Overseas Operators and Media Invited to Explore the North, Northeast and the Andaman

In an attempt to put Thailand back on the international tourism map, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is organizing Mega Familiarization Trips to promote the Visit Thailand Year 2009, and will invite international operators and press members through its overseas offices.

Invited participants will be joining the launch of the Visit Thailand Year campaign at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre(QSNCC) on 8 October, 2008.

“Following the political disturbance in Thailand which led to a lull in tourism during the past two months, TAT is poised to revive the Thai tourism industry and bring it back in full swing. Part of this is to prioritize the Mega Fam Trips campaign to allow international visitors to come and see for themselves the wide variety of attractions in the country, as well as to prove that the recent political disturbance does not pose any problem for tourists,” according to Phornsiri Manoharn, Governor of TAT.

TAT is expecting at least 40 or more invited press members and operators from each overseas office, all of which will be offered 30 routes as travel options: 14 in the lower and upper Northeast and 16 in the North and Andaman. They will be travelling along their chosen route during 9-13 October 2008, with each route created based on the “7 Wonders of Amazing Thailand” concept.

Isan, or the Northeast, is put as a highlight of the fam trip campaign following the announcement of the Visit Isan Year 2008-2010. Invited participants who choose to explore the lower Northeast region will be joining the Visit Isan Year press conference in Nakhon Ratchasima on 11 October.

For those who choose the route in the North, they will have a chance to attend the 4th Chiang Mai and North Tourism Forum (CTF 2008) on 10 October, before embarking on their preferred trip for the next three days. The Forum is meant to help promote the capital of the North as the aviation hub of the Mekong Sub-region.

“Apart from serving as the launch of the Visit Thailand Year 2009, the campaign will also allow visitors to get acquainted with the products and services available in the North and the Northeast. This is perfect for leisure travellers and those with special interests like ecotourists, youth travellers and MICE visitors. It will also provide private sector operators a chance to meet and discuss business with their overseas counterparts,” added the Governor, hoping that more tourists to the Northeast and the North will encourage airlines to consider opening direct flights to major cities in both regions after the oil price crisis has eased up.

Although the months-long tourism drought due to rising oil prices and political disturbance is expected to make an impact on Thailand’s tourism growth, there had been no alarming effects on the tourism forecasts for 2008 so far. Early forecasts indicate that TAT expects to welcome 15,480,000 tourist arrivals, an increase of 7.02% from the previous year. However, oil prices caused overall tourist spending per visit by region to grow as little as less than 4% while the highest spending growth in 2007 was from the Middle East with 14.92%, followed by Oceania, and the Americas, with 14.82% and 12.78%, respectively.

MEGA FAM TRIP ACTIVITIES
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Contact information:
International Public Relation Division
Tourism Authority of Thailand
Tel: +66 (0) 2250 5500 ext. 4545-48
Fax: +66 (0) 2253 7419
E-mail: prdiv3@tat.or.th
Web site: www.tatnews.org