Encouraged by the rapid surge in visitor arrival numbers, Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is all set to achieve its goal of welcoming 28.8 million international visitors in 2015. This was stated by Sugree Sithivanich, TAT Deputy Governor for Marketing Communications, at a press meet at the recently concluded PATA Travel Mart in Bengaluru.
According to him, visitor arrivals to Thailand totalled 17.5 million between January and June this year which was an increase of 30.93 per cent over the same period last year. “An estimated 697 billion Thai baht was earned in tourism revenue. Thailand welcomed the 20 millionth visitor on August 26, 10 days after welcoming the 19 millionth visitor,” he said. The country is expecting to earn USD 38 billion in revenue through tourism.
The growth in arrivals is due to the aggressive marketing campaign of TAT for which it bagged two of the Pacific Asia Travel Association’s annual PATA Gold Awards. The viral hit “I Hate Thailand” took a Gold Award for Marketing in the Social Media Category, while a second PATA Gold Award went to the “Discover Thainess” campaign in the Promotional Travel Video category. “We’re pleased that these commercials were so successful at the PATA Gold Awards, as they showcase all that is wonderful about Thailand’s culture – the wonderful friendliness of the Thai people that keeps visitors coming back year after year, and the huge range of unforgettable experiences our guests have when they enjoy the destinations and culture that make Thailand unique,” Sugree said.
Moreover, PATA is hosting PATA Adventure Travel and Responsible Tourism Conference and Mart 2016 (ATRTCM 2016), which will take place in Chiang Rai with the theme ‘Creating Experiences, Sharing Opportunities’ during 17-19 February, 2016.
Caption: Sugree Sithivanich (middle), Runjuan Tongrut, TAT Director New Delhi Office (left), and Soraya Homchuen, TAT Director Mumbai Office, at the Thailand Media Briefing, PATA Travel Mart 2015.
