Koh Samui on the map for Saudi visitors, TAT says

Thailand's tourism authority says travellers from Saudi Arabia are starting to look at Koh Samui for the 2026 high season.

The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has opened its campaign for the last four months of 2026, and Koh Samui has a place in it. In a report published by The Nation on 11 September 2026, the agency names Samui among the places that visitors from Saudi Arabia are starting to choose, together with Krabi, Phang Nga and Chiang Mai. Until now this market has gone mainly to Bangkok, Phuket and Pattaya.

New flights from Riyadh

The reason is a new air link. Riyadh Air began flying between Riyadh and Bangkok in early September 2026 with a Boeing 787-9 with 290 seats. The route started with three flights a week and is due to become daily in October. TAT estimates that this adds about 3,840 seats a month into Thailand.

According to the agency, Saudi visitors usually stay 10 to 12 days and spend about 110,000 baht per person. They are often families, luxury travellers and people interested in wellness. TAT's target for the whole Middle East in 2026 is 850,000 visitors.

The new route lands in Bangkok, so travellers who choose Samui continue on a domestic flight.

National targets for 2026

The campaign has a wider goal. TAT wants 2.7 trillion baht in tourism income for 2026, of which 1.6 trillion would come from foreign visitors. The official target is 33 million foreign arrivals, but the agency's own base forecast is now 32.6 to 32.7 million. The TAT governor, Thapanee Kiatphaibool, said that the first part of the year was difficult and that conditions are improving.

The agency calls 2026 a year of transformation. It wants to rely less on volume and more on value, with a wider mix of markets. One of its themes presents healing and wellness as a new form of luxury. This fits the image Samui already has.

Events in the calendar

The national programme for the high season includes Loy Krathong celebrations across the country in November, the Global Wellness Summit from 10 to 13 November and several large music festivals in December. Other new routes into Thailand open in October and December, mainly to Bangkok, Phuket and Krabi. The article gives no figures or events that are specific to Samui, so the effect on the island cannot be measured yet.

What it means for villa owners

Guests from the Gulf countries often travel as large families and stay longer than average. That profile suits villas with several bedrooms. Owners who want to welcome them can prepare some practical points: good privacy around the pool, the option of halal meals from a chef or a nearby restaurant, flexible room set-ups for children and help with airport transfers from the Bangkok connection. None of this needs heavy investment. It mostly requires good information in the listing and a team that answers quickly. We cover these points as part of our villa management in Koh Samui.