Thailand's same-sex matrimony legislation, scheduled to travel into effect successful January 2025, could pull an further 4 cardinal tourists to the state per year, according to a study commissioned by the question institution Agoda.
The study published Thursday estimates the country's matrimony equality instrumentality whitethorn summation tourism arrivals by 10%, netting the state an other $2 cardinal successful tourism gross per year, wrong 2 years.
Arrivals are expected to come, not lone from same-sex couples and their wedding guests, but from the broader LGBTQ assemblage and beyond.
"Thailand is acceptable to pull a increasing fig of travellers and expatriate workers who question not conscionable a abrogation spot but a spot wherever they tin consciousness genuinely accepted," according to the report, titled "The Economic Impact of Marriage Equality connected Thailand's Tourism Industry."
Thailand's caller authorities — scheduled to spell into effect connected Jan. 22, 2025 — is projected to adhd 76,000 full-time jobs to its tourism industry, portion raising the country's gross home merchandise by .3%, according to the report from the nationalist argumentation consultancy Access Partnership.
The caller instrumentality volition marque Thailand the 3rd spot successful Asia to let same-same marriage, pursuing Taiwan successful 2019 and, on a much constricted basis, Nepal successful 2023. The instrumentality is besides acceptable to assistance same-sex couples rights related to kid adoption, wellness attraction and inheritance.
Calculating the impact
To cipher the imaginable economical interaction of Thailand's caller legislation, the study examined the effect of same-sex matrimony authorities successful different countries.
"Other markets, specified arsenic New Zealand and the United States, saw notable increases successful same-sex weddings pursuing instauration of matrimony equality legislation," Timothy Hughes, Agoda's vice president of firm development, told CNBC Travel.
New Zealand legalized same-sex matrimony successful 2013. By 2016, the bulk of same-sex weddings successful the state were for visitors, the study said.
Australians made up much than fractional (58%) of same-sex weddings successful New Zealand from 2013 to 2017, according to the study citing Statistics New Zealand. This fig fell to 26% successful 2017, aft Australia passed its ain same-sex matrimony law, it said.
Within 5 hours flying of Thailand are much than 3.6 cardinal radical successful markets that bash not person matrimony equality.
Timothy Hughes
Vice President of Corporate Development astatine Agoda
Agoda's study besides analyzed different factors that power planetary tourists, including the attractiveness of a destination, the affordability of travel, the easiness of entrance, and the perceived level of acceptance of LGBTQIA+ issues.
Assessing tourism interaction of same-sex authorities successful Thailand
1. Attractiveness: entreaty arsenic a question destination
2. Accessibility: easiness of entering via visa-free deals
3. Affordability: outgo to question successful narration to different countries
4. Availability of substitutes: proximity of different viable destinations
Finally, the study besides considered the availability of viable alternate destinations for LGBTQIA+ oregon travelers successful the region.
"Within 5 hours flying of Thailand are much than 3.6 cardinal radical successful markets that bash not person matrimony equality," said Hughes.
He highlighted the economical accidental from Indian travelers, predicting Thailand volition go a apical destination "for Indian LGBTQIA+ couples and those acceptable to observe with them."
A 'unique strategical opportunity'
The planning, for some, has already begun.
Ann Chumaporn, a Thai rights activistic and co-founder of Bangkok Pride, said her enactment is arranging a wide wedding lawsuit for same-sex couples connected Jan. 23, 2025 — the archetypal time that matrimony registrations tin beryllium filed, she said.
"We person implicit 300 couples registered, and our extremity is to scope 1,000 couples nationwide," she told CNBC Travel. "We already person planetary couples registered."
The Thai authorities besides has its sights acceptable connected hosting WorldPride, a planetary pridefulness lawsuit that netted New South Wales $185.6 cardinal Australian dollars ($120 million) erstwhile Sydney hosted successful 2023, according to Agoda's report.
Evidence from different markets shows couples bash question to get joined abroad, adjacent if the matrimony isn't legally recognized successful their location countries, said Agoda's Timothy Hughes.
Ezra Acayan | Getty Images News | Getty Images
Rainbow tourism, arsenic it is known, is valued astatine $200 cardinal worldwide, according to the report.
In an epoch of fierce contention for tourists — particularly whose who splurge connected weddings and related celebrations — Thailand has a "unique strategical opportunity," said Marcus Ng, manager of Access Partnership.
"While we cannot foretell what different markets mightiness do, what this study demonstrates is that determination is simply a wide economical payment to inclusivity for some the tourism assemblage and the wider economy."
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