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Thailand says Sawasdee to Koreans
The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has invited
travel-related companies to join a campaign aimed at attracting more Koreans
and getting them to spend more money while in the country.
Under the LG Sawasdee Thai Card campaign, cardholders will be offered
special services and discounts when traveling in Thailand between May and
December.
Registered under the name Sawasdee Thai Cards, the card is either a Visa or
MasterCard. TAT said 40 companies had already applied to take part in the
campaign, with the registration period closing in the first week of April.
The tourism agency’s office in South Korea will promote the campaign through
Korean newspapers, magazines and websites. For more information about the
campaign, call TAT’s International Market Promotion Department on (66-2)
250-5500 ext 1245 to 1279. (TTG Asia)
Joint travel visa for Thailand and Cambodia
Thailand and Cambodia are poised to introduce a single
visa. Speaking at the Mekong region tourism working group meeting in Luang
Prabang yesterday, officials from both countries said the visa framework had
already been approved and the first single visa applicable for travel to the
two countries could be introduced as early July. The only issue still to be
resolved relates to fees and how it would be divided between the two
countries, they said. (TTG Asia)
New Ibis hotels across major Thai cities by 2010
Accor and Thailand’s Erawan Group have signed a
memorandum of understanding to develop up to 10 Ibis economy hotels in six
destinations, namely Bangkok, Pattaya, Phuket, Koh Samui, Chiang Mai and
Krabi.
Under the agreement, six Ibis hotels are targeted to open by 2008 with a
further four to open by 2010. Each property will have 200 to 250 rooms,
costing between US$7.8 to US$10.4 million. (Bt.312 – 416 million)
Accor Asia Pacific Managing Director, Michael Issenberg, said, “Most new
hotels under construction in Thailand will cater to the top-end of the
market but very few cater for the fastest growing market - the economy
sector. The Ibis brand will fill a clear market need as Thailand’s domestic
and regional market grows, especially with the rapid increase in low-cost
air carriers in the region.” (TTG Asia)
THAI axes unprofitable domestic routes
Thai Airways International has stopped flying on its
domestic Bangkok-Nakhon Si Thammarat route yesterday. It will also drop its
Bangkok-Trang service on May 1.
Citing high operation costs as reasons for dropping the routes, the airline
said it would operate code-share services with its subsidiary, low-cost
carrier Nok Air. Nok Air currently operates one daily flight on
Bangkok-Nakhon Si Thammarat and Bangkok-Trang. (TTG Asia)
World of Accor expands
The World of Accor, the chain’s Asia-Pacific trade expo
targeted at agents, wholesalers, corporate travel bookers and meeting
planners, started on March 28 and saw an expansion to Tokyo, Seoul, Beijing,
Shanghai, Hong Kong, Singapore, Bangkok, Jakarta, Auckland, Melbourne and
Sydney.
It is the first time that World of Accor was in Indonesia and Melbourne.
Representatives from Accor’s worldwide network of more than 4,000 hotels
showcased new hotel products and discussed with clients their domestic,
inbound and outbound hotel needs.
More than 50 Accor delegates took part in the expo and, for the first time,
they were joined by representatives of Club Med.
Over the next two years Accor will add more than 70 hotels in the
Asia-Pacific region, bringing the group’s network close to 350 hotels.
Accor Asia Pacific Senior Vice President Sales & Marketing, Ray Stone, said
Asia was rapidly becoming a regional and global powerhouse for outbound
travel, particularly China, South Korea and India.
“Outbound travel from Asia is at a peak, having enormous significance for
the future of the global tourism market. We have already seen the power of
the Japan outbound market, and now we are witnessing the same type of
dynamic growth from China, India and Korea.
“The dramatic rise in low-cost air carriers is also changing the nature of
travel in the Asia-Pacific region, and Accor has the advantage of being the
only hotel company that offers a complete range of products - from luxury
Sofitels to economy Ibis and Formule 1 hotels. This allows us to provide a
unique one-stop solution for travel companies and their clients.” (TTG Asia)
Thai-Lao Airlines clinch aviation pact
Thai and Lao national airlines have signed a bilateral
agreement on aviation cooperation, paving the way for the Thai kingdom to
become a major tourism gateway to the Indochinese region.
Somchainuk Engtrakul, acting president of Thai Airways International Public
Company Limited (THAI) and a board member of the national airline, signed
the bilateral pact with visiting Lao aviation authorities last Thursday.
