TOURISM

Thailand as most popular Asian destination

The Nation

BANGKOK:-- Thailand was named the "Asia's Most Popular Destination" for ninth year in a row by Go Asia, a marketing network that specialises in marketing Asia as a destination for travellers.

Members of the Go Asia network including tour operators, airlines, and tourism boards are eligible to vote in the poll. The award, together with many more extended to Thai organisations, was recently announced at the International Tourism Exchange (ITB) Berlin 2012, the world's leading B2B platform for the travel and tourism industry.

The network also honoured Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) as the "Best Asian Tourism Board". This is the fourth year in a row that they have also recognised the TAT as the best Asian tourism board.

Also in this year’s Go Asia awards, Thai Airways International received the "Best Asian Airline" award. In the private sector, the "Best Hotel in Asia" awards went to the Peninsula Bangkok, Siam@Siam Design Hotel & Spa, and the Mandarin Oriental Dara Dhevi in Chiang Mai.

"The TAT is honoured to again receive such a high level of recognition from those in the travel and tourism industry. The Thailand brand has tremendous appeal for millions of visitors from all over the world, while the Kingdom’s tourism sector strives to offer an everincreasing variety of unique and memorable experiences for visitors. This award will inspire us to continue developing Thailand as a destination of choice for international travellers from the Germanspeaking regions of Europe," said TAT Governor Suraphon Svetasreni at the ITB Go Asia Award gala night.

-- The Nation 2012-03-16

Its a miracle!

"inspire us to continue developing Thailand as a destination of choice for international travellers from the German speaking regions of Europe"

not that big market: germany, austria, some swithzerland, less than 100mln

It isn't the best and most popular destination for the head of the Shinawatra family just yet, and may he forever hold his time-piece, as time peace doesn't exist to the scrawny tw@it!

-mel.

Thai Airways = best Asian airline

Omg wot's the competition like? To be fair, they do fly on time quite often

Edited March 16, 201214 yr by Reasonableman

I thought Thai Airways was government owned and not private?

Didn't Thailand or TAT recently pay Go Asia a butt load of money for a tourism campaign shortly after floods. Not sure they have a whole lot of credibility.

Edited March 16, 201214 yr by ttelise

Were the tourists interviewed before or after they were here?

It won't be anymore if the BBC continues to mangle the news. Last night I heard their anchor referring to the story about the Thai guy who found his lost dog in that lorry load of dogs rescued in transit to Vietnam. "He managed to save his dog from ending up on the dinner tables of Thailand". Forget tsunamis, forget floods, forget violence on the street; nothing could be better calculated to remove tourists than a belief that Thais eat dogs.

nothing could be better calculated to remove tourists than a belief that Thais eat dogs.

?? Many do - ever been to Sakhon Nakhon??

I wish that you were right, but eating dogs doesn't seem to hurt Vietnam's tourist numbers.

What a pile of publicity hype,financial induced froth. The organization gets free holidays for putting the country at number one

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Edited March 17, 201214 yr by KKvampire

Were the tourists interviewed before or after they were here?

Or do you mean before or after the immigration queue?

I'm not suprised at all. There is so much to see and do in this beautiful country and the people are much more warm and welcoming to foriegners than in other parts of Asia - especially China. This is a country with problems like many, and has one of the most corrupt and incompetent governments that exist on the planet. But LOS still has its charms and I see that every time I look at my beautiful wife who embodies the best the Kingdom has to offer.

It's nice to see a nice favorable message for a change.

Any place has it's ups and downs. Could be a lot worse.

Thai women, imho the most beautiful in the world. Indeed, a major redeeming factor, but also a very mixed blessing for the country.

oh come on , not everything is that bad here ..... except maybe thai airways ...I always thought Singapore airlines and Cathay were the best Asian airlines ... as a former passengers on TG I gave up some time ago for their louzy biz class ...But its true anyway Thailand is one of the best Asian destination ...if you remove the : hookers, scams, traffic, taxi scams , jet ski scams , the rest is nice , great diving , excellent food , beautiful beaches ( there are still some) nice weather . .

As mentioned above, consider the competition. Not that great.

nothing could be better calculated to remove tourists than a belief that Thais eat dogs.

What's wrong with eating dog? As long as it's not diseased, often much healthier than other meats, especially beef and pork.

I wish that you were right, but eating dogs doesn't seem to hurt Vietnam's tourist numbers.

In Belgium they even eat horse meat.... Nothing wrong with that! In China they eat human foetusses... In Japan they eat whales and dolphins... the list is endless!

What award was given to the tuk-tuk maffia from Phuket and the water-scooter-scammers?

I'm not suprised at all. There is so much to see and do in this beautiful country and the people are much more warm and welcoming to foriegners than in other parts of Asia - especially China. This is a country with problems like many, and has one of the most corrupt and incompetent governments that exist on the planet. But LOS still has its charms and I see that every time I look at my beautiful wife who embodies the best the Kingdom has to offer.

aren't you a bit biased? a bit partial? Your beautiful Thai wife is for sure tilting the balance in the Thai favour....

Belief in Thailand is like a religion, it is an act of faith, not of facts.

...by Go Asia, a marketing network that specialises in marketing Asia as a destination for travellers. They make their money providing this kind of news feed. Why should they be interested to reflect the truth?

I'm bored by all these industry clowns creating awards and rankings and giving the prices to themselves.

It won't be anymore if the BBC continues to mangle the news. Last night I heard their anchor referring to the story about the Thai guy who found his lost dog in that lorry load of dogs rescued in transit to Vietnam. "He managed to save his dog from ending up on the dinner tables of Thailand". Forget tsunamis, forget floods, forget violence on the street; nothing could be better calculated to remove tourists than a belief that Thais eat dogs.

On the BBC News site today they have resurrected the story of the Cambridge couple and their problems with KIng Power. Look under Most Popular stories. I wouldn't care if the item was put on permanent view.

Completely shut down the sex bars and massage parlours for 60 days and see how the tourist industry rates then......

Belief in Thailand is like a religion, it is an act of faith, not of facts.

Perfectly summed up

It won't be anymore if the BBC continues to mangle the news. Last night I heard their anchor referring to the story about the Thai guy who found his lost dog in that lorry load of dogs rescued in transit to Vietnam. "He managed to save his dog from ending up on the dinner tables of Thailand". Forget tsunamis, forget floods, forget violence on the street; nothing could be better calculated to remove tourists than a belief that Thais eat dogs.

On the BBC News site today they have resurrected the story of the Cambridge couple and their problems with KIng Power. Look under Most Popular stories. I wouldn't care if the item was put on permanent view.

At least the BBC makes the effort to tell the public in their country about the scams and the hazards of Thailand which is more than the British FCO in Uk or Bangkok do.

Not sure how much creedence you can give a poll that rates TAT as Asia's best tourism board.