Skål
International Thailand President Dale Lawrence urged Pattaya-chapter members to
leverage the power and influence of the organization’s global brand to promote
the message that the kingdom is ready to welcome business and leisure travelers.
Speaking at the July 24 Skål Pattaya and East Thailand meeting at the Siam@Siam
Design Hotel, Lawrence said Skål members worldwide can help boost Thailand’s
fortunes in the post-coup environment.
“We have 16,554 members in 89 countries. Let’s use their knowledge, experience
and their membership of Skål International, the world’s oldest tourism industry
networking organization, to help us raise awareness that Thailand is a safe and
secure destination,” he said.
Tony Malhotra, President of Skål
International Pattaya & East Thailand, presents the business addresses to
Skålleagues and guests.
“We face a huge challenge in restoring confidence amongst
stakeholders in Thailand’s principal tourism source markets. Some governments
remain slow in amending their respective travel advisories and we need the
support of Skål members worldwide in spreading the word that Thailand is not
only open for business but also remains the value destination for leisure travel
and business in Southeast Asia,” he added.
The Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions business he said “has
taken a major hit over the past 6-9 months. The ability of Thailand’s leisure
tourism to recover, to bounce back from adversity, is legendary. But so much
MICE business has been lost,” Lawrence said. “The essential confidence factor
amongst international events planners has suffered irreparable damage. This
fantastic initiative in Pattaya deserves to succeed and I congratulate everyone
associated with the North Pattaya Alliance.”
Kate Gerits, GM of Holiday Inn
Pattaya invites Skålleagues and guests to the next meeting on August 21 at her
hotel’s new building.
The North Pattaya Alliance is an initiative designed to
position the city’s northern bay as an events and wedding destination with the
support of the Tourism Authority of Thailand, Thailand Convention & Exhibition
Bureau and Pattaya City.
Lawrence said Pattaya should take heart that European tourist numbers may be
down, but the number of Chinese, typically frightened off by political unrest,
have increased. He said tourists also are spending heavily on luxury items.
What has to be done to make this low season attractive for tourists? And what
has the Tourism Authority of Thailand done to help? These were questions
Lawrence posed for the audience.
Peter Malhotra, MD of Pattaya Mail
Media Group, expands on the idea Thailand’s tourism.
“Let’s be honest, foreigners come to Thailand not because
they see posters or brochures at TAT offices or travel agencies in their
countries,” said Skål Pattaya and Eastern Thailand founding member Peter
Malhotra. “They choose to come to Thailand because their friends and families
who have been here tell them of the charm and beauty of this country and the
Thai people. Once they have personally experienced the magic of the Thai smile
and kindness themselves, they will keep coming back again and again, and for
many even make Thailand their home. The Thai people themselves are the true
ambassadors of our beautiful country.
Dmitry Chernyshev and Tony
Malhotra chat over a glass of beer at the end of the evening.
By nature the Thai people are peaceful and
non-confrontational. We have gone through a dreadful period of turmoil caused by
unfortunate circumstances. Things will be better now. We will soon become a land
of happiness and smiles again and tourism will thrive.”
Robert
Lohrmann gives a vote of thanks to Skål International Pattaya & East Thailand,
host hotel and Skål Thailand President for an excellent evening.
The evening was not totally dominated by speeches, however. As ever, the Skål
meeting was a place to network and meet new people. It began in the 25th floor
Sky bar, with its expansive view of Pattaya Bay, and moved to the uniquely
decorated Car Bar downstairs where members mingled among old rickshaws and
military jeeps used as seats. Finger-food refreshments and more drinks were
waiting.
Skål President Tony Malhotra offered the “Skål Toast” and introduced the board
of directors. He was followed by Siam@Siam General Manager Dimitry Chernyshev.
(L to R) Allan Riddell from
SATCC, Dale Lawrence, President of Skål International Thailand, and Dr. Iain
Corness from Pattaya Mail.
Guests that evening included Allen Riddell from SATCC, who
was one of the first to sign membership with Skål Pattaya, Robert Lohrmann,
general manager of the Centara Grand Mirage Beach Resort, Kate Gerits, the
general manager of the Holiday Inn Pattaya, Marlowe and Vicky Malhotra of Massic
Travel, and Gundmund Eiksund, Rony and Jeannette Heltne from Norwegian
Properties Group.
(L to R) Robert Lohrmann, GM of
Centara Grand Mirage Beach Resort, Skål Pattaya President Tony Malhotra, Skål
Thailand President Dale Lawrence and Jonas Sjostedt, GM of Centara Pattaya
Hotel.
Newcomers included J.P. Bernet and Cherdchai Chantasit from
Ibis Pattaya, John Manley, the newly appointed assistant manager of Hard Rock
Hotel, Jonas Sjostedt of Centara Pattaya Hotel, Areewan Thammasorn Cluster,
director of sales from Compass Hospitality, Nisa Pragopchai from Dusit Thani
Pattaya and Nachawan Kanawattanakul, managing director of Delight Residence.
Dominique Rongé from Centara Grand Phratamnak brought Carl Duggan and Amy
Supparatch Piyawatcharapun, Neil Maniquiz and Janya Rattanaliam from Bangkok
Hospital Pattaya. And Hans Banziger from Swiss Paradise and Fabian Arp from
Thai-Ger Line Golf also attended.
Jason Duthie and Jay Cammack from
Litehouse Asia with Niruth Hongchanda, F&B Director of Siam@Siam Design Hotel
Pattaya.
Kate Gerits, the general manager of the Holiday Inn invited
everyone to come to the official opening of the hotel’s new building August 1st.
The Holiday Inn will host the next Skål meeting August 21.
(L to R) Massic Travel’s Vicky
Malhotra and Marlowe Malhotra; Dr. Iain Corness, Peter Malhotra, MD Pattaya Mail
Media Group, Nachawan Kanawattanakul, Manager of the Delight Residence Pattaya,
and Prince Malhotra, GM of Pattaya Mail Media Group.
Cherdchai Chantasit (left) with JP
Bernet from Ibis Pattaya.
Beautiful view of Pattaya Bay from
the rooftop of the hotel.
Dmitry Chernyshev (right) poses
for a photo with Jeena Saguansap (left) and Kamutporn Chaiwong.
(Above) President Dale Lawrence
explores ideas about Skål and its benefits on PMTV.
Jitmanee Siravithayavanich of Way
Hotel Pattaya and Kamolphop Suksamarn of Nova Platinum Hotel Pattaya.
Dmitry Chernyshev (center)
welcomes Centara Grand Phratamnak’s EAM-F&B Carl Duggan (left) and GM Dominique
Rongé (right).
Three guests smiling and enjoying
the humorous speech given by Peter Malhotra (L to R) Pichchaya Nitikarn from
Amari Pattaya, Nisa Pragopchai from Dusit Thani Pattaya and Janya Rattanaliam,
Bangkok Hospital Pattaya.
(L to R) Norwegian Properties
Group’s Patararuthai Kittiwanitchakul, Somporn Penprachum, Gudmund Eiksund,
Jeanette Eiksund and Ronny Heltne.
(L to R) Stuart Saunders, Ronny
Heltne, Patararuthai Kittiwanitchakul, Dr. Iain Corness, Neil Maniquiz and Hans
Banziger.