The agreement is believed to help boost the number of tourist arrivals in
Laos to more than one million annually by 2007, up from approximately
926,000 in 2005, according to Somchainuk. It would also help promote
Thailand as a major tourism gateway to neighboring countries in Indochina,
he revealed.
“This is because THAI and Lao Airlines will launch joint air routes to
attract more foreign tourists from major markets, namely the United States,
France, Australia and Japan, into Thailand and Indochina,” he noted.
Weekly flights between Bangkok and Vientiane, as well as Chiang Mai and
Luang Phrabang would also increase, said the acting THAI chief. (TNA)
India growing faster than China, latest Visa data shows
India is the fastest-growing Asia Pacific market for
international tourist spending, according to new figures released by Visa
Asia Pacific.
Visa’s spending data shows tourists to India spent US$372 million (Bt. 14.9
billion) during the fourth quarter of 2005, a 25 percent increase over the
same period in 2004. China, where tourists spent US$784 million (Bt.31.36
billion) in the period of October to December 2005, was the second
fastest-growing market in Asia-Pacific with a 23 percent year-on-year rise.
China recorded the highest amount of spending with an average of US$204
(Bt.8,160) spent per transaction, with India right behind at US$191
(Bt.7,640). The regional average spend per transaction was US$156
(Bt.6,240).
Overall, international travelers to and within the region spent US$6.5
billion (Bt.260 billion) on their Visa cards in the final quarter of 2005, a
12 percent increase over the same period in 2004 and a 14 percent increase
over the third quarter in 2005 [$5.8 billion].
Visa Executive Vice President Corporate Relations, Paul Dowling, said:
“While tourism spending is up virtually across the board, our data confirms
that India is rapidly becoming a more mainstream tourism destination, with
tourist receipts expected to grow significantly over the next few years.”
Tourists from the US, UK, Japan, Australia and Hong Kong were the biggest
spenders in Asia-Pacific, accounting for 54 percent of total spending on
Visa cards between October and December 2005.
Visitors mainly used their Visa cards on retail goods (26 percent),
accommodation (21 percent), transportation (11 percent), sports and leisure
activities (6 percent), and restaurants (5 percent). (TTG Asia)
World royalty to join
Thailand’s celebrations on
HM King’s 60 years on throne
A glittering array of the crowned heads of nearly 30
countries around the world have accepted Thailand’s invitation to lend their
luster to the kingdom’s grand celebrations of the 60th anniversary of His
Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej’s ascension to the throne later this year,
caretaker Deputy Prime Minister and Culture Minister Surakiart Sathirathai
announced.
Surakiart told journalists that a panorama of monarchs - kings, queens,
sultans, emperors, as well as their consorts - of 15 countries, out of 29
countries invited, had confirmed their participation in the country’s grand
celebrations on the auspicious occasion set on June 12-13.
They include Bahrain, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Malaysia, Japan, Jordan,
Kuwait, Lesoto, Luxemburg, Lichtenstein, Monaco, Nepal, Qatar, Sweden,
Swaziland.
“Other countries, including Denmark, Spain, Morocco, Tonga, Bhutan, the
Netherlands, Norway, Belgium and the United Kingdom, have confirmed that
royal spouses or crown princes or other members of the royal families will
participate in the celebrations,” said Surakiart.
The caretaker premier invited all Thai people to join the government in
jointly hosting the grand celebrations.
He also invited Thais to join government projects on renovations of temples,
as well as the country’s other historic or cultural heritages to mark the
auspicious occasion this year.
The celebrations include a spectacular Royal Barge procession, as well as
other royal and state events, according to the caretaker deputy premier.
(TNA)
Thailand issues Grand spa invitation
The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has launched a
Thai Spa Invitation 2006 promotion, as part of the kingdom’s Thailand Grand
Invitation campaign to mark His Majesty the King’s Diamond Jubilee.
Supported by the Thai Spa Association, more than 100 spa establishments
nationwide have been selected to roll out more than 130 spa packages that
will be available until December. TAT’s Director of Product Promotion
Department, Jaruboon Pananond, said four spa fairs would be organized
simultaneously in the country’s four major spa hubs - Bangkok, Surat Thani
(Koh Samui), Chiang Mai and Phuket - to create more market awareness.
The spa fair in Bangkok was held at the city’s newest shopping mall, Siam
Paragon, between March 24 and 26. The Samui-Surat Spa Fair will be organized
on Koh Samui from May 10 to 14. Fairs in Chiang Mai and Phuket are also in
the works. (TTG Asia)
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