WORKSHOP TO HELP THAI SALES MISSION TO VIETNAM

The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is organising a workshop on December 21, 2001 to help prepare roughly 40 Thai tourism-related companies get maximum value out of their upcoming sales promotion mission to Vietnam.

To be held at the Chao Phraya Park Hotel, the workshop is part of the TAT’s efforts to attract more international visitors from the Indo-China (Greater Mekong Subregion or GMS) markets which have been relatively unaffected by the September 11 attacks in the US.

TAT Deputy Governor for Marketing Mrs. Juthamas Siriwan who will preside over the workshop commented, “The event will help delegates better understand the Vietnamese market and be ready for the roadshow covering Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi between January 14-18, 2002.

“The TAT wants to help sellers with valuable marketing information and analysis to help them better penetrate the growing Vietnamese market in order to help them generate more business and boost visitor arrivals to Thailand,” Deputy Governor Juthamas added.

The one-day workshop will feature a report on the Vietnamese outbound market and outcome of market. That will be followed by a Q&A Session, press conference, preliminary trade meet and reception.

Though global tourism is experiencing a slowdown as a result of the September 11 attacks, visitor arrivals to Thailand from Vietnam and the Greater Mekong Sub- region countries have remained more or less unaffected. Between January- September 2001, visitors from Cambodia grew by 25.75% (with total arrivals of 39,761), Laos by 15.69% (63,635) and Vietnam by 52.38% (58,754).

The workshop and roadshow on tapping the Vietnamese market have been initiated by a special working group of senior TAT officials from different departments and sections as well as representatives of leading tourism-related agencies.

Similar activities including workshops, roadshows as well as research and analysis are being considered for other potential GMS markets.