A warm welcome awaits the traveler to the Land of Smiles
VISITOR FRIENDLY FAMOUS FOR ITS HOSPITALITY, THAILAND IS NOW DEVELOPING NICHE MARKET TOURISM

JUTHAMAS SIRIWAN Governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT)

THAILAND is aiming to become the tourism capital of Asia, promoting itself as a quality destination under the slogan “Amazing Thailand–Experience Variety.”

“Thailand remains a top quality destination thanks to our amazing landscape, the variety of places to visit, and the people. Service is part of our culture,” says Juthamas Siriwan, Governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT).

More than 11 million international travelers are expected to visit Thailand this year, an increase of 6 percent over 2002, generating an estimated $9 billion in foreign exchange revenue.
A further $7.7 billion is expected to be earned from domestic tourism. Special campaigns are underway to encourage expatriate Thais living in the United States and other developed countries to come back home and to visit the neighboring countries of the Mekong region.

While maintaining Thailand’s traditional and primary markets, special emphasis is being placed on attracting visitors from China, Japan, and the Middle East.
A major opportunity to promote Thai tourism has arisen with Thailand’s chairmanship of APEC this year, which has made the country the focus of international attention. A variety of APEC meetings and events are being held in various provinces throughout the year, culminating in October’s APEC summit in Bangkok, which is expected to attract 10,000 participants, and for which a variety of special cultural events will be held.

Tourism is Thailand’s second largest source of income and is currently being developed under a three-year strategic plan.

BUDDHIST temples and beautiful islands and beaches attract millions of visitors a year to Thailand

Ms. Juthamas says, “It is becoming an increasingly competitive industry worldwide, and we need to make sure that we are undertaking the right marketing activities in the right destinations to maintain our market share.”
New locations are being developed to add to the key tourist destinations of Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Hat Yai, Pattaya, Phuket, Korat, and Surat Thani.

Niche market tourism products are also being promoted. Thailand has become one of the favorite destinations in Asia for Meetings, Conventions, Exhibitions and Incentive (MICE) travel, for example.

Thai spas have become big business, consistently securing a place in the world’s top-5 overseas spas since 1999. For the period 2000-2002, the Thai spa industry achieved 64 percent growth.

World-class shopping is another major attraction. Thailand is recognized as one of the best places in the world to buy quality gems and jewelry. Shopping festivals, shopping guidebooks, and VAT refunds for tourists all encourage visitors to spend.

Sustainable nature-based tourism is a rapidly evolving sector, with more than 2 million people visiting the country’s protected areas each year to enjoy safaris and trekking.