The 16th edition of Thailand Travel Mart Plus Amazing Gateway to the Greater Mekong Subregion (TTM+) 2017 highlighted the uniquely local tourism offerings of Thailand and its neigbouring countries which are committed to the vision of shared prosperity
The 16th edition of Thailand’s largest B2B travel trade event, Thailand Travel Mart Plus Amazing Gateway to the Greater Mekong Subregion (TTM+) 2017, was held in the northern Thai city of Chiang Mai recently. Organised by the the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), the three-day mega event was held from June 14-16, 2017 at the Chiang Mai International Exhibition and Convention Centre (CMECC). The theme of TTM+ this year was “Discover Unique Local Experiences”. TTM+ 2017 witnessed a record number of participants. This is the second consecutive year that TTM+ is being organised in Chiang Mai, primarily to create greater awareness about the many attractions of the Northern Thailand region. There is a focused effort to promote the unique tourism products of North and Northeast Thailand.
Inaugurating the event, Thanasak Patimaprakorn, deputy prime minister of Thailand, said, “TTM + has expanded enormously over the years and there is a lot of competition between buyers and sellers. Tourism is providing support and strengthening the economy. We have a great potential in Thailand. Culture is the spirit of tourism. We open new venues for tourism to attract more visitors from across the world.” Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul, tourism and sports minister of Thailand spoke about the importance of community based tourism which is of great attraction to new age tourists who want to truly experience local culture. Speaking exclusively to Express TravelWorld, Wattanavrangkul stated, “Chiang Mai has a unique identity which we want to promote to the world. This city is best of the best and that is why we chose it to be the host city for TTM+ this year again.”
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TTM+ is not just about Thailand but the Greater Mekong sub region, which includes Cambodia, Laos, Mayanmar, Vietnam and Thailand (CLMVT), and also southern China. Pointing out that TTM+ is among the top international platforms in South East Asia, Walailak Noypayak, executive director for ASEAN, South Asia and South Pacific, TAT, stated, “We don’t want to promote only Thailand but also our neighbours. We want to have more involvement from SMEs in Chiang Mai and northern Thailand.”
India market
Thailand receives about 1.1 million tourists from India and this year TAT is expecting 1.3 million Indian visitors. Speaking about the India market, Wattanavrangkul mentioned, “India is a very valuable market to us. You are quality tourists, and we are number one as destination wedding for the India market and a leading family destination. Even though Indian tourists have visited Thailand several times, there are many unique and lesser known tourism highlights of Thailand that Indian visitors need to explore and experience. For instance, they might have come to Chiang Mai a few times but there are so many new activities here that can be experienced.”
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Considering the large number of Indian weddings held in Thailand, the country is considered the best overseas destination for weddings for the Indian market. “We want to promote, honeymooners, and single groups and of course luxury products. We want to promote new destinations in Thailand as wedding destinations for Indians,” added Noypayak. The family mobile app Family Fun has also recently been launched. There are many promotions and offers. There are 200 private sector companies including hotels and restaurants, which offer discounts. “The mobile app facilities FIT segment, they can know about good discounts, which can range from 10 per cent to 50 percent,” she stated. Thailand has now good connectivity with many tier II & tier III Indian cities for instance, Kochi, Lucknow, Chandigarh, and other cities.
Knowledge sessions
A panel discussion saw the minister for tourism highlight that community based tourism should be sustainable, it should be responsible tourism. People do not want to travel as tourists, they want to be a friend of locals. Wattanavrangkul spoke about CBT in ASEAN countries, “The ASEAN countries are promoting more CBT, at present there are 264 communities. We are planning to create another 99 CBT.”
Discovering Chiang Mai
As a tourism destination, Chiang Mai has much to offer to both repeat and first time traveller to Thailand. Nestled in the mountainous region of Northern Thailand, the city has emerged as a major tourism hub in recent times, attracting both leisure and MICE crowd. There are many hospitality options in the city, ranging from good budget accommodation to high-end hotels with banqueting facilities. The historic and cultural legacy of the city is the greatest draw for visitors. It is a site of many important Buddhist temples. From the tunnelled Wat U-mong temple which has a replica of Ashoka’s pillar at Sarnath to the magnificent royal temple of Suan Dok to Wat Phra That Doi Suthep in the mountains. One can get a panoramic view of Chiang Mai city from the look out point at the last temple precinct. For those looking to experience nature in all its glory the gardens of Bhubing Palace in the hills and the picturesque Royal Flora Ratchaphruek, which includes an Orchid Garden, are must visit. For differentiated experiences, a visit to Thai Elephant Care Centre and MAIIAM Contemporary Art Museum are interesting options.
In his interesting presentation on security in tourism places, David Beirman, senior lecturer, Management Disciple Group, UTS Business School, Australia spoke about policing with emphasis on tourism vulnerabilities. He mentioned that there are lessons to be learned from ASEAN countries. “Terrorists threaten international tourists. Tourism thrives on publicity so they also declare an economic warfare on the country. We need to have balance of security. Every person in the tourism industry needs to understand about risk management. Key tourism security holders range from tourism authority to hotels, airlines, tour operator, etc.”
The CLMVT panel discussion on ‘Moving towards shared prosperity’ saw representatives from Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Vietnam and Thailand share their vision and plans for the region.