New TAT campaign aimed at Getting off on the Right Foot with Foreign Arrivals

The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) will introduce "Thailand Welcomes the World", its new campaign aimed at impressing international travellers from their first step inside the country.

"Thailand is now rehabilitating itself in the wake of massive flooding, so we must make a strong impression on tourists by giving them a warm welcome as soon as they arrive," said governor Suraphon Svetasreni.

The 20-million-baht campaign, which will run from January-August, is part of the TAT's 2.8-billion-baht tourism recovery plan. It will focus on offering greater convenience to tourist arrivals at Suvarnabhumi airport, considered the main gateway to the country. Seventy officials speaking Chinese, Japanese and English will be deployed to work in three shifts around the clock to assist tourists.

"Long queues for immigration and visas on arrival will be resolved. Ten golf carts will be used to serve the elderly and visitors with disabilities. Immigration police will be trained to be service-oriented," said Prakit Piriyakiat, the deputy governor for marketing communications. Computers with internet connections and telephones allowing free calls into Bangkok will be offered at the airport.

The Tourism and Sports Ministry blames last month's decline in international tourist arrivals on the massive flooding. Still, arrivals in the first 11 months of this year reached 17 million, up from 15.9 million in the same period last year.

November arrivals alone dropped by 18.1% year-on-year to 1.21 million visitors. The ministry expects 1.5 million foreign tourists will visit Thailand this month, raising the full-year total to 18.5 million, up by 20% from last year.

The TAT projects a gradual improvement for the tourism industry next year. Estimated international arrivals of 19.6 million and tourism revenue of 766 billion baht are forecast for 2012. In terms of domestic tourism, the TAT expects to see 93.7 million trips and revenue of 453 billion baht.

Source: Bangkok Post
12 December 2011