Bangkok: 30 July 2013: The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), two Thai companies and Phuket City Municipality have scooped up six of the 26 PATA Grand and Gold Awards to be awarded this year.
Sponsored by the Macau Government Tourist Office (MGTO), for the last 18 years, this year’s Awards will be presented at a special event during the PATA Travel Mart on September 16-17, 2013, in Chengdu, China. The Awards are presented to outstanding entries in four principal categories: Marketing, Education and Training, Environment, and Heritage and Culture.
TAT Governor Suraphon Svetasreni said, “These Awards clearly reflect the continuing improvements and upgrading of our entire travel and tourism industry across the board, from marketing to culture to education. We thank the PATA Awards judging committee for their selection, and look forward to winning many more awards in the future.”
Here is the list of the Thai award winners:
PATA Grand Awards 2013
PATA
Heritage and Culture
Sampran Riverside – an eco-cultural destination, Sampran Riverside
Sampran Riverside (formerly known as the Rose Garden Riverside) is a family-run property close to Bangkok. It was established in 1962, when one family cultivated roses to supply them to Bangkok’s flower markets, becoming known to the local people as ‘Suan Sampran’ or the ‘Rose Garden’. Since then, the 70-acre riverside property grew gradually to become more of a village community rather than a ‘typical’ resort. Facilities include a 160-room hotel, 6 antique Thai houses, a spa, 4 restaurants, 10 meetings rooms, a 10-acre Organic Farm, a Weekend Farmer’s Market and the unique Thai Village Cultural Centre.
Marketing
Discover the Other You, Tourism Authority of Thailand
The TAT launched “Discover the Other You” to promote creative tourism in Thailand. This global digital campaign promotes learning about Thai culture on a holiday and offered a chance to win one of three 7-day creative tourism experiences for two people in the ‘Land of Smiles’. Each package was worth USD $10,000 including USD $2,000 cash. The campaign seized on the popularity of travellers wanting to try something new and learn new skills while on holiday.
Education and Training
4 Cs: Centara Career Creation for Children, Central Plaza Hotel Public Company Limited
Since 2011, Centara Hotels and Resorts has offered a programme called the “4 Cs: Centara Career Creation for Children” to underprivileged students from Welfare Schools under the Royal Patronage of Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, and to students with special needs (those with hearing and visual impairments) with the sponsorship of the Office of the Basic Education Committee and the Department of Skills Development. Seeking to create opportunities for these children to become efficient tourism personnel, the project will also help provide a pool of talent for Centara Hotels to draw upon in preparation for its future expansion.
PATA Gold Awards 2013
PATA
Heritage and Culture – Culture
Development of Phuket Old Town to be a Conservation Area, Phuket City Municipality
ASEAN cities are developing very fast because of economic and technological advances. This often leads to the abandoning of historical sites and changes in local demographics. Although Phuket is known as a beach resort, it also had a thriving commercial centre in what is known as the “Old Town” area. The municipality invested in the restoration of this area and turned it into a profitable centre of cultural tourism, preserving old buildings of Sino-Portuguese (a.k.a. Sino-Colonial) architecture and reviving the old tradition of Peranakan (Malay-Chinese, a.k.a. Straits Chinese).
Education and Training
Tourism Learning Centre Programme for 84 Schools, Tourism Authority of Thailand
On 18 June, 2012, the TAT signed an agreement with the Department of Local Administration to launch the “Tourism Learning Centre Programme for 84 Schools”, a tourism learning centre for aspiring young people in the tourism industry, especially high school students. The number 84 was chosen to mark His Majesty the King’s auspicious 84th Birthday in 2012. As Her Majesty the Queen also marked her auspicious 80th Birthday in 2012, eighty schools nationwide were selected to receive special grants of 100,000 Baht each. The project allowed high school students a chance to learn more about local attractions in their respective areas in preparation for the possibility of opening them up for tourism, especially after the implementation of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) in 2015.
Marketing Media – Travel Video
This is Thailand, Tourism Authority of Thailand
This 19-minute video documentary shows modern Thailand and its emerging generation of young people. In a few short decades, the Kingdom has transformed itself from an agricultural country into an emerging economy and active contributing member of the global community of nations. During the same short period, a rich tradition of cultural openness and adaptability has provided the resources for a maturing participatory democracy with a strong economy and vast potential for the future.
Marketing Media – Travel Poster
PATA awardGorgeous Shades of Craftsmanship – Chiangmai, Tourism Authority of Thailand
The objective of this “Gorgeous Shades of Craftsmanship – Chiang Mai” travel poster, is to promote the beauty of Thai handicraft products. Painting umbrellas is one of North Thailand’s most prominent cultural traditions. It demonstrates the wisdom of Thai artists who created “Sa” paper, which is coated with oil colours and tree resin stuck onto the wooden frame of the umbrella.
Contact Information:
International Public Relations Division
Tourism Authority of Thailand
Tel: +66 (0) 2250 5500 ext. 4545-48
Fax: +66 (0) 2253 7419E-mail: [email protected]
Web site: www.tatnews.org
