The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has soft-opened its newest overseas office in Chicago, in a warm ceremony joined by the Team Thailand, Chicago.
The TAT’ Chicago Office is located at the Royal Thai Consulate-General, Chicago. It is scheduled to be fully operational on 1 August with an opening ceremony planned for September. It is the TAT’s third office in the America Regions, joining existing offices in Los Angeles and New York.
Together with the Team Thailand, Chicago, TAT commits to expand the ‘Friends of Thailand’ community in the US.
Ms. Thapanee Kiatphaibool, TAT Governor, said “The TAT Chicago Office would play a pivotal role in helping to boost the number of travellers from the Americas Region to Thailand to reach 1.43 million visitors, generating a revenue of 105.53 billion Baht. This would contribute to this year’s target of 35 million visitors from all markets and an income of 1.92 trillion Baht.”
The TAT Governor also highlighted a strategy to promote Thailand’s tourism offerings with a primary focus on five inspirational concepts to create a perfect journey: 1) It begins with our People 2) Our product is diverse 3) We offer wellness beyond Massage 4) Sustainability is our lifestyle 5) And this is why when you come to Thailand, your stories will never end with 5 Must Do in Thailand.
Conceptualised under the government’s vision to ‘Ignite Tourism Thailand,’ the 5 must-do activities are: Must Beat (Muay Thai), Must Eat (Thai food), Must Seek (Thai culture), Must Buy (Thai fabric), and Must See (Thai shows).
The soft-opening event of the TAT Chicago Office on 23 April was marked with a religious ceremony. In coincide with Songkran or the traditional Thai New Year, the Song Nam Phra ritual of purifying a Buddha image with scented water as a way of paying respect to the Lord Buddha and bringing good fortune to the person and the Rot Nam Dam Hua ritual were also held as part of the Thai soft power promotion in the US.
Present at the event were Mrs. Katanawadee Kalayanamit, the Consul General of Thailand in Chicago, Mrs. Natnapang Damrongsoontornchai, Deputy Consul-General of Thailand in Chicago, and Mrs. Suprattana Gamolvej, Thai Trade Center in Chicago, as well as officials and staff of the Team Thailand, Chicago (the Royal Thai Consulate-General and the Thai Trade Office, Chicago).
From the TAT, executives included Ms. Thapanee Kiatphaibool, Governor, Mr. Siripakorn Cheawsamoot, Deputy Governor for International Marketing – Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and the Americas, Mrs. Titiporn Maneenate, Executive Director for the Americas Region Department, and Mrs. Malinee Nitikasetsunthorn, Deputy Executive Director for the Americas Region.
Also attended the ceremony were the Honorary Advisor and the President of the Thai American Association of Illinois as well as strategic partners in the tourism industry and local media. (TAT)
