Double check on buyer selection

BANGKOK, 1 April 2013: Tourism Authority of Thailand says buyers eligible to be hosted at the Thailand Travel Mart Plus 2013, 5 to 7 June, will have been vetted and endorsed by Thailand’s leading tourism associations.

Supervising the event, a TAT’s American Market Division official told TTR Weekly that the buyer selection process would be based on the potential the travel company has to deliver tourists to the country. But they will also have to convince the hotel and travel agency associations that they a worthwhile track record.

“Every year the authority seeks to mix new buyers alongside recognised international and local operators who have a measurable track record. TTM is our single B2B business event that showcases Thailand.”

All trade show organisers face criticism from hotels and travel agencies on the selection process regardless of the event’s track record or success rating.

TTM is no exception and the past TAT has needed to shake the mix to ensure there is fair share of new buyers alongside the big traditional suppliers.

To cut criticism it has also recruited the Association of Thai Travel Agent; Thai Hotels Association; Thailand Incentive and Convention Association; Thai Ecotourism and Adventure travel Association; and Tourism Council of Thailand to make recommendations and act as a sounding board to check buyer credentials.

Association of Thai Travel Agents acting president, Sisdivachr Cheewarattanaporn, confirmed that TAT sends the list of buyers asking the association for comments to guarantee buyers who are hosted are of the right quality.

“We consider a company’s marketing strategy, target niches, number of clients, new products and related subjects which can help to screen the potential buyers.”

He added: “The five associations then consider and give more points for the tourism operators in markets that we really need to promote or are linked to important niches that we need to expand.”

So far, there are 156 first-time buyers. They include participants from Belarus, Laos, Poland, and Taiwan.

Hosted buyers will need to pay a registration fee of US$300 (Bt9,600) per delegate, while non-hosted buyers (who pay for their own transport and accommodation) and a registration fee of US$200 (Bt6,400) per person.

TAT will showcase niche-market products — ecotourism, golf, health and wellness, and weddings and honeymoons — during the pre- and post-tours.

They are:

• Thainess through Supreme Arts: Arts of the Kingdom (New Collections) and Queen Sirikit Museum of Textiles;

• Heritage of Thai Wellness: Thai Herbal Lozenges, the First Thai tradition of Medical School;

• Thainess through Culinary: Thai cooking by the River (Amita Thai Cooking Class);

• Thainess through Trading Street: Chinatown, Sampheng Wholesale Market, Little India, Flower Market;

• New Fun in Bangkok: The Flow House Bangkok, and Thai Wave Park;

• Thainess through Martial Arts: Thai Kick Boxing.

The post-tours include a biking tour to Suphan Buri in the central region, beach resorts of Pattaya, Rayong and Chanthaburi in the eastern region as well as Chumphon, Tao and Samui islands in the South.

The North and Northeast are covered by three connecting routes to the neighbouring countries of the Greater Mekong Subregion. They are:

• Thailand and Beyond Myanmar: Bangkok-Chiang Mai-Lampang-Yangon;

• Thailand and Beyond Cambodia: Bangkok-Buri Ram-Chanthaburi-Siem Reap;

• Thailand and Beyond Lao PDR: Udon Thani–Vientiane–Vang Vieng–Luang Prabang.

In addition, TAT and the Pacific Asia Travel Association will also create a buyer’s forum with session topics such as Creative Tourism, Dynamic Packaging, and ASEAN Economic Community.

TTM continues to be hosted at the Exhibition Centre Hall, IMPACT, Muang Thong Thani located in the northern suburbs of Bangkok.

Sourced: ttrweekly