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7th Amari Watergate & BMW Group Thailand Midnight Run
H.E.
Vichet (4th left) hits the gong to mark the opening ceremony, as looking on
from left are: Dr. Pravich Rattanapian, Thai trade representative; Watanyoo
Mungmai; Avasada Pokmontri; Dr. Frank Roesler, president of BMW Group
(Thailand); Saison Wongsasuluk, president of Caring Hearts for AIDS
Foundation; Nichaya Chaivesuth, hotel’s director of public relations;
Pierre Andre Pelletier, general manager of Amari Watergate Hotel; and Jirayu
Somyoo.
H.E. Vichet Dasemthongsri, deputy minister of
transportation recently presided over the opening ceremony of the “7th
Amari Watergate & BMW Group Thailand Midnight Run” in front of the
Amari Watergate Hotel. Proceeds will be donated to the “Save a Child’s
Life from AIDS” project under the Patronage of HRH Princess Soamsawalee
and the Children’s Village Project to support HIV-infected orphan children
at Thammarak Nives Project (Prabaht Nampu Temple) in Nongmuang, Lopburi
province under the Children’s Right Foundation.
Chiang Mai Night Safari proposes single-pricing for Thais and foreigners
Still under construction, the management team of the
Chiang Mai Night Safari has announced they will propose that that Thais and
foreigners will pay same entry fee to visit the park.
Thongchai Wongrienthong, deputy governor of Chiang Mai
Province who heads the public relations team of the project said it has been
agreed that a single-fee-rule would be applied regardless of nationality,
and children will pay only half the price.
‘’We will charge every adult 800 baht to visit the
Night Safari and children will pay half of that. This entry fee applies to
everyone regardless of race,’’ he said.
Earlier, the fees varied due to nationalities. A
child’s fee for foreign nationals was 300 baht and 400 baht for foreign
adults, while Thai children were to pay 100 baht and Thai adults 250 baht
each, and only 100-170 baht for Chiang Mai locals. There was also a special
fee for Thai families.
‘’We think the former rates were unfair and needed to
be changed. We may offer memberships and holders could have a few free
visits as incentives,’’ said Thongchai.
However, the new fee scheme needs to get a green light
from the government first. The deputy Chiang Mai governor said he would
propose the change in fees to Plodprasop Suratwadi, adviser to the prime
minister for consideration.
The Chiang Mai Night Safari is expected to be partly
opened on April 13, 2005 although its construction is likely to be completed
later than the scheduled month of April next year, as the private sector is
not confident whether the project is worth investing.
‘’It is difficult to do marketing now when the
project is still not completed. We cannot take any overseas bookings until
another year,’’ Thongchai said. (TNA)
THAI to keep Chiang Mai-Mae Hong Son service
Thai Airways International has confirmed it will not
suspend flights between Chiang Mai and Mae Hong Son during its winter
schedule, as originally planned. The airline had previously announced the
suspension of the service from December 7 to 26 to allow for aircraft
maintenance.
However, the decision was reversed due to high demand for
the flight, which is operated with Aerospatiale/Alenia ATR72 aircraft
four-times daily on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays, and three
times daily on Mondays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. Aircraft maintenance has
been rescheduled for February, after the high season. (TTG Asia)
Southern situation fails to dent tourism growth
The number of foreigners visiting Thailand is continuing
to grow despite the negative publicity given to the kingdom over the
violence in the country’s southern border region, Tourism and Sports
Minister Sontaya Khunplome recently announced.
Figures from the Immigration Office released by Sontaya
reveal that throughout the month of October, 897,837 foreigners arrived in
Thailand via Bangkok’s Don Muang Airport, up 14.45 percent from the same
period of the previous year.
What is particularly noticeable is that in the immediate
aftermath of the Tak Bai disturbances when 85 Muslim protestors died, the
daily average arrival figure stood at 23,740, up from an average of 22,000
during the first three weeks of the month.
Praising the Tourism Authority of Thailand and other
government agencies for their publicity campaigns, Sontaya said that the
situation had been successfully resolved.
October’s figures put the total number of tourist
arrivals for January-October at around 6.64 million, up 22.2 percent from
the same period in 2003. In November, international tourism experts are to
visit Thailand at the request of the Ministry of Tourism and Sports to help
draw up a master plan to develop tourism in the three southern border
provinces.
Sontaya said that the three provinces were likely to be
promoted as regional eco-tourism centers, with a second focus on local
cultures and activities appropriate for Muslim visitors. (TNA)
Temporary freeze on Lao visas
Lao immigration authorities have announced no visas will
be issued, either on arrival or through its embassies, for the period from
November 22 to December 1 during the ASEAN Summit Meetings in Vientiane.
