Moscow – September 16, 2013: Thailand is planning a prominent, high-profile presence at Russia’s largest travel fair, the Moscow Autumn Travel Industry Week (MATIW) Leisure 2013 between 17 – 20 September 2013.
Thailand’s 19th year of participation in the show will be marked by a presence of about 39 Thai representatives from hotels and resorts, tour operators and travel agents, spa, and travel related operators from Pattaya, Phuket, Hua Hin, Samui, Krabi, Bangkok, etc.
The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) will be using the opportunity to launch and publicise the “Amazing Thailand: Always Amazes You” campaign to Russian tour operators, visitors and media. It will also be a golden opportunity for Thai tour operators to introduce new products and tourism services to markets in Russia and the CIS countries.
Thailand’s pavilion has been redesigned to reflect a more contemporary look under the theme of “Amazing Thailand: Always Amazes You” but also retain plenty of space to facilitate business discussions. A tourism information counter will be staffed to help those looking for brochures and publications on the various Thai attractions and special tourism activities. Live demonstrations at the Thai pavilion will include umbrella painting, Thai boxing, and a health and wellness zone to provide basic medical checkups and a quick neck massage.
Visitors from Russia to Thailand have been growing steadily over the past few years. In 2006, Russian visitor arrivals totalled 187,658. By 2012, this number had surged to 1.31 million. Russia is now the largest source market from Europe, and one of the six countries generating more than one million annual visitor arrivals.
In January – August 2013, Russian visitor arrivals totalled 1,061,626 up by 36.72 % over the same period in 2012. For the full year of 2013, TAT has projected 1.67 million Russian visitors will visit the country, up 27.8 percent over 2012.
Some of the activities to be organised by TAT at the MATIW Leisure 2013 include:
Thailand Networking Lunch @ Moscow 2013 at Hotel Baltchug Kempinski on 18 September, 2013, 1200-1400 hrs: Tour operators and media based in Russia and the CIS have been invited to this event. Presentations will be made to update the Russian travel trade with information about upcoming new hotels, tourist attractions, facilities and infrastructure.
Thailand Fan Club @ Russia #3 at Shakti Terrace, on 17 September, 2013, 1900-2200 hrs: The objective is to further grow an existing database of roughly 9,000 Russian tourists who have travelled to Thailand and encourage them to become repeat visitors. The TAT Moscow office established this project in 2010 by inviting Russian tourists or Russians who love Thailand to register via the Thailand Fan Club website. Membership of this fan club enables them to receive news and special privileges as well as to be eligible for special activities and win prizes for various occasions.
TAT Governor Suraphon Svetasreni said, “The Russian market is growing in leaps and bounds, with a strong per capita expenditure and long average length of stay. It is a very resilient source market but also a highly seasonal one. One of our objectives at the MATW this year will be to try and balance this seasonality factor and encourage more visitors in the summer months, rather than the just the winters.”
Contact Information:
International Public Relations Division
Tourism Authority of Thailand
Tel: +66 (0) 2250 5500 ext. 4545-48
Fax: +66 (0) 2253 7419
E-mail: [email protected]
Web site: www.tatnews.org
