The 4th Thailand Tourism Awards to be conferred on 27th September this year have been specially designed to commemorate the International Year of Ecotourism
(IYE) 2002.
For the first time, ecotourism and agrotourism products and attractions as well as diving tours, have been added to the 19 categories and sub-categories in which the awards will be conferred this year.
These include:
- Best Tourist Attractions -- 1) Natural, 2) Cultural and Historical, 3) Recreational, 4) Town and Local, 5) Land, River and Sea Scenic Routes, and 6) Ecotourism and
Agrotourism;
- Best Tourist Accommodation -- 1) City, 2) Convention, and 3) Resort;
- Best Tour Programmes -- 1) Domestic, 2) Inbound, and 3) Diving;
- Best Conservation/Preservation
Organisation;
- Best Conservation/Preservation Project; and
- Best Tourism Publicity -- 1) Printed Mass Media, 2) Special Publication, 3) Television, 4) Radio, and 5) Internet.
This year, 108 applications have been received for the awards, from 28 tourism attractions, 28 accommodation operators, 11 tour programmes, 10 tourism organisations, 10 tourism projects, and 21 tourism publicity projects. In each category, there will be one award of excellence and one or two runners-up for outstanding performance.
The Thailand Tourism Awards are the country’s most recognised honours for efforts in the fields of sustainable tourism promotion and development, conservation and environmental protection.
They are designed to promote and develop the quality of Thai tourism and maintain its competitive edge in the international arena by motivating both public and private tourism agencies to strive for higher standards of product development, professionalism, service-delivery and marketing.
TAT Acting Governor and Deputy Governor for Marketing Mrs. Juthamas Siriwan commented, “By organising the awards and adding to the range of categories in which they are conferred, we are demonstrating our seriousness in upholding the
standards of sustainable tourism management and the preservation of nature, arts and culture.”
Launched in 1996 and held bi-annually, the awards are traditionally conferred on 27 September, World Tourism Day. The trophies themselves are statuettes of Kinaree, a Thai mythical half-human-half bird creature representing beauty and exaltation. The Kinaree is holding a lotus in one hand while a pigeon is perched on the other, respectively signifying peace, brotherhood and harmony.
On the same occasion, TAT will present the Tourist Guide Awards to experienced and dedicated tour guides to encourage them to aspire to high service standards.
A total of 23 Awards will be awarded to guides in specific areas of expertise like arts and culture, forest and marine products, as well as to the best guides in each of the five Thai geographical regions: North, South, Northeast, Central and East. Additional awards will be conferred to guides in major language categories -- English, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Japanese, Chinese, Korean and Russian.
From among all these categories, one guide will be conferred the highest award of excellence.
While applications for the main awards are now closed, applications for the Guide Awards are open until June 30, 2002, at TAT Tourist Business and Guide Registration Offices in all Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Nakhon Ratchasima, Songkhla and Phuket as well as 22 domestic offices nation-wide.
A third and final category is the Friends of Thailand Awards given by the TAT to recognise the efforts and dedication of foreigners and expatriates living in Thailand who have contributed to the development and promotion of Thai tourism.
The award-winners will be selected by a panel of executives representing TAT, Thailand Tourism Society and Board of Airline Representatives. Four major categories will be covered -- individual supporters/groups, media, tour operators and airlines. |
