THE TOURISM Authority of Thailand (TAT) is planning to include Japan as one of the exhibiting countries at Thailand Travel Mart (TTM) Plus 2011, despite suspending promotions to the Japan market this month.
The NTO is planning to offer the Japan National Tourism Organisation a six-booth exhibition space. If all goes as planned, it will be the first time the mart will feature an exhibiting country beyond Thailand and the Greater Mekong Subregion.
TAT’s deputy governor – international marketing for Asia and South Pacific, Sansern Ngaorungsi, said some 280 international buyers had already registered for the mart in Bangkok from June 8 to 10, almost hitting TAT’s target of more than 300 buyers.
Meanwhile, Sansern explained that the temporary halt of marketing promotions targeting Japan was in anticipation of the market there slowing down due to ongoing nuclear woes.
Japanese arrivals to Thailand are expected to drop by about 10 per cent this year. Last year, Thailand recorded 993,674 Japanese visitors, 1.07 per cent fewer than in 2009.
Sansern said the trade was expecting the Japanese market to pick up during the May Golden Week. The TAT would then reinstate its promotional activities targeting Japan, as well as kickstart new initiatives like hosting 60 Japanese buyers to attend TTM Plus 2011, another smaller mart in Bangkok and post-event tours to Bangkok, Phuket and Krabi.
By Sirima Eamtako
