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Thai Airways International presents 5-year plan to staff
Travel and tourism strategies discussed
Phitsanu Thepthong
THAI’s Commercial Department ran a two-day seminar for
staff to explain policy and work plans for the coming year. Part of this
hinged around the government policy on pushing Chiang Mai to become the
Northern Aviation Hub.
 Kanok
Abhiradee (left), Thai Airways International’s president, delivers the
opening speech to some 200 general managers and senior executives at
THAI’s annual commercial conference 2003 at Chiang Mai Plaza Hotel. Shown
here, he is about to bang the drum to mark the opening session.
200 general managers, sale managers, office managers,
senior executives, from revenue planning and management, industry relations
and commercial support, sales and distribution, in-flight customer services,
cargo and mail commercial department covering both domestic and
international staff participated in the meeting.
Kanok Abhiradee, THAI’s president, said during the
opening ceremony of the conference held at Chiang Mai Plaza, that THAI was
aiming at updating all of its overseas managers on its marketing plan, which
would be implemented within the next 5 years, as well as the company’s
action plan, promotional activities and program for the year 2004.
The THAI policy and operational strategies were also
given to develop effective guidelines, especially in areas of sales
promotion, planning, services, cargo, cooperation with alliance partners,
travel and tourism and marketing.
Although Thailand was not listed as a SARS infected
country, the number of tourist arrivals in Thailand as well as the Asian
region declined dramatically, said the THAI president. To continue to
develop and position THAI as a leading carrier in Asia-Pacific, and in the
world, THAI had to come up with a whole raft of changes and promotions, as
well as routing improvements.
Yunnan looking for tourists
Envoys sent to Chiang Mai
Phitsanu Thepthong
Yunnan Provincial Tourism Administration delegates, led
by Tan Congfang, deputy director general and another 16 Chinese travelled
down from Mainland China along the Mekong River, exploring the tourism
routes in this Economic Quadrangle Cooperation region (China, Laos, Burma
and Thailand).
 The
Three Pagodas of Chongsheng Temple in the ancient town of Dali. (Photo
courtesy of National Tourism Administration of the People’s Republic of
China)
The visiting delegates presented tourism information on
Yunnan at the Thai-Chinese bilateral meeting held at Westin Hotel, Chiang
Mai to local tourism related business, service operators, and entrepreneurs,
mostly from Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai provinces.
VIPs on the panel presentation included Rachan Veeraphan,
the chairman of the Joint Economic Quadrangle Chamber Committee; Deputy
Chiang Mai governor Parinya Panthong; Peng Rendong, the consul general of
the Consulate General of China, to Chiang Mai; Chalermsak Suranant, the
director of Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT)’s Chiang Mai Office; Tan
Congfang, the deputy director-general of Yunnan Provincial Tourism
Administration, and Huang Linwu, the director of Yunnan Provincial Tourism
Information.
One purpose of this trip was to review natural resources,
especially along the Mekong River, for tightening closer relations among the
countries. “This is a joint tourism project of between Yunnan Provincial
Tourism Administration of China, and northern Thailand,” said the Chinese
group.
In 2003-2004, the tourism promotion plan among the four
countries concerned has been pushed to put tourism this region on the
world’s tourism map.
Deputy Chiang Mai governor Parinya said that Thailand and
China have long been neighbouring and sister countries, particularly the
Chiang Mai and Shanghai cities, and hopefully, he said that the four nations
will gain win-win solutions and benefits.
Chinese Consul General Peng Rengdong said the Chinese
government wants to create close relationships between the two countries,
particularly the tourism activities between Yunnan and the North of
Thailand, including Chiang Rai and Chiang Mai, “I proudly cheer and
support the ambitious plan for Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai with China. We will
help facilitate those going out and in coming as tourists across the two
countries,” he said.
“We come here to explore and seek more tourism
opportunities by working and planning together for the Yunnan tourism to be
linked with the world’s tourist maps,” said a delegate of Yunnan Tourism
Resources.
The Chinese officials said that Yunnan is developing its
tourism spots, as it is visited by 1.3 million tourists annually, with about
60,000 Thais visiting, while Chinese tourists from Yunnan visiting Thailand
are also around the same numbers.
