Grab Thailand saw a 45% increase in non-Thai users between Q2 and Q3 2022, which is in line with the positive outlook for the tourism industry in Thailand. To support the recovery of the tourism sector in Thailand further, Grab continued to uplift the standard and quality of transport services focusing on 3 key aspects of the service including “Convenience, Safety, and Upfront pricing” in response to the  needs of foreigners. Grab also shared the travel insights based on the survey conducted among users from six countries region-wide, with Thailand being voted one of the top three travel destinations tourists wanted to visit the most.

Worachat Luxkanalode, Country Head of Grab Thailand, said, Tourism is a key sector driving growth in Thailand’s economy. With the ease of COVID19 measures and reopening of Thailand to international visitors, Grab has observed 45% more foreign users using our Grab app between Q2 and Q3 last year. The top five countries that these foreign users came from are Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, United States and Vietnam.  This is in line with Thailand over achieving its targeted number of tourists in 2022*.

“As an app-based ride-hailing service provider certified by the Department of Land Transport, Grab is dedicated to promoting Thailand’s tourism through the convenient, safe, and high-quality standard transport service for foreign users. The three main reasons that these users choose to travel with Grab are 1) Convenience – Tourists can request a ride easily and conveniently via their smartphones. Simply choose the destination and the driver-partner will arrive at their preferred pick-up point. The in-app chat and translation feature also make communication with the driver-partner at ease. 2) Safety – Passengers are secured with high safety standards and technology. All driver-partners must have passed the thorough screening system such as identity verification through facial recognition before providing service in every ride and the criminal background check for at least 7 years of tracked records. 3) Upfront pricing – Ensure transparency with the system showing the fare in advance, which helps tourists with their travel decision and assurance. Along with various e-payment options, they are worry-free  about carrying cash,” Worachat added.

Moreover, Grab also highlighted the travel insights 2022 report** based on the survey conducted among 10,046 Grab users in six countries across the Southeast Asia, including Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, and Thailand as follows:

• Tendency to travel: 1 in 2 Grab users plan to travel in the next six months, with 39% planning to travel abroad.
• Popular destination: Thailand is voted as the top three international destinations users would like to visit the most, followed by Singapore and Japan.
• Travel companion: 84% plan to travel in groups of 2-5, especially with family (59%), lovers (37%), and friends (31%)
• Top three reasons people want to travel: Getaway (60%), Festive season (33%), Outing with friends (25%)
• Travelers crave and seek out local experiences in various forms, with the three main experiences being: Visiting local sights (54%), Tasting local foods (51%), and Experiencing local culture (36%).

Did you know?

Here are some fun facts about foreign tourists using Grab’s ride-hailing services in Thailand

• The top five tourist cities are 1) Bangkok 2) Chiangmai 3) Phuket 4) Pattaya and 5) Hatyai
• Most popular tourist attractions in Bangkok are 1) ICONSIAM 2) Jodd Fairs night market 3) CentralWorld 4) Khaosan Road and 5) Siam Paragon
• The longest distance a tourist has ever traveled with Grab is from Phuket to Krabi.

* Source: Tourism Authority of Thailand

** This refers to GrabAd’s Travel Insights 2022 report in which the user survey was conducted in the third quarter of 2022