TAT Seoul – the Tourism Authority of Thailand’s office in Seoul, South Korea, joined ‘Team Thailand’ to represent the Thai kingdom at the 2008 Korea World Travel Fair (KOTFA 2008) held at COEX Mall in Seoul, South Korea. (June 5-8).

‘Team Thailand’, the Thai delegation to KOTFA 2008 headed by the Thai Ambassador to South Korea, H.E. Mr. Vasin Teeravechyan, included representatives from the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), the Royal Thai Embassy in Seoul, the Defence Attache' Office, the Office of Commercial Affairs, Thai Airways International, the Labour Department and other state agencies. The Thai delegation also consisted of representatives from the provincial tourism associations and private sector businesses involved in the promotion of travel, tourism, hospitality and MICE (meetings, incentive travel, conventions and exhibitions).

In addition to TAT, the national tourism organizations from over 20 countries, including China, Japan, Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, USA, Canada, Turkey, were also present at the fair. KOTFA 2008 attracted over 80,000 participants.

TAT’s 90-square-metre exhibition booth at KOTFA 2008 was specially-constructed in the form of a traditional Thai pavilion, or sala, providing the perfect backdrop for various cultural presentations and tourism promotion activities presented by Team Thailand. In addition to the breathtaking photographic portraits depicting the magnificent scenic landscape of destinations around the Thai kingdom, such as Krabi, Samui, Chiang Mai, Phuket and Bangkok, visitors to the Thai pavilion were treated to live demonstrations of traditional Thai massage, the making of krathong banana-leaf floats and Thai classical performances.

As a result of this all-out effort by TAT Seoul and Team Thailand to promote travel to Thailand by presenting a magnificent showcase of Thai culture under the ‘Amazing Thailand’ theme, Thailand won the “Best Booth Design” and “Best Folklore Performance” awards.

Thai participation in KOTFA helped raise public awareness and generated interest in travel to Thailand. Korean visitors do not need a visa to travel to Thailand. Based on TAT forecasts for 2008, Thailand will welcome over 1,000,000 visitors from South Korea.

During their visit to South Korea, Team Thailand also organized the 2008 Thailand Festival and Roadshow to Seoul and Phusan on June 10 and 11. Participants from the Thai private sector included representatives from hotels, resorts and spas, tour operators, golf courses, theme parks, other travel related businesses and provincial tourism associations. A travel trade meet, a key element of the roadshow programme, provided a forum for representatives from the 37 participating Thai organisations to meet with more than Korean travel and tourism organizations.

Team Thailand also hosted ‘Thailand Night’ in Seoul on 10 June and in Pusan on 12 June. With Thailand and South Korea celebrating the 50th anniversary of Thai-Korean diplomatic ties, the 2008 ‘Thailand Night’ was a very special occasion. The grand cultural extravaganza hosted by Team Thailand featured an impressive presentation of Thai art and culture and the performing arts including the majestic Khon masked dance, Thai cuisine, live demonstrations of traditional Thai massage, parasol-painting from the Northern province of Chiang Mai, as well as traditional Thai martial arts.

For the over 500 distinguished guests, including the ambassadors of various countries, Korean corporate executives and media representatives who attended the event, this was a night to remember.

Contact information:
TAT Seoul
Coryo Daeyungak Center Building
RM. No.604, 6th Fl., 25-5, 1-Ka, Chungmu-Ro,
Chung-Ku, Seoul 100-706, Korea
Tel : (82 2) 779 5417, 779 5418, 771 9650
Fax: (82 2) 779 5419
E-mail: info@tatsel.or.kr, tatsel@tat.or.th
Web site: www.tatsel.or.kr