Upbeat Thomas Cook to fly 20,000 European tourists a month to Phuket

PHUKET: -- Europe's leading travel firm, Thomas Cook, pledged to bring 20,000 visitors from Europe a month to Phuket--described by the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) as the world's leading tourist destination.

Thomas Cook Travel's Vice President, Peter Fankharser, announced the good news for this southern holiday resort's travel industry Thursday in a press conference held jointly with Phuket Governor Udomsak Assavarangkura and Mrs. Suwalai Pinpradab, Director of TAT's Southern Office, Region 4, covering the tsunami-affected areas of Phuket and the nearby provinces of Phang-nga and Krabi.

Mr. Farnhouser said his company plans to bring, on average, 20,000 visitors a month to Phuket from 1 November this year through April next year.

Mrs. Suwalai said the move by Thomas Cook represents a positive signal to the recovery of tourism in Phuket and will help Thailand's travel industry restore confidence among other travel suppliers.

The TAT official said that Thomas Cook's action should motivate other travel agents and companies to follow their example.

She is confident that more European travelers will return to Phuket this year.

--TNA 2005-08-12

Upbeat Thomas Cook to fly 20,000 European tourists a month to Phuket 

PHUKET: --  Europe's leading travel firm, Thomas Cook, pledged to bring 20,000 visitors from Europe a month to Phuket--described by the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) as the world's leading tourist destination.

Is the TAT even aware of the World Tourism Organization? Probably not as they are only the world's foremost travel organization for tourism.

If they had, they wouldn't make such grossly erroneous and misleading statements as exemplified by the above. According to the true numbers from the true experts, Phuket is no where near the "world's leading tourist destination". Even the whole of Thailand does not appear in the Top 10.

Guess the street vendors and whatever working girls are left in that disaster area should start practicing "Hello Sucker" in Russian, Polish, Slovac and Lithuanian.