Recently the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has met with representatives from The Department of Local Administration and Private Institutes to discuss the marketing and public relations strategies for 2010. The aim is to further promote Pattaya and Thailand to overseas and domestic tourists.

Pattaya, the 28th of December 2009 [PDN]: Mr. Niti Kongkrut (TAT Director), Mr. Weerawat Kharkhai (Deputy Mayor of Pattaya City) and Mr. Jamroon Vitsawachaiphan (President of Pattaya Business and Tourism Association) joined with the Provincial Administration of Chon-Buri and The Association of Thai Travel Agents in a joint conference to discuss the marketing and public relations strategies and directions for Thailand in 2010. At the meeting a range of promotional and marketing ideas were brought up with the intent on further promoting Pattaya and Thailand to foreign and domestic travellers.

The marketing budget for 2010 was announced at a considerable 18 million baht, of which 3 million is to be used on internal marketing strategies whilst the remaining 15 million will be used to promote Thailand to overseas tourists. Accordingly the committee announced that Thailand would stage an International Trade Show in 2010, which will be held in a variety of countries around the world.

There are plans afoot to send delegates to foreign markets and trade shows including; The ATF 2010 in Brunei, The OTM 2010 in India and The ITB in Germany. TAT announced that targeting the Middle Eastern nations will only benefit Thailand due to the increasing number of foreign travellers from that region already visiting the Kingdom. The committee also discussed how the Thai International Trade Show would be structured and organised.

Internal promotions will include, Road Shows in the North and North-Eastern provinces due to the success of previous years. The provinces that will be targeted in 2010 are; Khon Kaen, Udon Thani, Udon Ratchathani and Nakhorn Ratchasima. Activities are planned for between the 22-26 of March 2010.

pattayadailynews.com

Wow! moving forward. Have they been watching a business channel to come up with such a dumb over-rated phrase? When Thailand jumps on the "going forward" bandwagon I am officially announcing a crackdown on redundancy.