Thai Foodie Map 2.0 with Booking.com & Tourism Authority of Thailand | Integrated Campaign

Tourism accounts for about 7.25% of Thailand’s GDP, making it a vital pillar of the economy—driving job creation, sustaining cultural heritage, and fueling local businesses. But while major destinations like Bangkok and Chiang Mai thrive, secondary cities are missing out on the economic and social benefits of tourism. The #ExploreThaiTaste campaign, a partnership between global travel leader Booking.com and the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), is working to change that through something that naturally unites people and inspires exploration: food. 

Now on its second year, the Thai Foodie Map Campaign hopes to boost local economies and reduce pressure on primary tourist destinations. Year 1 of the project featured 40 hand-picked restaurants and was a resounding success, receiving excellent stakeholder feedback, impressive media engagement, and the Purpose Award from PRCA Thailand. Perhaps most crucially, it also opened the door for succeeding phases that will expand this collaboration.   

A key aspect of the ongoing campaign is the careful selection of restaurants. In Year 2, Vero assembled a team of top food influencers and representatives from both Booking.com and TAT to visit and review nearly 100 restaurants in secondary cities, scoring them based on criteria of locally sourced ingredients, quality of signature dishes, capacity to serve tourists, authenticity, and overall atmosphere. Restaurant owners were also interviewed to better understand their culinary tradition. This process was key in ensuring the best recommendations for travelers and the strongest impact on local communities. The results of this assessment served as the basis for the second iteration of the Thai Foodie Map.  

In October 2024, TAT and Booking.com debuted the Thai Foodie Map 2.0, which features eight additional provinces and further strengthened their groundbreaking collaboration, alongside local government units, tourism organizations, and restaurateurs. A press conference was held, featuring leaders from TAT and Booking.com, alongside samples of delicious dishes featured in the map.    

Available on the Booking.com website and on Facebook, the Thai Foodie Map 2.0 sheds the spotlight on 40 restaurants in the provinces of Sukhothai, Uttaradit, Nakhon Phanom, Surin, Nakhon Nayok, Suphan Buri, Chumphon, and Satun—bringing the total number of local institutions featured in the #ExploreThaiTaste campaign to 80. The campaign also partnered with T-pop boy group ATLAS, who helped bring even more of Thai culture to a global audience. 

More than a culinary guide, the Thai Foodie Map 2.0 connects travelers with the heart of Thai culture. “It’s not only about the food,” one influencer said. “We spoke with every owner to understand their inspiration for cooking and how they welcome guests.” The initiative helped not only in better distributing tourism’s benefits, but also in celebrating Thailand’s diverse cultural heritage. This campaign was a finalist in the Travel & Lifestyle Category at the PRCA APAC Awards 2025.