“Thailand is entering a sports-tourism era,” says Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul, the Thailand Minister of Tourism and Sports at the Thailand Travel Mart Conference in 2016. Muay Thai as a form of sport and fitness has been receiving international attention with the increasing popularity of Muay Thai and its recent introduction into the Olympic Games. The ministry is expected to use 100,000,000 THB ($2.8 million USD).
Because of the recent rise in tourists coming to Thailand specifically for Muay Thai, Khongsittha has redesigned their website in order to provide an easier, intuitive method to reserve Muay Thai vacations online. The majority of Muay Thai gyms in Thailand have struggled to adapt to the way that potential customers now look for vacation opportunities.
In addition to making it simpler for tourists to book Muay Thai packages, Khongsittha recently launched an all-inclusive package that combines training twice a day, gourmet food and drinks, and a variety of cultural experiences in Bangkok. From visiting the ancient city of Ayutthaya, getting traditional Thai tattoos, to watching live Muay Thai fights at the world-famous Rajadamnern and Lumpini stadiums, Khongsittha has an engaging and customer-oriented approach to their gym.
Khongsittha has taken a strong approach towards collaborating with a variety of different travel-oriented companies in 2017. Airbnb, an online marketplace and hospitality service, partnered with Khongsittha as the premiere gym in Bangkok to experience Muay Thai. You can see the press conference from Joe Gebbia (Co-founder of Airbnb) here:
On March 20, 2017, Khongsittha was invited to hold a Muay Thai seminar for AirAsia’s management team at their ONE Regional Conference in Phuket, Thailand. The trainers gave over 40 AirAsia employees a lesson on Muay Thai techniques, the “Wai Kru,” a traditional dance performed in the ring to pay respect to your teachers, and an intensive cardio session.
Chayanon Visutthithada and Matthew Deane, co-owners of Khongsittha with Tony Fernandes, CEO of Air Asia at their corporate retreat in Phuket.
Joe Gebbia and Matthew Deane at an Airbnb press conference in Bangkok, Thailand.
Airbnb’s “Experiences” picks the best activities for tourists to do in major cities and allows their customers the option of booking it in addition to their lodging.
Joe Gebbia and Sueadam “Black Tiger” Khongsittha doing the Wai Kru to pay respect to their teachers.
Khongsittha anticipates to host or partner with a variety of other high profile businesses in 2017, and their all-inclusive experience has received highly positive reviews since its launch. They are poised to be industry leaders in Thailand’s rising sports-tourism sector. If you’re interested in following Khongsittha and to receive information regarding future camps, promotions, and discounts, subscribe to their newsletter here.
