Major retailers prepare summer campaigns

The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) forecasts that this year, Thailand will attract 40 million international tourists, in line with the government's policy. This will mark another significant step for Thailand becoming a global hub for tourism and sports, generating income and stimulating sustainable economic growth.

Especially during the Songkran Festival, it is expected that revenue will increase by 5-10% compared with last year, when revenue was more than 15 billion baht. This is seen as a positive signal for the circulation of money in the economy.

To prepare for the high season, retailers are ramping up campaigns to boost shopping activities, organising major events, offering promotions, and introducing trendy fashion items. Songkran will be highlighted as a global festival to attract tourists from around the world to visit Thailand, which will help support the recovery of the economy.

CPN investing 600 million baht to host a thousand events

Nattakit Tangpoonsinthana, CEO of marketing at Central Pattana Pcl (CPN), the operator of Central shopping centres, said Central Pattana is moving forward to elevate Thailand to a “Global Summer Destination” in response to TAT’s “5 Must Do in Thailand” policy and support Thailand's bid to be named “Destination of the Year 2025”. 

The company plans to transform shopping centres across the country into summer travel destinations that offer all-in-one experiences for shopping, dining and tourism. It is investing 600 million baht to boost consumer spending during the summer, with an expected 10-15% increase in traffic, in line with the global travel trend of “experiential tourism”. The campaign will feature more than 1,000 events from now until May 5.

"Summer is a crucial time of the year when tourists spend the most," Nattakit said. “Insights show that both the summer and year-end holidays are peak spending periods, as they coincide with long breaks and school vacations, making travel both domestically and internationally more vibrant. 

“According to Airports of Thailand, the summer flight schedule in 2025 is expected to exceed 640,000 flights, with more than 87 million passengers, particularly international travelers, growing by 30% from the previous year. This aligns with the growth trend in Thai tourism." 

The Mall Group invests 300 million baht to drive traffic

Voralak Tulaphorn, chief executive of The Mall Group, said that in 2025, consumer spending in Thailand is expected to grow cautiously given high living costs and sluggish recovery in purchasing power. As a result, The Mall Group, a major retail developer, is injecting a 300-million-baht budget into a summer campaign running from March to April to stimulate consumer spending. This initiative aims to generate revenue to support businesses and enhance customer value.

“The summer campaign plays a key role in driving the retail industry in the country,” Voralak said. “This year, The Mall Group has increased the budget for the summer campaign from 220 million baht in 2024 to 300 million baht to boost consumer spending. 

“This effort will contribute to circulating money in the economy and support the overall growth of Thailand’s economy, with the Songkran Festival being a key positive factor. The summer campaign will offer both joy and value for money to Thai consumers.”.

From now until April 23, the “Epic Summer-Cation” campaign will feature 120 fashion brands, boosting summer purchasing power and creating a retail-tainment phenomenon to cool off this year. The campaign will provide value for every shopping experience at The Mall Life Store, Emporium, EmQuartier, EmSphere, Paragon Department Store, in collaboration with leading brands and business partners through marketing activities at all The Mall Life Store branches.

Robinson aims to boost sales by 18%

Robinson Department Store, part of Central Retail, is moving forward with its seasonal market strategy by launching the “Robinson Hello Summer Chill” campaign to welcome the summer. The campaign invites shopping families to enjoy a relaxed shopping experience with exclusive items, promotions, and various activities to beat the heat. The goal is to stimulate spending and increase traffic during the end of the first half of 2025.

Natira Boonsri, CEO of Central Department Store Group, said the overall business performance of Robinson stores last year and the first two months of 2025 showed positive growth in both sales and customer traffic, thanks to the value and wide range of products, services, and promotions offered throughout the year. The company has also received strong support from business partners, including leading brands and credit-card companies. 

The summer campaign, “Robinson Hello Summer Chill”, is expected to boost customer traffic by more than 12% compared with the same period last year.

“During the summer months of March and April, shopping families typically have high spending needs, whether for travel during the school break, Songkran Festival, or to purchase summer items,” Natira said. “With our comprehensive offerings that meet all customer needs, we are confident that the campaign will be well received, leading to an 18% increase in sales compared with the same period last year.” 

Meanwhile, Nattawat Ratchpongkulayas, senior assistant vice-president of marketing at Robinson Lifestyle Centers, said Robinson Lifestyle is targeting the retail market during the summer and Songkran season by launching the “Robinson Lifestyle Summer Energy 2025” campaign. This campaign is aimed at stimulating consumer spending nationwide. 

The three main strategies are “Fun Energy”, offering entertaining and lifestyle activities to appeal to local customers, “Shop Energy”, collaborating with partners and tenants to offer great promotions and chances to win prizes, and “Shine Energy”, creating a summer atmosphere in all stores with the concept of “Summer Energy” for a fun and vibrant shopping experience.