#Tourismmarketing

Aiming to revive Thailand’s tourism after floods, fires, and pandemic disruptions, this revision draws lessons from Maui’s post-disaster rebound. Hawaiian experience shows recovery is a long, careful process that restores visitor confidence and sustains local livelihoods through balanced marketing and community resilience.

Two years after West Maui’s wildfires, the island’s tourism climb illustrates both progress and ongoing hurdles. Visitor arrivals rose by 11.2 percent year over year but remain about 17 percent below pre-disaster levels, underscoring the extended timeline required for full recovery. The Maui case highlights a common pattern: even with rebuilt infrastructure, reputational recovery lags and demands persistent, credible communication.

Travel is rebounding after the pandemic, yet bold ad campaigns and geopolitical tensions shape Thai travelers’ choices in 2025. A global shift shows promotions competing with real-world safety concerns and reputational risks that can affect planning, insurance, and experiences abroad.

Sleek campaigns promoting cities like Los Angeles and nations such as Saudi Arabia often sit beside ongoing ground realities. The “We Love LA” marketing contrasted with wildfires and displacement, underscoring the gap between glossy ads and lived conditions. Saudi Arabia’s push to position itself as a year-round gateway for visitors runs alongside debates over rights and the progress of megaprojects like Neom. Construction delays and budget overruns have sparked scrutiny, while conversations about speech restrictions and reputational harm complicate travel expectations. Data from international research bodies underscore these themes and their relevance to travelers.

As the international travel industry mounts a determined comeback after pandemic-era setbacks, new skepticism is emerging among would-be tourists, fueled by controversial ad campaigns and rising concerns over safety, reputation, and human rights in key destinations. A recent opinion column published in The Boston Globe on July 3, 2025, highlights a growing wave of “wayward tourism promotions” and the complex, often contradictory realities facing travelers in 2025, raising questions especially relevant for Thai travelers considering outbound journeys (Boston Globe).