|
Bangkok Airways introduces new check-in facility
Bangkok Airways recently introduced their new check-in
procedure through common-use self-service Kiosks (CUSS) at Suvarnabhumi
International Airport.
Tresarun Sitakalin, ground services director said, “Presently, we allow
passengers to check-in via mobile and website. We have added our Bangkok
Airways’ check-in service using the common-use self-service kiosk, in order
to provide more convenience for our passengers. They can self check-in at
the CUSS easily, and have their baggage loaded at Bangkok Airways check-in
counter, F3.”
The new kiosk facility at Suvarnabhumi International Airport includes a
dedicated self-service area with common-use self-service (CUSS) kiosks.
Passengers who use the self-service kiosks can check-in for their flight
from 24 hours up to 50 minutes prior to departure time and print their
boarding pass, before proceeding to a designated baggage drop area.
For more information, please visit
www.bangkokair.com
|
|
 |
Chiang Mai eyes opening new
tourism routes linking 4 countries
The Chiang Mai Tourism Business Association has unveiled a plan to map
out new tourism routes which will connect Northern Thailand with Laos,
China and Myanmar and help boost local trade and tourism.
Chiang Mai Tourism Business Association President Sarawut Saetiao said
the association had been holding discussions with the local private
sector and government units about the launching of new transnational
tourism routes in the region. The routes will link eight northern
Thailand provinces with Northern Laos, Southern China and Myanmar. Local
trade, tourism and investment are expected to prosper as a result.
During the New Year holiday, Chiang Mai province has seen notable
increases in the numbers of Thai and Chinese visitors, with the tourism
revenue for the period expected to grow 10%.
As for the national goal to achieve an annual tourism income of 2.2
trillion baht in the year 2015, the association is confident that Chiang
Mai and other provinces in the North will be able to contribute up to 80
billion baht of that amount. (NNT)
|
|
Tourism ministry expects
10-12% drop in foreign
tourists this year
The Ministry of Tourism and Sports expects the number of foreign
tourists to drop between 10-12 percent in 2014 due to the prolonged
political demonstrations.
Permanent Secretary for Tourism and Sports Suwat Sitthilo said on
Thursday the ministry will soon update foreign diplomats about the
tourism situation in Thailand, as it is now apparent that political
rallies will be prolonged. The Tourism Authority of Thailand has also
been told to update its website content to ensure that foreign tourists
receive factual information.
Suwat indicated the expectation for the decline in foreign tourists was
a result of several factors, which include the prolonging of political
demonstrations and China’s tightening of regulations on outbound tours.
26 million foreign tourists visited Thailand in 2013, which surpassed
expectations. Their visits generated 1.7 trillion baht of income for
Thailand. Suwat indicated that if the political rallies were to cease
within the first quarter of this year, the tourism sector will expand
and generate 2 trillion baht of income for Thailand in 2014. (NNT)
|
|
Tourism industry feels pinch of planned ‘Bangkok shutdown’
The Tourism Council of Thailand said that the
country’s tourism industry has now been seriously affected by the
planned “Bangkok shutdown” by anti-government protesters set for Jan 13,
with no new booking tours reported, especially from Chinese tourists.
Council president Piyaman Techapaiboon said the number of international
tourists has decreased with no new bookings, noting that the council is
collecting information on the exact figures of revelers, especially
those from China.
She noted that the upcoming Chinese New Year celebration on January 31
is approaching.
Association of Thai Travel Agents (ATTA) president Sisdivachr
Cheewarattanaporn said normally the first quarter of the year is
considered as the “high season” for Thailand’s tourism industry. With
ongoing political disorder, Ms Sisdivachr said, the industry has been
definitely hit and the situation cannot be controlled by tourism-related
operators.
He said that the number of Chinese visitors continues to drop due to the
new Chinese regulations affecting tourism, which have been enforced
since last October. The situation has worsened with Thailand’s mounting
political tension as Chinese tourists feel reluctant to come here, with
many opting to delay their tour bookings.
The ATTA president said the business operators still don’t know what
they can do with marketing strategies, as well as how to answer
questions from foreign customers whether the January 13 Bangkok shutdown
will be prolonged or not.
If the protest continues, Sisdivachr said, it will affect the Chinese
New Year period when Thailand usually welcomes the highest number of
Chinese tourists.
With the possible enforcement of an emergency decree in the capital and
unstable politics, the ATTA president said the situation is “beyond our
control”.
“It will not work even if we try to explain to the visitors that they
can go elsewhere, such as Pattaya, Koh Samet, Koh Chang, Phuket, Samui,
Cha-am, Hua Hin or Chiang Mai,” said the ATTA president. (MCOT)
|
|
|
