As part of its global tourism campaign, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is proactively launching initiatives to target the market in China. Now that Thailand has a new prime minister, the tourism industry is seeing a positive outlook, with TAT starting to put major efforts in encouraging more Chinese tourists to the country, as China remains one of the largest markets for Thailand.

According to Mrs. Phornsiri Manoharn, Governor of TAT, the main priority is to encourage more tourists from our major target markets, especially those within the Asian region, to come for their holidays, business trips and MICE activities in Thailand.

TAT plans to aggressively focus on tourism traffic from China using all kinds of strategies in the form of public relations and advertising, sales promotions, as well as alliances with related partners in the industry. In addition, as part of this plan to tap this potential market, TAT will soon set up a new office in Shanghai.

The Golden Star (International) Group Company Limited in Bangkok is cooperating with the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) Shanghai Office to invite 60 tour operators and 20 members of the mass media to Thailand. The guests are from Shanghai precinct in China, where there is a population of approximately 200 million people. They will come to visit Thailand in Bangkok, Pattaya, and Kanchanaburi provinces during 23-28 February 2009. The objective of this event is to stimulate the Chinese market by targeting the Shanghai region, as it is a major crucial market, and also to build confidence and a good image of Thailand.

The Golden Star (International) Group Company Limited will host a luncheon for the TAT Governor and tour operators from Shanghai on 27 February, 2009, 12.00 noon, Rachavipha Room, 2nd Floor, Tharntip Building, Chaophya Park Hotel.

The “Amazing Thailand Amazing Value Media Fam Trip” were organized as TAT targeted to invite 100 press members to visit Thailand during January and February 2009.

In Thailand, TAT supported the organization of the grand China Town Yaowarat Chinese New Year Festival nationwide in Nakhon Sawan, Songkhla, Chiang Mai, Nakhon Ratchasima, Chon Buri, Phuket, and Bangkok from 23 January - 4 February, 2009, inviting 179 performers from 7 provinces and regions including Shandong, Beijing and Yunnan to showcase cultural performances like the dragon and lion parade and Chinese opera. This also aimed to strengthen relations between the Thai-Chinese twin cities: Bangkok-Beijing and Phuket-Hai Nan and Ian Tai. During the festival, TAT welcomed China’s Deputy Minister of Culture and entourage on 26 January, 2009.

“We will and have to try our best to convince local Chinese to consider visiting Thailand again using diversity in tourist attractions including pristine beaches, Thai food, golf courses, and boutique spas and hip resorts to attract them,” noted Mrs. Phornsiri.

In 2007, Thailand welcomed for the first time over 1,000,000 tourist arrivals from China, and during the first seven months of 2008, there was a total of 614,725 arrivals from January to July, a 22.36% increase for the same period of 2007.
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