More than 270 tour operators and travel journalists from important visitor-generating countries in Northeast Asia and the Middle East are visiting…
More than 270 tour operators and travel journalists from important visitor-generating countries in Northeast Asia and the Middle East are visiting the Andaman coast provinces as part of another massive familiarisation trip designed to show that Thai tourism is functioning normally.
The Mega-Fam Trip in the last week of July 2005 is the second of its kind, following the first one organised earlier this year for world-wide markets as part of the Andaman Recovery plans to promote and revive the six provinces affected by the December 26, 2004, tsunami.
Organised by the Tourism Authority of Thailand, THAI Airways International and Tourism Council of Thailand (TCT), it is intended to give the visiting travel agents and media a chance to see for themselves the readiness and safety of the destinations to resume receiving visitors.
TAT Governor Mrs. Juthamas Siriwan said, The world needs to know that most of the destinations are open and safe to travel. We hope the agents and media, in their primary role as opinion-shapers, will reflect this in their writings and sales efforts.
The groups will come from Thailand`s hugely important visitor source markets of China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and the Middle East. The Chinese group will be the largest with a total of 150 travel agents and media, followed by Taiwan (52), Hong Kong (50) and Middle East (20).
THAI Airways International is sponsoring all the airtickets. The airline has closely coordinated its plans with TAT overseas offices to ensure the selection of productive and professional travel agents and writers.
TAT is arranging the accommodation, tour programs and ground transport. The Thai private sector including hoteliers, tour operators, restaurants and theme parks are working with TAT and other organisers to make this event a success.
Overall, visitor arrivals to Thailand at Bangkok International Airport during January – June 2005 totalled 3.85 million, an increase of 1.4% over the same period in 2004. But visitors from China, Taiwan and Hong Kong declined by 19.94%, 15.36% and 14.57%, respectively.
Mrs Juthamas said, We`re hoping the second Fam Trip will help to stimulate the market, so that it prepares the ground for a good response from dominant generators of volume visitors for Thailand.
Instead, it is hoped that events like the Mega-Fam Trip and other marketing promotions will produce good results and more than compensate for the effects of the tsunami.
Another group of travel agents and media from Korea visited Thailand for a similar fam trip between 21-24 June, 2005, whereas travel agents and media from Japan will visit Thailand in August 2005.
Vicky is the co-founder of TravelDailyNews Media Network where she is the Editor-in Chief. She is also responsible for the daily operation and the financial policy. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Tourism Business Administration from the Technical University of Athens and a Master in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Wales. She has many years of both academic and industrial experience within the travel industry. She has written/edited numerous articles in various tourism magazines.
