The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is to organise a special workshop for a group of invited travel agents and media from Japan on 10 June 2011 at Bangkok’s main convention centre, Impact Mueang Thong Thani.
To be opened by Sansern Ngaorungsi, the TAT’s Deputy Governor for the Asia & South Pacific market, the workshop will be attended by 160 representatives of the Thai tourism industry who handle Japanese clientele.
The workshop is aimed at providing the Japanese buyers and suppliers with an update of the new products and services that are emerging in Thailand, which are suited to the Japanese market. It will also provide the Thai tourism sector with intelligence on the impact of the recent devastating tsunami on the Japanese economy and the travel industry.
It is being jointly organised by the TAT East Asia Region, private sector companies, China Airlines, Thai Airways as well as the Thai-Japan Tourist Association, Association of Thai Travel Agents and Thai Hotels Association.
TAT offices in Tokyo, Osaka and Fukuoka have coordinated the invitations to the Japanese operators and media to be in Thailand at the same time as the Thailand Travel Mart (TTM+ 2011). After the workshop, the Japanese will have a chance to do business with the exhibitors at TTM+ 2011.
Later, the Japanese group will travel to Krabi for another workshop with local operators. They will also visit Phuket for a fam trip to a beach resort popular with the Japanese market.
the TAT is projecting an increase of 10% in Japanese arrivals to Thailand as a result of the group’s visit.
Japan was once Thailand’s second largest source of visitor arrivals after Malaysia and the top market for tourism revenue. In 2010, Japanese visitors to Thailand fell 1.2% year-on-year due to the domestic political disturbances in Thailand as well as the downturn in the Japanese economy.
This year, the TAT has been closely monitoring the impact of the Fukushima nuclear crisis on Japanese travel patterns. There is evidence that Thailand will be able to retain its market share especially among repeat travellers, who comprise roughly 60% of the arrivals from Japan, and Thailand’s continued reputation as a value-for-money destination.
Between January-April 2011, Thailand attracted 411,923 Japanese visitors, up 9.0% over the same period of 2010. As of June 2011, a total of 119 direct schedule flights are being operated weekly between Thailand and major cities in Japan by Thai Airways, JAL, ANA, United Airlines, Delta Airlines and Business Air.
According to the Board of Investment of Thailand (BOI), Japan is the number one investor in Thailand accounting for 40% of the total foreign investment in Thailand in 2010 ahead of Singapore (12%) and South Korea (6%). Japanese companies have contributed significantly to Thai industrial development in Thailand, especially in sectors like automotive, electrical and electronics, and chemical products.
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