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Thailand wins “Best Spa” destination
6th GeoSpa AsiaSpa India awards
The 6th GeoSpa AsiaSpa India Awards were held at the Kingdom of Dreams,
Gurgaon, on 29th April to celebrate the Spa and Wellness industry. Thailand
bagged the “Best Spa Destination (Asia)”, Reader’s choice Award voted by the
readers of the AsiaSpa India Magazine, which is the most popular spa and
wellness magazine in India. Ms. Runjuan Tongrut, Director of the Tourism
Authority of Thailand, received the award on behalf of Thailand. Also in
attendance at the awards ceremony was the Ambassador of Thailand to India,
H.E. Pisan Manawapat.
The AsiaSpa awards set a benchmark for originality and acknowledge the
finest contributions made to the budding wellness industry. Apart from being
a pioneer in this industry and the only spa awards in the region, the
validation process is conducted by the reputed audit firm Grant Thornton.
On receiving the award, Ms. Runjuan said, “We are extremely delighted to
receive the Best Spa Destination Award in Asia, and what makes this award
even more special is that the destination is voted by the readers of the
magazine. Thank you very much for voting for us and congratulations to
AsiaSpa for organising such a wonderful event.”
This is the 3rd year Thailand has won the award (Thailand was awarded as the
Best Spa Destination in Asia in 2008 and 2009).
The show was also attended by Bollywood personalities; such as, Hema Malini,
Malaika Arora Khan, Dia Mirza and Arjun Kapoor. The evening was complete
with MCs, dance performances and music which made the awards ceremony very
enjoyable.
Thailand offers a range of high standard wellness and spa services and the
country is known for its hospitality, service, cleanliness and authenticity
of the spa treatments. Besides that, the spa designs in Thailand are also
very varied and unique and include urban spas, spas in tropical setup,
resorts, luxurious, holistic and wellness centres. (TAT)
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Chinese arrivals top
1 million in first quarter
Led by a
dramatic 93%
growth in
arrivals from
China,
Thailand’s
visitor arrivals
surged to a
record total of
6,828,718 in
January – March
2013, up by
18.94% over the
same period of
2012, according
to figures
published by the
Ministry of
Tourism and
Sports.
China’s total of
1.12 million
visitor arrivals
made it the
first time that
any country had
crossed the one
million mark in
the short span
of three months.
The growth was
mainly due to
the Chinese New
Year in February
2013, which led
to a spike in
long-holiday
travel to
Thailand. In
addition, major
markets such as
Russia, Korea
and India are
showing strong
double digit
growth and Japan
has bounced back
strongly.
TAT Governor
Suraphon
Svetasreni
welcomed the
good results.
“We are
gratified to see
that our
marketing
efforts are
producing
results. In
these days of
economic
challenges and
geopolitical
instability, it
is very
important that
at least one
sector of the
economy is
continuing to
prove to be a
major source of
income and
jobs.” Mr.
Suraphon said he
was also pleased
to see that the
strengthening of
the Thai Baht
has not impacted
visitor arrivals
to Thailand.
All regions grew
well except the
Middle East.
Visitors from
East Asia
totalled
3,623,713
(+28.50%),
Europe 2,131,719
(+10.28%), the
Americas 331,070
(+8.71%), South
Asia 313,634
(+16.03%),
Oceania 250,124
(+6.07%), Middle
East 139,499
(-1.20%), and
Africa 38,959
(+6.70%).
East Asia: East
Asian visitor
arrivals
comprise the
biggest market
share of all
visitors. A
total of 3.62
million or
53.07% were from
East Asian
countries. Apart
from China, the
other top
sources of
arrivals were
Malaysia
(627,759), Japan
(408,048), and
Korea (350,529).
The ASEAN
countries in
total are
generating over
1.48 million
arrivals, with
spectacular
growth by Brunei
(+73.11%),
Indonesia
(+35.13%),
Myanmar
(+23.27%),
Singapore
(+22.90%),
Vietnam
(+5.02%),
Philippines
(+4.42%),
Malaysia
(+1.94%) except
Cambodia
declined by
11.69% and Lao
PDR. (-16.64%).
European
visitors showed
a good growth
rate of 10.28%
to 2.13 million.
Russia retained
its status as
the largest
source market
from Europe with
arrivals of
584,516, up 26%.
Germany is the
second highest
source market
with a total of
252,108, up
12.22%, followed
by the United
Kingdom 246,943,
up 2.83%.
