The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is now preparing strategic plans to promote tourism in central Thailand during 2014. The aim is to categorise Provinces of central Thailand according to their distinctive features and to prepare them for the upcoming ASEAN Economic Community or AEC in 2015.
On 4th April 2013 at the Impact Arena, Muang Thong Thani in Bangkok, the Director of TAT in central Thailand Mr. Somchai Chomphunoi joined invited concerned public and private organisations working in the tourism industry of nineteen Provinces of central Thailand. The meeting was to brainstorm ideas for marketing plans to promote tourism in these Provinces and prepare for the Festival of Tourism in Thailand 2013.
Mr. Somchai named the nineteen Provinces as Kanchanaburi, Phetchaburi, Ratchaburi, Ayutthaya, Lopburi, Singburi, Saraburi, Suphanburi, Ang Thong, Chainat, Bangkok, Pathum Thani, Nonthaburi, Samut Prakarn, Chacheongsao, Prachuap Khirikhan, Samut Songkram, Nakhon Pathom and Samut Sakorn. With the slogan, “Travel with Styles in Central Thailand”, the nineteen Provinces will participate in many campaigns for tourism promotion including travelling in Central Thailand, Unseen 3: Places to Eat, Shop and Stay and six travel routes with six themes.
The Public Relations outlets for this promotion include www.เที่ยวภาคกลาง.com, Facebook: tiewpakklang, Youtube: TAT Club and E-Book. Besides working with its partners to sell travel packages for 12 months the TAT will organise a Festival of Tourism in Thailand 2013 from 5th to 9th June at Muang Thong Thani. Additionally the Festival will travel to five regions in Thailand. This will coincide with the festival of Shell Eating, Bird Watching and Squid Catching in Cha-Am from 13th to 14th September 2013. In 2014 the TAT is thinking of launching an ASEAN Tourism Festival to make Thailand a tourism hub in Southeast Asia.
From the meeting six travel routes were identified in central Thailand. First is ‘the charm of palaces and beaches’ in Phetchaburi and Prachuap Khirikhan. Second is ‘the paradise west’ in Ratchaburi and Kanchanaburi. Third is ‘the local lifestyle’ of Samut Songkram, Samut Sakorn and Nakhon Pathom. Fourth is ‘historic travel’ to Suphanburi, Ayutthaya, Ang Thong and Chainat. Fifth is ‘green adventure’ in Lopburi, Singburi and Saraburi. The sixth and last one is ‘happy Bangkok’. These themes will facilitate tourism plans and promote the free trade of AEC in 2015.
Mr. Somchai concluded that the meeting was successful due to the interest of all participants in formulating marketing plans for the TAT. He said that all of the participants’ suggestions and recommendations will be very useful in promoting tourism in central Thailand in 2014.
