Posts Tagged ‘The Tourism Authority of Thailand’

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Thailand launches London ‘tuxi’

Wednesday, November 17th, 2010

The Tourism Authority of Thailand has launched a new promotional campaign that will see a fleet of vehicles dubbed ‘tuxis’ driving around the streets of England’s capital city.

Fifty London cabs have been decorated to look like a traditional Thai tuk-tuk, a form of transport that is popular among tourists visiting the country.

Featuring the strap line ‘See something amazing every day’, the special taxis were sent out onto the street after being officially launched at the Royal Thai Embassy in Kensington.

Among the first passengers to use the vehicles were Thailand’s ambassador and the governor of the country’s tourism organisation, who were transported to London’s ExCel centre for the first day of the World Travel Market.

As well as promoting Thailand, the taxis will give customers the opportunity to win a holiday with Thai Airways and Centara Hotels and Resorts.

source – www.news.opodo.co.uk

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High-season bookings by foreigners improving

Monday, October 4th, 2010

The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) and private operators see bright prospects for Thai tourism in the coming high season even though local political conditions remain uncertain.

Surapol Sritrakul, president of the Association of Thai Travel Agents (ATTA), said bookings for the high season (October-May) had increased by 5% and total reservations would be 20-30% higher than in the same period a year earlier.

“Foreign tourists are gradually coming back, particularly from Asian countries,” he said yesterday.

“European tourists are still coming back slowly, possibly due to their weaker currencies. Almost 100% of bookings will go to the South including Phuket, Krabi and Koh Samui.”

ATTA projects the number of EU visitors will decrease this year, making it difficult for the TAT to meet its target of 4.28 million from the region.

The TAT had forecast 4.28 million European tourist arrivals with total revenue of 233 billion baht, up 10.6% from last year, and average spending per trip of 54,600 baht, up 4.1%. In 2011, it projects the figure will grow by 3.9% to 4.45 million visitors with revenue of 249 billion baht and spending of 55,950 baht per trip.

Thawatchai Arunyik, the TAT deputy governor for domestic marketing, said the agency believed that although the weak US dollar and euro have been affecting the travel budgets of Americans and Europeans, Thailand remains an attractive destination due to its value for money.

Product prices have not increased and room rates and package tours are still cheap, so Thailand should still attract travellers from all corners of the world, he said.

Although the overall tourism business is recovering, price wars in some markets cannot be solved, he added.

Several Russian travel agents rent big lots of hotel rooms in Pattaya and Rayong for a year and re-rent them at lower prices, hurting the pricing structure and the image of Thailand, said Mr Thawatchai. Some nearby hotels have had to cut their prices just to compete.

“We can’t force them to stop doing this. The only thing we can do is ask them to show some concern for the industry as this will create long-term damage,” he said.

In the first eight months of this year, Russian visitors skyrocketed 92.4% year-on-year to 346,697.

Tourism in the North, meanwhile, is suffering because many Japanese have stopped travelling to Thailand because of security concerns.

source -  www.bangkokpost.com

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Tourism Authority Of Thailand To Launch Inaugural Medical Health And Wellness

Friday, September 24th, 2010

The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) will launch its inaugural Medical Health and Wellness Road Show within the G.C.C. from October 4th – 11th, 2010 in order to educate and promote Thailand’s expertise and specialisation in providing cutting edge health and medical care to residents of the gulf region. The initiative, which is a first for the region, will see representatives from Thailand’s leading hospitals and wellness centres visit five cities within the Gulf to meet directly with industry professionals, medical travel consultants and coordinators, as well as regional government representatives and other interested individuals, to provide first hand information and details on the advantages of choosing Thailand for medical and wellness needs.

The road show will include a series of presentations and round table discussions with participants in each of the cities of Muscat, Doha, Bahrain and Abu Dhabi and include the group’s participation at the three day Kuwait Medical Tourism Conference & Exhibition, where the Tourism Authority of Thailand will participate with its own stand and have the country’s leading medical tourism development specialist, Dr. Surapong Ambhanwong, President Thai Private Hospital Association and Chief Medical and International Business Officer Phyathai 2 Hospital, make a presentation as special guest to the exhibition.

Thailand currently holds 38% of the world’s market share of patients travelling internationally for medical and wellness care resulting in over 920,000 travelers visiting the kingdom annually, and making it the number one destination for medical tourists. The scope of procedures conducted in Thailand is wide, covering many medical fields and areas of expertise including joint replacement, open heart surgery, cancer treatment, health checkups, plastic surgery and dental care. Additionally, many visit Thailand to seek professional advice for a better quality of life through Thailand’s many alternative medical centers and hospitals to help control and reduce the threat of diabetes, cholesterol, obesity, and blood pressure.

Thailand proves an attractive option as a medical destination due to the country’s well established medical industry to provide high quality, cost effective treatments at international standards. Especially when compared to other benchmark overseas medical centres in the West, Thailand’s medical industry has proven itself with compatible expertise and skill with the added advantage of providing far superior nursing care both through its higher ratio of nurses vis-à-vis patients, as well as through its unique “Thai” approach and attention to personal care. Furthermore, and without compromising international medical and hygiene standards, the cost effectiveness of Thailand’s medical institutions have made it not only an Asian leader in this field, but an international medical hub of repute among the top echelons of medical circles globally.

Says Mr. Pramoth Supyen, Director of the Tourism Authority of Thailand, Dubai and Middle East Office; “Thailand has become a favored destination for Arab travelers whether seeking medical care or leisure pursuits. Through the hosting of this inaugural Medical Tourism Road Show to the G.C.C. we will showcase Thailand’s medical products and services to regional government agencies and officials, as well as to the private sector such as insurance companies and travel agents, providing a unique opportunity for them to meet directly with Thailand’s leading practitioners, and learn more about the specializations and expertise we can offer to provide visitors with the best care needed to lead a healthier and fuller life.”

In each of the cities to be visited a general presentation on Thailand’s medical acumen and edge as a medical destination, including various facts and statistics, will be provided as well as a presentation by Thailand’s internationally renowned Dr. Surapong Ambhanwong, President Thai Private Hospital Association and Chief Medical and International Business Officer Phyathai 2 Hospital. Round table meetings between Thai private sector representatives and invitees will follow to showcase individual facilities with each event closing with a networking lunch.

Participating institutions include;
· Phayathai 2 Hospital
· Bangkok Hospital
· Bangkok Hospital Pattaya
· Samitivej Srinakarin Hospital among others.

Details of the Inaugural Thailand Medical and Wellness Road Show are as follows:

4 October 2010 – Muscat, Oman - 11:00 – 14:30 - Maljan Continental Hotel
5 October 2010 - Doha, Qatar - 11:00 – 14:30 - Oryx Rotana
6 October 2010 – Manama, Bahrain - 11:00 – 14:30 -Gulf Hotel
7 – 9 October 2010 -Kuwait City, Kuwait – Varied -Kuwait Convention Center
11 October 2010 – Abu Dhabi, U.A.E. - 11:00 – 14:30 - Shangri-La Qaryat Al Beri

 

source – www.middleeastevents.com

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