ATTA president gains second term

BANGKOK, 29 March 2013: Association of Thai Travel Agents elected Sisdivachr Cheewarattanaporn as president for a second term, Thursday, along with a hand-picked team to serve on the committee.

The result did not come as surprise to members who voted almost unanimously to give the president a second term.

The meeting was held at Amari Watergate Hotel, yesterday, and for the first time in six years, the Sisdivachr team ticket was uncontested. The association’s 35th elections went perfectly to plan with nearly all 343 registered members raising their hand to show they preferred a status quo.

Mr Sisdivachr will lead the association for two years until March 2015. However, he and his team will have to wait for the Ministry of  Commerce’s approval to confirm the committee is legally empowered to run the association within 30 days.

His team canvassed using Bangkok’s successful recovery slogan “Together We Can” to build confidence for the association members.

Mr Sisdivachr told TTR Weekly at the close of the elections that his second term would focus on building member’s awareness of the ASEAN Economic Community by organising training and seminars.

“Thailand tour operators have to concentrate more on how to adjust their marketing strategy and tour programmes to compete with neighbouring countries… the arrival of international investors in our business is just around the corner so we must be ready for the impact it will have on our business.”

The president told members to go online develop social network and build direct links with consumers using all the latest online tools.

“Online marketing can help to attract more arrivals and help us serve tourists’ needs.”

For the country tourism’s he said the big picture was all about building tourism personnel competency and that would require the Ministry of Tourism to step in with measures to build skills. There is also a shortage of tour buses and professionally trained bus drivers to serve consumers.

“The association proposed to the Ministry of Tourism and Sports that it work with the Department of Land Transport to organise training programmes for drivers. It will help to improve bus driver competence and improve the country’s tourism image.

“If tour bus drivers are of a low standard, we will lose competitive opportunity to neighbouring countries once AEC 2015 kicks off.”

Mr Sisdivachr is the owner and chairman of Quality Express Company Limited a travel company that works in both the inbound and outbound markets specialising in China, Taiwan, Malaysia, Singapore, and Japan. The company is also a member of IATA’s BSP and a major airline ticketing distributor in Thailand.

Mr Sisdivachr is also currently the Thai-Chinese Tourism Alliance Association’s honorary president.

There are 14 people in the new board, heading various committees comprising of six vice presidents — Anek Srishevachart, Adit Chairattananont , Chidchai Sakornbadee, Virat Chatturaputpitak, Surawatchara Akkaraworamas, and Stanley Ting; Charoen Wangananont (secretary); Sak Rerklapananon (finances); Thongyu Supawittayaporn (public relations); Suphachai Chensaksrisakun (reception); Somchai Chanwong (register); and three federal committee — Francois Quenault, Anchali Muttamara, and Sathaporn Phutpraphakul.

Sourced: ttrweekly