For more information, see the Web site: http://www.
yunnantourism.com
Phuket Air moves north
Chiang Mai - Chiang Rai in 40 minutes
Marion Vogt
Business people will have it a little easier in the
future, with Phuket Air announcing two new daily flights from Chiang Mai to
Chiang Rai and return, effective from October 20 this year.
Chiang Mai Airport director, Flying Officer Suthara
Huangsuwan believes this will put Chiang Mai on the international map with
business people being able to travel easily between the two northern ports.
 (Seated,
front from left) Airport director, Flying Officer Suthara Huangsuwan, GM and
vice president of Chiang Mai International Airport; Suwat Tantipan, Chiang
Mai governor; Senior Vice President Kanin Phuvastien and Group Capt. Patana
Tareekes, vice president administration Phuket Air, (behind) Phuket Air
pilots, engineers, and stewardesses.
Suwat Tantipan, Chiang Mai governor welcomed Senior Vice
President Kanin Phuvastien and Group Capt. Patana Tareekes, vice president
administration of Phuket Air, together with all their pilots, ground staff
and attractive stewardesses to the north. “Chiang Mai is happy to include
this time-saving service as another advantage in holidays and doing business
in the north. We are sure that Phuket Air will make the Rose of the North an
even more attractive destination,” he said.
Phuket Air operates a fleet of three Boeing 737’s and
uses YS-11 dual turbo-prop aircraft for short haul flights to serve domestic
routes, such as Chiang Mai - Chiang Rai.
The new route for the north is aimed at the business
managers, the weekend travelers or the tourists on a tight time schedule.
Flight times are:
Chiang Mai - Chiang Rai: 2 flights daily - 7:30 a.m. and
6 p.m.
Chiang Rai - Chiang Mai: 2 flights daily - 9 a.m. and
7:30 p.m.
The introductory offer for a 30 day validity ticket
during the first two months will be 1,500 baht for a round trip ticket or
900 baht one way, tax and insurance charges not included.
Air India and Lufthansa sign MOU for cooperation
Air-India (AI) and Lufthansa (LH) have confirmed that
they have reached an agreement in principle to establish a Broad Based
Strategic Co-operation between the two companies. A Memorandum of
Understanding (MOU) has been signed in Delhi by S. Lauer, Member Executive
Board and K.U. Garnadt, Senior Vice President for Lufthansa and Sunil Arora,
Managing Director and V.K. Verma, Commercial Director for Air-India.
The MOU specifies various areas of co-operation amongst
them Commercial, Engineering and IT services. Dedicated Working Groups have
been set-up to workout the details of the intended co-operation. Both
companies see significant business opportunities to and from India,
acknowledging the fact that a close cooperation and partnership is the best
way to participate in this development.
‘New Look’ Qantas international fleet a feature of ongoing investment
Qantas recently announced that it would offer new seating
and interiors on almost all its international aircraft by the end of next
year. A highlight of the program is Skybed - a new, state-of-the-art,
cocoon-style sleeper seat - that will be installed on all 30 of the
airline’s 747-400s from this September and seven new Airbus A330-300s that
will be delivered between June and December 2004.
Qantas’ new International Business Class will also
feature specially trained, dedicated Business Class flight attendants; new
food and wine; a new service style; a self-service bar for drinks and
snacks; premium quality noise cancellation headsets and luxury amenity kits.
PAL offers domestic specials
Philippine Airlines (PAL) is offering special short-term
promotional fares on selected domestic routes to two key segments - senior
citizens and birthday celebrants.
Senior citizens enjoy an automatic 40 percent off the
published economy or business class fare until October 15. Similarly,
passengers traveling on their birthday receive a 40 percent discount on
normal economy or business class fare until November 30. Both promotions are
applicable for travel between Manila and Cebu, Bacolod, Iloilo, Kalibo,
Roxas, Tacloban, Davao, Cagayan de Oro, Butuan, Zamboanga and Puerto
Princesa.
Meanwhile, PAL is also offering incentives to all other
passengers who do not qualify for the promotional fares. Passengers who buy
normal economy, business class and Special Saver fares receive an additional
10 kilograms free baggage allowance for travel between Manila and any PAL
domestic point. The incentive is valid until December 15, 2003. (TTG Asia)
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