- Joined
- Jul 20, 2009
- Messages
- 6,176
- Points
- 113
The Tourism Authority of Thailand is planning to launch various promotions to restore tourists' confidence in Hat Yai after many bookings were cancelled following last Saturday's bomb attack.
On the Songkran dance beat: Women police officers perform a dance at Bangkok's Ratchaprasong intersection to raise awareness about safe driving during the upcoming Songkran festival as part of a wider campaign by police to reduce fatalities and injuries from road accidents during the holiday period.
Sansern Ngaorungsi, TAT deputy governor for Asia and the South Pacific,. said the bombing had led to the cancellation of about 50% of bookings for the Songkran festival. Tour operators also cancelled all trips to Hat Yai.
It is expected that tourism revenue in Hat Yai in Songkhla province will drop to 12 billion baht this year from 16 billion baht last year, while the number of tourists is expected to plunge by half to 100,000.
TAT governor Surapol Svetaseni led tourism business operators from Bangkok to Hat Yai yesterday to meet local operators so they could discuss ways to restore the confidence of tourists after the bomb attack.
Around noon last Saturday, a bomb exploded in a car parked in the basement of Lee Gardens Plaza Hotel and killed three people, including one Malaysian tourist. Hundreds were wounded. Two suspects have been arrested.
The attack happened at the same time as three other bombings in the downtown area of Yala province that killed 11 people.
Mr Surapol said TAT has set up strategic plans to rebuild the tourism industry in Hat Yai. The authority will organise trips to bring tourism business operators and agencies from key tourist markets, particularly Malaysia and Singapore, to visit Hat Yai during Songkran. Hat Yai is one of the prime destinations for Songkran festivities.
New attractions in Hat Yai and Songkhla will be advertised both internationally and domestically.
Miss Thailand competitors will hold activities in Songkhla in June.
"I'm confident that the effect will not last long. Hat Yai will be one of destinations for the Thailand Grand Sale event to be held in July that is expected to attract more than 500,000 visitors," Mr Surapol said.
Somchart Pimthanapoonporn, president of Songkhla Tourism Business Council and the Hat Yai-Songkhla Hoteliers Association, said if Hat Yai received the full help of a promotion campaign, it could recover within three months.
Grisada Boonrach, the governor of Songkhla province, said the province would adopt a "Five Deductions" campaign to attract tourists back to Hat Yai and Songkhla.
The deductions will be made on the prices of food, accommodation, transport, goods and services.
Sansern Ngaorungsi, TAT deputy governor for Asia and the South Pacific,. said the bombing had led to the cancellation of about 50% of bookings for the Songkran festival. Tour operators also cancelled all trips to Hat Yai.
It is expected that tourism revenue in Hat Yai in Songkhla province will drop to 12 billion baht this year from 16 billion baht last year, while the number of tourists is expected to plunge by half to 100,000.
TAT governor Surapol Svetaseni led tourism business operators from Bangkok to Hat Yai yesterday to meet local operators so they could discuss ways to restore the confidence of tourists after the bomb attack.
Around noon last Saturday, a bomb exploded in a car parked in the basement of Lee Gardens Plaza Hotel and killed three people, including one Malaysian tourist. Hundreds were wounded. Two suspects have been arrested.
The attack happened at the same time as three other bombings in the downtown area of Yala province that killed 11 people.
Mr Surapol said TAT has set up strategic plans to rebuild the tourism industry in Hat Yai. The authority will organise trips to bring tourism business operators and agencies from key tourist markets, particularly Malaysia and Singapore, to visit Hat Yai during Songkran. Hat Yai is one of the prime destinations for Songkran festivities.
New attractions in Hat Yai and Songkhla will be advertised both internationally and domestically.
Miss Thailand competitors will hold activities in Songkhla in June.
"I'm confident that the effect will not last long. Hat Yai will be one of destinations for the Thailand Grand Sale event to be held in July that is expected to attract more than 500,000 visitors," Mr Surapol said.
Somchart Pimthanapoonporn, president of Songkhla Tourism Business Council and the Hat Yai-Songkhla Hoteliers Association, said if Hat Yai received the full help of a promotion campaign, it could recover within three months.
Grisada Boonrach, the governor of Songkhla province, said the province would adopt a "Five Deductions" campaign to attract tourists back to Hat Yai and Songkhla.
The deductions will be made on the prices of food, accommodation, transport, goods and services.
<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/1cS8FsM5H4A" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
