Thailand has just announced a scroll stopping collaboration with Tinder. ‘Matchmaking’ tourist trips.
While lockdowns are making partying around the globe tricky (to say the least) right now, this new initiative has DMARGE wondering if Contiki’s days are numbered as the most iconic conveyer of young travellers around the world.
In an effort to boost tourism, Thai authorities are working with Tinder to bring tourists tour packages designed for matchmaking. Though the trips are currently aimed at domestic tourists, who knows – if the idea has legs, what’s stopping it in the coming years from spreading throughout the world? It’s early days yet, of course. But read the down-low and decide for yourself.
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CNN Travel reports, “The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), the country’s official travel body, is planning nine itineraries throughout the country and is launching with three pilot trips. The first, which will take place on December 20, is a cruise along Bangkok’s Chao Phraya River for up to 100 singletons.”
“The day-long experience includes sightseeing, dinner and a talk from a Feng Shui expert ‘who will share tips on how to pay homage to Buddha and ask for blessings,’ which should invariably give tongue-tied daters something to talk about.”
“The other two pilot experiences,” CNN Travel reports, “are a beachside party and concert in Phuket and a train trip to the Pa Sak Jolasid Dam in Lopburi, both in January 2021 and accommodating up to 50 people each. Bookings open on December 15 and can be made through the Sneaksdeal website (in Thai).”
“The ‘Single Travel Route’ targets solo travellers who prefer to travel alone to various destinations in Thailand,” TAT Governor, Mr Yuthasak Supasorn, said in a media release.
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Right now, even though Thailand’s borders are open to foreign tourists, to go there you must quarantine in a hotel room for two weeks and pay for a visa application before arriving (unlike in pre-Covid years, where you could do it on arrival). You must also be allowed to leave your home country.
On a more positive note: if this ‘single travel route’ proves successful, maybe it could be the new Contiki coming out of Covid? Whether you find the prospect offputting or awesome, it’s sure food for thought…