Strong growth
from East Europe
(+27%) and
Sweden (+3.72%)
was due to the
positive
economic
conditions there
and the special
charter flights
which are
operated to
Thailand during
the winter
months. Sweden
is recovering
from a year ago
while Belgium
(+12.10%),
Ireland
(+5.94%),
Switzerland
(+5.92%), Spain
(+1.15%), and
France (+0.40%)
continued to see
growth.
Declining
source-markets
from Europe
included Italy,
Denmark, Finland
and Norway
partly due to
weather-related
problems in
Northern Europe.
Italy was
particularly
affected by the
Eurozone debt
crisis and the
presidential
election in
February 2013.
Arrivals from
the Americas
showed a growth
of 8.71% to
331,070. The
main market,
USA, increased
by 8.25% to
227,319, which
was an
indication of
the country
emerging from
its economic
downturn.
Arrivals from
Canada were up
4.57%. Showing
considerable
promise are
Latin American
markets; such
as, Brazil
(+21.11%) and
Argentina
(+18.28%) due to
their strong
economies.
Arrivals from
South Asia grew
by a strong
16.03% to
313,634. India
topped the list
with arrivals up
by 18.21% to
249,350, due to
its strong
economy and
increased
flights. Other
countries; such
as, Pakistan
(+7.14%) and
Nepal (+2.21%),
too, saw unrest
and political
protests but
they did not
affect tourist
travel to
Thailand.
Arrivals from
Oceania grew by
6.07% to 250,124
visitors.
Australian
visitors were up
5.55% to 224,530
driven by the
robust
Australian
economy and the
strength of the
Australian
dollar. Arrivals
from New Zealand
were up 11.29%
to 25,016.
Arrivals
declined by
1.20% to 139,499
from the Middle
Est. This was
mainly because
of a decline of
5.92% in
arrivals from
the UAE, to
20,209. UAE
residents took
advantage of the
weak Euro and
the subsequent
fall in prices
of travel
packages to
European
destinations to
travel there
instead.
Moreover, the
economic
sanctions on
Iran have also
dragged down the
growth rate of
this region.
However, some
source-markets,
including Egypt
(+28.02%),
Israel
(+11.70%), and
Kuwait (+11.21%)
reported good
results.
Arrivals from
Africa grew by
6.70% to 38,959,
mainly due to
the driving
force of the
South African
market.
In 2013, TAT is
confident that
if the global,
regional and
local situation
remains stable,
Thailand will
receive 24.14
million
arrivals,
generating a
projected
tourism income
of 1.1 trillion
Baht. (TAT)
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TAT holds “Colourful
Thai Life” photo contest
Poy Sang
Long, or the
Shan New Year,
is one of the
colorful
highlights of
life in Chiang
Mai. (file
photo)
The Tourism
Authority of
Thailand (TAT)
with the Royal
Photographic
Society of
Thailand (RPST)
is holding a
photo contest
with the theme
being “Colourful
Thai Life”. This
contest aims to
publicise images
of the enticing
characteristics
of Thailand from
different angles
and also, to
raise awareness
about the Thai
lifestyle and
the importance
of preserving
it.
The photograph
must be in a
digital format.
It can be a
digital image
file or a
scanned image
file from a film
camera. Also, it
must be in
colour. A
printed
photograph will
not be eligible.
The photo must
have a
resolution no
less than 240
dpi and have a
size no smaller
than 2880 x 4320
pixels.
Photographs can
be taken in both
digital and film
formats. In the
case of a film
format, it must
be transferred
to a
high-resolution
digital image
file.
Photographs must
be taken within
2 years before
the contest
deadline’s date
(30 June 2013).
Photographs must
be in a
landscape
format.
Portrait, square
or panoramic
format will not
be accepted.
Submissions are
accepted
The file must be
saved on a Thumb
Drive (CD or DVD
submission is
not accepted)
and can be
submitted in 3
ways:
1. Entrants can
submit the file
themselves at
the Royal
Photographic
Society of
Thailand, 2nd.
Floor Bangkok
Art and Culture
Centre,
Pathumwan
Intersection.
2. Submit via
postal mail:
“Colourful Thai
Life” Photo
Contest’ PO Box
80, Samsen Road,
Phayathai,
Bangkok 10140,
Thailand..
3. Upload the
file onto the
Royal
Photographic
Society of
Thailand’s
website: www.
rpst.or.th
The contest is
open to anyone
regardless of
age and gender.
Photos must be
submitted by
June 30, 2013.
More information
online at the
TAT website:
www.
tatnews.org.
(TAT)
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