Magazine

BANGKOK, 7 February 2012: GTA founder, David Babai, has decided to make a comeback after selling Gullivers Travel Agency to Travelport’s forerunner Cendant in 2005. According to a report in http://www.tnooz.com , an online news service on travel technology, Mr Babai is a key person behind a new wholesale tour firm focusing on...
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BANGKOK, 7 February 2012: The United States embassy cancelled its terror alert on Bangkok last Friday, but nine countries were warning their citizens of a possible threat. However, despite warnings triggered off by the US, 13 January, the country’s travel agency association reported trips by American citizens grew by more than 26% in...
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MAE HONG SON, 6 February 2012: Rooks Holiday Hotel and Resort, one of the oldest hotels in this far northwest province of Thailand, closed 1 February due to poor business. The 114-room hotel opened in the 80s at a site on Khunlum Prapas Road in downtown Mae Hong Son, but like all of...
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SAMUI, 6 February 2012: Two properties opened, last week, in South Thailand under the branding of InterContinental and Accor. IHG has taken over the management of Samui Baan Taling Ngam Resort that has 79 rooms . Accor was linked to a new Ibis Hua Hin, in Prachuab Khiri Khan Province, located on Khao...
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BANGKOK, 6 February 2012: Kasikorn Research Centre estimates Chinese arrivals to Thailand this year could increase 15.4% to reach 2 million trips and generate Bt60 billion in revenue compared to 1.8 million visits and a revenue of Bt52 billion in 2011. KRC research said key factors leading to recovery included the cancellation of...
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BANGKOK, 3 February 2012: Events specialist, David Barrett, said farewell to Diethelm Travel Group end of January after a 12-year stint heading the company’s events division at its Bangkok head office. His departure is part of a restructuring of Thailand’s oldest privately-owned travel company that began in 2010 and has resulted in what...
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BANGKOK, 3 February 2012: Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau join hands with Thai Incentive and Convention Exhibition and Thai Exhibition Association to build a MICE curriculum for students. Identified as MICE 101 it will help prepare students for the upcoming ASEAN Economic Community 2015. TCEB president, Akapol Sorasuchart, said MICE 101 will introduce...
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BANGKOK, 3 February 2012: ONYX Hospitality Group, a Thailand based hotel management company will step into the India market with a management contract with Apna Punjab Resorts company. Located in Ludhiana, Punjab region, the hotel is the group’s first property featuring 127 rooms. It is due to open in the second half of...
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BANGKOK, 3 February 2012: Over 300 unregistered hotels in Bangkok are being promoted heavily through internet hotel booking sites without service or security monitoring, Thai Hotels Association vice president, Surapong Techauvichit reported earlier this week. He claimed hotels that failed to register and comply with the nation’s hospitality laws were a potential hazards...
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BANGKOK, 2 February 2012: Ministry of Tourism and Sports’ Department of Tourism hits out a critics saying its international and domestic tourist arrivals figure are reliable and follow the standards set by the United Nation’s World Tourism Organisation. In response to constant travel industry criticism that its data lacked credibility, TTR Weekly forwarded...
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BANGKOK, 2 February 2012: Tourism Authority of Thailand plans to close the ailing Thailand Privilege Card company in March pending Cabinet approval. TAT assumed sole ownership of the debt-ridden operator Thailand Privilege Card company, last year, under a directive from the previous government, but it needs the current government to sign off on...
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BANGKOK, 2 February 2011: Now in its 10th edition the popular Thai International Travel Fair will open 23 February at Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre. Thai Travel Agents Association reports the four-day show will have 1,110 registered booths mainly promoting travel deals and holidays to the consumer market. They represent hotels, tour operators,...
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BANGKOK, 2 February 2012: Thailand earned a record Bt1,226.45 million from on-location film shoots in 2011 according to the Thailand Film Office Department, which is supervised by Ministry of Tourism and Sports. The department reported, late last week, its January to December 2011 data that showed 606 films, documentaries, advertising, TV series, and...
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BANGKOK, 2 February 2012: Tourism Authority of Thailand spotlights wedding ceremony options in four destinations in hailand starting 10 February through to the end of March. February is linked to romance based on the popularity of Valentine’s Day, 14 February, which is celebrated with gusto throughout the country. Red roses are sold at...
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BANGKOK, 1 February 2012 – A prominent Thai economics professor has alerted the Thai tourism industry to the impact of an Israeli attack on Iran, including high oil prices and the dangers of a wider conflict, Travel Impact Newswire reports. Addressing the joint annual meeting of the Thai Hotels Association and Association of...
