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Russian tour operators Pegas rates Centara Hotels & Resorts best
(L to R) Baki Colpam,
reservation and contracting manager of Pegas, presents a souvenir to Robert
John Lohrmann, general manager, and George Kenton, EAM-rooms of Centara
Grand Mirage Beach Resort Pattaya as the favorite hotel chain of its Russian
and Eastern European clientele.
Warunya Thongrod
Tour operator Pegas Touristik has rated Centara Hotels & Resorts as the
favorite hotel chain of its Russian and Eastern European clientele.
Centara - which operates five hotels in Pattaya - was ranked tops among the
six most-popular destinations selected by Pegas customers, Kubilay Atac,
general manager for Pegas (Thailand) Co. said at a meeting with 150 travel
agents Oct. 19.
Atac and top Pegas executives met with the agents from 85 companies at the
Centara Grand Mirage Beach Resort to thank them for their business. He said
the other top hotels were the Long Beach Garden, Pullman hotels, Royal Cliff
Hotels Group, Hard Rock Hotel Pattaya and the Pinnacle Jomtien.
The party featured live Russian music before reservation and contracting
manager Baki Colpan presented prizes to the top three hotels preferred by
Pegas customers: Centara, Long Beach Garden and Pinnacle.
Centara Grand Mirage General Manager Robert John Lohrmann said the hotel has
had a good relationship with Pegas since it began operations in Thailand.
Cooperation has become closer in recent years as the two companies worked to
create family-tourism packages.
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Royal Cliff Hotels Group warmly welcomes new General Manager
The Royal Cliff Hotels Group is pleased to announce the recent
appointment of its new General Manager Antonello Passa, an Italian
national with over 28 years of international experience in the
hospitality industry.
Antonello Passa at the Award-winning Royal
Cliff Hotels Group.
Educated in Switzerland, he is fluent in English, French and Italian and
holds a degree in Hospitality Management from one of the most elite
hotel schools in the world, “EHG” in Geneva.
Passa is a seasoned international hotelier whose passion for the
industry has resulted in an impressive career in hospitality management
spanning Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Asia, holding senior
management positions at Hilton Worldwide, IHG and Starwood Hotels &
Resorts.
Antonello Passa’s drive and commitment to excellence will continually
inspire his team of dedicated hotel managers and staff to further live
the Royal Cliff Hotels Group values and vision. His personal motto is -
“Do the right thing because it’s the right thing to do.” He joins the
Royal Cliff Hotels Group together with his wife and daughter.
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Yet another tax on tourism?
Baht 500 foreigner-entry fee on the table
Andrew J Wood
National President
Skål International Thailand
The government is considering a plan to charge foreigners an entry fee from
January next year, according to Public Health Minister Pradit Sintavanarong.
Pradit said that officials from the Ministry of Tourism and Sports, the
Ministry of Public Health and the Royal Thai Police had discussed the matter
and all agreed with the idea.
They expect the extra charge will lead to an increase in the quality of
tourists entering Thailand, he said.
But I’m not so sure. It has been expected for some time now and it is a
thinly disguised way for the government to introduce travel ‘insurance’ for
all visitors to Thailand. Initiated by the Ministry of Public Health which
has come under budget pressure with spending of Bt 300 million for tourists’
medical emergencies funded by the government.
With 28 million visitors expected next year that could add up to 14 billion
baht in ‘fees’ collected. As long as the new tax doesn’t drive them away?
My biggest concern is who is going to collect this money and what is it
going to be spent on? I’m sure there are better ways to collect this huge
sum than taking cash from tourists arriving at the airport?
In the past the government bundled the passenger airport tax with airfares
which made a lot of sense.
I also worry that the fee will be open to abuse and scams and what will the
surplus amount be used for? I hope for improvement in services and
facilities aimed specifically at the tourism industry. Sustainability and
the quality of the overall tourist experience could be improved with the new
tax - establishing infrastructure (public transport, toilets and signage)
and service training (guides, restaurants and service personnel at all
tourist touch-points) and putting back a little of what 28 million feet wear
away.
The Bangkok Post reported H.E. Pradit Sintavanarong saying, “The tourism and
sports minister (Somsak Phureesrisak) told me that every other country is
collecting entry fees from foreigners. … The money will be used for many
purposes by the tourism, health and foreign affairs ministries, and the
Immigration Bureau.”
The health ministry would gather relevant information and help the Ministry
of the Interior in legislating the law. The collected fees would go into the
national budget coffers before they are transferred to different agencies,
he said.
He expected the new entry charge would take effect from Jan 1, but it could
be put off to mid-January because there would be many tourists entering the
country at that time and they might get confused, he said.
When reporters asked him if the plan could backfire and result in fewer
tourist arrivals, Pradit said the Tourism Ministry did not oppose the plan.
“Now is the time for us to have quality tourists. It’s not as if inbound
tour operators won’t organize tours for foreign tourists to come to the
country because of the entry fees,” the health minister said.
Foreigners who stay in Thailand no more than three days would be charged 30
baht a day, while those who stay more than three days would have to pay 500
baht, he said.
According to reports, foreigners who arrive at airports would be charged 500
baht, while those who enter the country by land would be charged 30 baht a
day.
The scheme would also prevent foreigners staying in the country after their
visas have expired. There are about 100,000 foreigners in Thailand whose
visas have expired but they refuse to leave the country, the reports said.
Samphan Panphat, adviser to the Thai Hotels Association (THA), said he
disagreed with the 500-baht entry fee. It lacked transparency and would
significantly hurt the tourism industry.
Authorities should specify the nationalities of tourists who might pose
problems to Thailand, because there are many tourists from other countries
who do not create problems when they come here, he said.
“The government should take serious steps to solve the problems in the
country and to improve the quality of tourism here. Then things will
improve,” Samphan said.
Sitdiwat Cheevarattanaporn, chairman of the Association of Thai Travel
Agents (ATTA), took the same tone, saying it is not a good move and not in
line with the government’s plan to promote tourism.
“The plan will affect the tourism industry, both in the short run and the
long run, because tourists will feel bad about Thailand and they may feel
they are being cheated,” Sitdiwat said.
Porntip Hirunket, vice chair of the Tourism Council of Thailand, said
collecting entry fees from foreigners would dampen the tourism atmosphere.
Authorities should do a better job of screening tourists, enforcing the
existing laws and preventing tourists from being conned, she said.
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THAI launches inaugural flights to Chongqing and Changsha, China
Dr. Sorajak Kasemsuvan
(5th left), THAI President, presided over the opening ceremony for the
two new destinations. Also participating at the ceremony were Chokchai
Panyayong (3rd right), THAI Senior Executive Vice President of
Commercial; Woranate Laprabang (3rd left), Managing Director of THAI
Smile, Aphinun Vannagkura (4th right), Executive Vice President,
Aeronautical Radio of Thailand, Flying Officer Chaturongkapon Sodmanee
(4th left), General Manager of Don Mueang International Airport, and
Group Captain Samai Chanthon (5th right), Vice President Aerodrome
Standards and Occupational Health Department.
THAI Smile, the sub-brand and business unit of Thai
Airways International Public Company Limited (THAI), held a simultaneous
launch ceremony at Suvarnabhumi Airport for the inaugural flights to two
new destinations to the People’s Republic of China - to Chongqing and to
Changsha.
In addition to strengthening THAI’s competitiveness, the two new
destinations, will add to both China’s and Thailand’s growing tourism
industry as well as support other industries. The new destinations are
also important in strengthening THAI’s development of the company’s
route network, especially with China having high potential for economic
growth and more people travelling abroad.
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