Plans Mapped out to Persuade More Japanese Tourists to Visit Thailand

BANGKOK, December 28 (TNA) - The number of Japanese tourists visiting Thailand in 2014 has declined considerably, but plans are being mapped out to induce more Japanese to visit the country in 2015, said Anek Srichivachart, president of Thai-Japanese Tourism Promotion Association. Mr. Anek, also vice president of Association of Thai Travel Agents (ATTA), said the number of Japanese tourists visited Thailand this year declined slightly from 2013 due to political turbulence in Thailand earlier this year. There are signs that tourists from Japan visiting Thailand in 2015 would increase as several plans have been mapped out, he said. The plans include a launching of public relations informing the Japanese to better understand situation in Thailand, inviting senior executives, tourism marketing and sales officers to visit Thailand, and to conduct roadshows in Japan through cooperation with Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) and the Ministry of Tourism and Sports. On the contrary, he said the number of Thai tourists visited Japan this year had increased sharply to about 700,000 compared to only 100,000 in 2013. Mr. Anek said he is closely monitoring on reports that AirAsia lost communication with the control tower after leaving Indonesian city of Surabaya for Singapore early on Sunday. On tourism business in Thailand, Sukree Sittiwanitch, deputy TAT governor, said more Thais are seen travelling on the upcoming New Year celebrations. Between 80 – 90 per cent of hotel rooms nationwide have been booked. Expressing satisfaction, Mr. Sukree opined that this is probably due to a five-day long holidays, starting from December 31, which has persuaded more Thais to travel and this is certainly a positive sign for tourism business in 2015. (TNA)