20% discount offered to lure back tourists

Packages with free services, tours aim to draw 100,000

To offset the drop in tourists, particularly from the US and Europe due to the impact of the US-Iraq war, Thai tourism agencies have come up with special packages discounted 20% to attract travellers.

Besides the lower prices, the packages will have more value-added features with free services such as spa treatment and give-away tours.

The packages would be introduced in China, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Australia and New Zealand, said Sonthaya Khunpluem, the tourism and sports minister.

The promotion is expected to lure about 100,000 additional tourists, generating 2.4 billion baht in foreign exchange in the next three months.

Besides the tour packages, the government and private tourism groups plan roadshows in China, Malaysia, Singapore, Japan, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Australia and South Korea.

Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak will lead the roadshow in April in the southern part of China and will also sign an agreement with tour agencies in Japan to attract tourists, particularly in the Mice (meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions) market.

Mr Sonthaya said the discount tour packages were a co-operative effort among Thai Airways International and other related agencies, while the Tourism Authority of Thailand would handle marketing, the budget for which has not been set.

Tasnai Sudasna Na Ayudhya, THAI's executive vice-president for commercial affairs, said the national carrier's overall load factor had dropped to 70% from 75% since the war started and when compared with the same period last year.

On US routes, the number of passengers has dropped by 19% while Japanese passengers fell by 10% and the European market declined 5-6%.

Mr Tasnai said that THAI would introduce packages to boost the Japanese market but it had no immediate plan to promote its US routes as the American market was still stagnating due to the war.

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BANGKOK POST, MARCH 28, 2003