Thailand fields major prescence at Asia Travel Forum 2009
The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) and Thai business operators fielded the largest contingent of sellers at the 28th ASEAN Tourism Forum in Hanoi, Viet Nam during 5 - 12 January 2009.
The total of 139 individual hotels, tour operators and attractions comprised 30 per cent of the total number of 448 country sellers listed in the directory of the annual event. They included many of the superb new boutique hotels and pool-villa properties that are becoming hugely popular all over the world.
Hosted for the first time this year by Viet Nam, the ATF is the annual summit of the public and private sectors of the ten-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Brunei Darussalam, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Lao PDR. and Cambodia), considered to be one of the fastest growing tourism regions in the world.
The ATF 2009 was attended by a record number of 1,641 delegates, including 448 sellers from the 10 ASEAN countries and 418 buyers from around the world.
Thailand has hosted the ATF five times since its inception in 1981, including the last one in 2008. The only ASEAN country not to have hosted one so far is Myanmar.
About 25 per cent of Thailand’s total visitor arrivals come from the ASEAN countries, with Malaysia being very much in the lead. Although Singapore is in second place, arrivals from Lao PDR are rapidly catching up.
TAT Deputy Governor for International Marketing, Mrs Juthaporn Rerngronasa, updated the international travel press about the latest developments of the Thai tourism industry including the outlook for tourism after the recent airport closure crisis, the growing number of charter flights, new products and upcoming events.
“Today, we can confidently say that Amazing Thailand is making an Amazing Recovery and is back in business. After the reopening of the airports, the recovery in visitor arrivals was almost instantaneous and the number has been growing steadily ever since,” Mrs Juthaporn said.
“This is clear proof of the high levels of confidence that visitors have in the Kingdom of Thailand, Thai people and the Thai tourism industry. We are hoping to ensure that international visitor arrivals in 2009 are not less than 14 million, again depending on the local, regional and global situation,” said Mrs Juthaporn.
The official Thai tourism delegation, headed by the newly appointed Minister of Tourism and Sports, Mr. Chumpol Silpa-archa, also participated in the meetings of the ASEAN national tourism organizations, as they work towards integrating the vibrant travel and tourism sector into the wider economic, social and cultural fabric of the regional bloc.