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BANGKOK, 1 February 2012: Thai consumers have stopped filing complaints on misleading airline fare advertising , but they are taking airlines to task for a lack of services and reservations related problems, according to Thailand’s Office of Consumer Protection Board. OCPB was responding to news, late last month, that the Australian Competition and...
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BANGKOK, 1 February 2012: Tourism will prosper this year, Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra told travel representatives on Monday, but warned competition would be tough in the lead-up to the adoption of the ASEAN Economic Community in 2015. She opened the Federation of Thai Tourism Associations’ seminar on the government policy towards Thailand’s tourism...
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SINGAPORE, 1 February 2012: Myanmar signed an agreement with Singapore, Monday, seeking the financial centre’s help as the country emerges from political and economic isolation after decades of military rule. President Thein Sein arrived Sunday for a four-day state visit to the city-state accompanied by a top-level delegation which included business leaders and...
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BANGKOK, 1 February 2012: Thai’s tour operator need to monitor and respond quickly to natural disasters or adverse weather conditions, Rangsit University’s flood and water management specialist, Dr Seri Suparati told travel agents on Monday. He suggested tour companies adapt tour programmes based on their experience in last year’s floods. Speaking at a...
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BANGKOK, 31 January 2012: Despite the flood crisis, Thai Hotels Association member hotels closed 2011 with a slightly higher occupancy nationwide, THA president, Prakit Chinamornpong, reported on Monday. He made his 2011 business review at the association’s first meeting of the year, noting the performance was still off the pace when compared to...
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BANGKOK, 30 January 2012: Scandinavian Airlines has launched fare sales on over 30 destinations in Scandinavia good through 15 June. SAS’s Spring Sales is an online offer valid for booking only until 29 February, while travel ex-Bangkok is allowed from 12 March until 15 June, but the return journey must be made by...
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BANGKOK, 30 January 2012: Airports of Thailand discounts fees for airlines and business operators at Don Mueang Airport in a move to restore operations after floods closed the airport since 26 October. Relief measures, approved by the AoT board, will cost the company around Bt110 million in revenue, 25 October 2011 to 25...
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BANGKOK 30 January 2012: Thai Smile, a light premium airline due for launch this July, will serve Macau as its first destination according the Thai Airways International president, Piyasvasti Amranand. He was addressing 80 travel executives attending PATA’s first Hub City Forum held at the Landmark Hotel earlier today. THAI Smile is part...
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BANGKOK 30 January 2012: Visas are a more important subject for the Pacific Asia Travel Association to address than lobbying for a change to a European carbon tax, Thai Airways International president, Piyasvasti Amranand, told the PATA  forum, Navigating Headwinds. He was presenting an airline update to 100 travel executives attending PATA’s first...
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BANGKOK 30 January 2012: Visas are a more important subject for the Pacific Asia Travel Association to address than lobbying for a change to a European carbon tax, Thai Airways International president, Piyasvasti Amranand, told the PATA  forum, Navigating Headwinds. He was presenting an airline update to 100 travel executives attending PATA’s first...
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HO Chi Minh City attractions can be covered easily in two days , but as the city turns into a gateway there are more options to extend the stay to other destinations. A popular one-night escape heads to the Mekong River delta covering visits to orchards on Mekong islands in My Tho and...
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EAST India is home to rich ancient civilizations, culture and the sacred sites with links to Buddhism, but in the past poor infrastructure and facilities to cater for tourists held the destinations back. Most of the problems have been solved led by the private sector that invested heavily in the region. An important...
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PATTAYA, 26 January 2012: Pattaya will once again welcome professional female tennis players to the PTT Pattaya Open Tennis Tournament, 5 to 12 February at Dusit Thani Hotel, Pattaya. Now in its 21th year, the event is the longest running tennis event in the country organised by the Women’s Tennis Association. Around 80...
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BANGKOK, 26 January 2012: Accor Hotels Group will open this year five more properties  in Vietnam and Laos adding over 1,000 rooms to the group’s inventory in the six-country Mekong region. Accor Hotels Group outlined its new expansion plan to TTR Weekly late last week, stating it intends to manage four properties in...
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BANGKOK, 26 January 2012: Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau says domestic MICE revenue and visits are not likely to grow in 2012 due to  financial damage caused by last year’s floods. TCEB MICE director, Chiruit Isarangkun Na Ayutthaya, said domestic MICE industry this year would stagnate as government agencies and private companies are...
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