection and meaningful experiences capable of helping travellers feel refreshed, restored and emotionally engaged.

What Are Indonesian Visitors Seeking in Thailand?

TAT identifies Thai cuisine, historical sites, community-based tourism, wellness experiences and beaches as the leading interests of Indonesian visitors. This combination gives Thailand opportunities to distribute demand beyond its most recognisable cities and resort centres. Food tourism can connect travellers with regional markets, local restaurants and culinary communities. Heritage travel can direct visitors towards temples, museums, traditional neighbourhoods and historic cities.

Wellness tourism can expand beyond large resorts to smaller retreats, spas and nature-based destinations. Community tourism is particularly relevant to TAT’s objective of spreading tourism’s economic benefits. When responsibly organised, locally managed experiences can direct visitor spending towards guides, artisans, food producers, transport operators and independent accommodation businesses. Traveloka’s consumer intelligence may help determine which destinations and tourism products are most likely to convert Indonesian interest into confirmed bookings.

Can Thailand Reach 890,000 Indonesian Arrivals?

Thailand welcomed 376,337 Indonesian visitors between 1 January and 31 July 2026. These travellers remained in the country for an average of six nights, supporting demand across hotels, restaurants, attractions, transport providers and local tourism companies. TAT’s full-year target is 890,000 Indonesian arrivals. Meeting this objective would require another 513,663 visitors between August and December, equivalent to an average of approximately 102,700 arrivals per month during the remaining five months.

That required pace is almost twice the monthly average recorded during the first seven months of the year. The target therefore depends on a sharp second-half acceleration supported by sufficient air capacity, competitive fares, effective campaigns and favourable consumer demand. The timing of the TransNusa and Traveloka agreements is strategically important because they combine route promotion and digital conversion during the period when Thailand needs Indonesian arrivals to increase most rapidly.

How Could Wider ASEAN Tourism Benefit?

The initiative carries significance beyond bilateral visitor numbers. Stronger connections between Indonesia and Thailand can improve tourism movement across ASEAN by linking aviation gateways, digital booking systems and regional tourism supply chains. Jakarta and Bangkok are important business and transport centres, while Bali and Phuket are internationally recognised leisure destinations. Better connections between these locations can support beach holidays, business travel, events, visiting-friends-and-relatives traffic and multi-country itineraries.

Travellers may also combine Thailand and Indonesia within one Southeast Asian journey. Airlines, hotels, tour operators and technology platforms can benefit when regional trips become easier to discover, organise and book. The agreements therefore support a more integrated ASEAN tourism economy in which connectivity, technology and destination marketing operate across national borders.

Will Thailand’s Secondary Destinations Gain More Visitors?

One of the most valuable opportunities lies in distributing Indonesian demand across both established and emerging Thai destinations. Thailand remains closely associated with Bangkok, Phuket and other major tourism centres, but TAT wants visitor spending to reach a wider geographical area. Traveloka’s market intelligence can help identify destinations capable of attracting Indonesian travellers through cuisine, wellness, heritage, beaches and community experiences.

Promotional activity linked to TransNusa can then connect these products with the main international gateways. However, destination dispersal requires more than advertising. Travellers need convenient onward transport, clear information, bookable products and confidence in local safety and service standards. When these elements are aligned, smaller destinations may secure a larger share of tourism income while excessive visitor concentration in the busiest areas can be reduced.

What Could Indonesian Travellers Gain?

The agreements could provide Indonesian travellers with clearer destination information, more relevant promotional offers and stronger awareness of air links between the two countries. They may also make it easier to find experiences matching specific interests, including culinary holidays, cultural journeys, wellness breaks, community visits and beach escapes. Travellers should continue comparing fares, flight schedules, baggage allowances and booking conditions before purchasing.

Airline operations can change, while immigration requirements, entry procedures and local tourism policies should always be confirmed through official sources close to departure. The Traveloka partnership is expected to improve communication of practical travel requirements and safety information. Nevertheless, every visitor remains responsible for carrying valid documentation and checking current conditions before travelling.

Why Is Indonesia Central to Thailand’s 2026 Tourism Strategy?

Indonesia can provide Thailand with an easily accessible big consumer base, as well as a demand for tourism services that the latter can deliver on. Indonesian tourists have interests in well-known places as well as in experiences which would be able to attract investments not only to the main tourist attractions but also to smaller regions. The deals between TransNusa and Traveloka give TAT a pair of powerful instruments. Aviation partnership would provide better accessibility and visibility, and digital partnership – better targeting, distribution and conversion.

While the goal of 890,000 Indonesian tourists looks challenging given the fact that 376,337 Indonesians visited Thailand during the first seven months of 2026, the strategy gives an opportunity to follow an adequate approach. Through the combination of aviation, digital marketing, responsible tourism promotion and diversification of destinations Thailand can develop a more integrated cooperation with Indonesia.

Image Source: TAT