The last-minute announcement comes as a shock to tour
operators, who will have to cancel or alter itineraries for clients who do
not already possess visas.
A spokesman for the Lao embassy in Bangkok said the
decision to suspend visa approvals was made in order to insure security for
delegates attending the conference. “Many hotels are already fully booked
during the summit, so visitors would not be able to find lodging in any
case,” he said.
Meanwhile, in anticipation of hosting meetings for the
ASEAN Summit next month, the Lao Plaza hotel has opened a new conference
room and renovated its executive floors and suite rooms. The new 200 square
meter Plaza Hall accommodates up to 60 guests theater-style. The US$2.5
million project also includes renovations to the deluxe suite and 33
executive rooms, with new desks, work areas and pantries. (TTG Asia)
Domestic tourism figures shoot above target
Domestic tourism figures for the first half of the year
exceeded the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT)’s target, beating gloomy
projections about the state of the tourism industry following the avian flu
scare and violence in Thailand’s southern border region.
Statistics suggest that over 43 million visits were made
by domestic tourists over the first half of the year, up 5.32 percent from
the same period in 2003. But revenue from domestic tourism over this period
stood at over 138 billion baht, with average spending at 1,682 per day, a
drop of 8.9 percent from the previous year.
The TAT attributes the healthy figures to its heavy
tourism offensive, with a number of activities since the beginning of the
year designed to encourage domestic tourism. Other positive factors include
the birth of low-cost airlines and interesting new tourism products such as
spas.
TAT programs to encourage domestic tourism include
activities to promote day trips from Bangkok and to encourage people to
travel on weekdays. Even the country’s southern region, badly shaken by
violence, recorded steady domestic tourism growth over the first half of the
year. (TNA)
Australia’s Flight Center plans move into Asia
Flight Center has made its mark as one of Australia’s
biggest corporate travel agencies by amalgamating its corporate brands,
Corporate Traveler and TQ3 – part of the SBT Business Travel Solutions
group – to form FCm Travel Solutions for further expansion in Asia and
Australasia.
Managing director Graham Turner has plans to move into
the Asian market in the next six months, and names Indonesia, Singapore,
Japan, Thailand and Malaysia as venture capitals where there are no current
business set-ups. (TTG Asia)
TAT announces its new public relations and marketing plan
Suchada Tupchai
The Tourist Authority of Thailand (TAT) is set to cash in
on the increasing popularity of Asia as a tourist destination and the fact
that Thailand is a top choice for visitors around the world.
Their 2005 marketing plan not only intends to blitz the
globe with a massive advertising campaign, but will also saturate the
domestic market right here at home. Since Pattaya is so ideally located, the
city is gearing up to grab its share of the market and take advantage of its
close proximity to the new Suwanabhumi Airport which is scheduled to open in
September 2005.
 (from
left) Niti Kongrut TAT Central Region 3 director, Thanet Supornsaharungsi
PBTA president, Mayor Niran Wattanasartsathorn and Alisa Phanthusak,
Tiffany’s Show Pattaya Co. Ltd deputy managing director.
Niti Kongrut, TAT Central Region 3 director, Mayor Niran
Wattanasartsathorn, Thanet Supornsaharungsi PBTA chairman, and Alisa
Phanthusak, Tiffany’s Show Pattaya Co. Ltd. deputy managing director,
recently met to discuss details about management of the PR and marketing
plan for Pattaya City in 2005, which will focus on the area’s major
tourist attractions and the promotion of more international sporting events
held in the city throughout the year.
The TAT budget will be allocated evenly for advertising
and road shows overseas, and targeting domestic tourists. Ads in the mass
media, brochures and a Pattaya City tourist calendar of events are being
planned to get the information out to the public so they know exactly when
special holidays, traditional festivals, sporting events and special
festivities planned by the city will occur.
Pattaya City is also cleaning up its environment and
improving its image. Government agencies and residents are joining forces to
increase service and safety for visitors, improve information channels, and
upgrade roads and communications. A Call Center for tourist information is
in the works, and tourist police have a mandate to provide service and
protection for visitors.
A big part of the 2005 marketing plan involves the opening of the new
international airport. Pattaya will be only a 1 hour commute for tourists,
which gives it a big advantage over other tourist cities in the kingdom.
More festivals and international sporting events will fill next year’s
calendar and a bigger budget allows these activities to meet international
standards, while maintaining the flavor of local tradition.
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