Addressing the PATA Hub City Forum in Bangkok recently, Thai Airways president, asked the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) to help make it easier for Thai nationals to get tourism visas. “There are many small things you can do today to help Thais travel to Europe.” Piyasvasti Amranand, President, Thai Airways, said while e-visas were discussed at Davos. He also praised destinations that had no visa or streamlined tourism visa facilities. “I think it’s why we see so many Thais now going to Korea. I think PATA should do more to get governments to ease the visa situation.” Piyasvasti revealed Thai had a ninepoint strategy for development and growth. Wide-ranging hedging of oil prices to ensure cost stability, the leasing of modern, fuelefficient aircraft, an extensive retro-fitting of older aircraft, a greater emphasis on Asian markets, reduced capacity to certain low yield European cities, and the launch of two low cost airlines were the central pillars of Thai’s strategy. He also lamented the aviation industry’s commitment to reduce carbon emissions by 50 per cent by 2050 as ‘ridiculous’ given that aviation accounts for only 2 per cent of global CO2 emissions. He described the EU’s Emission Trading Scheme as ‘unfair’ as it was calculated from point of origin and would therefore badly impact long haul carriers flying to Europe. Suraphon Svestasreni, Governor, Tourism Authority of Thailand said that the impact of ASEAN Economic Cooperation will be felt by 2015 when 32 types of tourism jobs will become borderless. PATA CEO Martin J Craigs said that there will be six PATA Hub City Forums across the world in 2012, each one addressing strategic issues facing the host market. The emphasis at each forum will be on cross-sectoral and private-public sector participation.
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