Thailand just started perhaps the most amusing partnership in the recent history of tourism, striking up a deal with Tinder to promote singles travel. As the campaign all too cleverly notes, travel can lead to a lifetime of love, so organizing a group singles tour might be just the way for mutually interested people to get their romance on.
Contrary to popular belief, Thailand is open to virtually everyone right now, but only after you jump through a rather insane number of hoops, and complete 15 days of pre-paid quarantine at an approved hotel. Even then, that’s not exactly what this new campaign is about.
Thailand Is Looking For Tourism Love
As the Bangkok Post put it, “Thai Tourism partners With Tinder to Trap Singles”. The headline isn’t too far off of reality.
Thai Tourism (TAT) is partnering with Tinder on a series of singles travel initiatives with a focus on 9 destinations including: Chiang Mai, Mae Hong Son, Chiang Rai, Lop Buri-Saraburi, Udon Thani-Loei, Chumphon-Surat Thani, Phuket, Pattaya and Ayutthaya.
Tindr will work in step with Thai Tourism and local experience booking website ‘Sneakoutdeal’ to help curate a series of trips members can embark on, and perhaps discover their own life long love, through the mutual interest of travel.
“Tourism connects people, and some people might end up being lifetime partners. Tourists can also help support tourism and the economy during tough times,”
Thapanee Kiatphaibool, Deputy Governor of TAT
For the more religiously inclined singles, one of the first Tindr journeys involves 9 whistle stop Temple visits along the river, with dinner on board the luxury cruiser. The January 9th “secret island party” for singles in Phuket sounds just a bit more fun.
It’s unclear at this point whether discussions with Grindr are also heating up.
Thailand isn’t the first country in Asia to embark on travel campaigns for singles. In Taiwan, EVA Air ran a singles speed dating event on a plane, and the idea has gained lots of traction in neighboring countries. While many solo travelers embark on travel specifically to enjoy the solace, this is a whole new way for people looking for love to connect.
Thai Tourism and Tinder may be the most unlikely of bedfellows in travel this year, but in 2020, the unexpected is what’s expected. This has a domestic focus for now, but the idea of bringing singles to Thailand for trips based on mutual interest has real merit.
For countries desperate to reboot travel, once vaccines are more widely available, it’s no secret that ‘sex sells’, though that might not quite be the goal of the temple tours embarking on December 20th.
Just drop the stupid quarantine and people will flock to Thailand. 99.5% survive this virus anyway!
Literally waiting for the quarantine to drop so I can go. Tired of slowly freezing to death in the UK, and I’d planned to go in January…Now postponed until March…then probably postponed until 2022…No one wants my savings apparently.
Obviously, there are some very special people working for the Thai government now…completely brainless…
The two weeks quarantine is the problem. Just say it’s ok to come if you have been vaccinated and I’ll be there.