Divers splash out on fair

BANGKOK: -- Over 100,000 visitors are expected to attend a four-day diving exhibition next month organised in conjunction with the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) and over 300 diving-related firms.

The Thailand Travel Expo and Thailand Dive Expo 2004 will be held on May 6-9 at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre, said Rirksamai Sukhum, executive vice president of NCC Management and Development Co Ltd.

The exhibition will feature a seminar on diving and underwater photography techniques, as well as many other tourism and diving activities.

“We expect to attract over 100,000 visitors and generate at least Bt200 million in revenue during the four days,” Rirksamai said.

The exhibition would feature about 300 booths, he said, and over 80 per cent of the 10,000-square-metre space has already been allocated.

Juthaporn Rerngronasa, deputy governor of the TAT, said the country would focus on a niche market. The main target was diving enthusiasts from overseas.

“Diving tourists spend about three times more money than general regular tourists, about Bt10,000 per head per day,” Juthaporn said.

“Diving in the Asia-Pacific region has a great potential for growth and could increase by 6 per cent,” said Rick Ray, the Asia-Pacific manager of the Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI). PADI awarded 70,000 diving certificates last year, of which 90-per-cent were earned by foreigners.

“Diving fees in Thailand are still very much cheaper than in other countries. So divers prefer to come here,” said Ray.

--The Nation 2004-04-07

And with the diving season now over until November - is this the best time to hold such a show??