Chiang Mai, 15 June, 2017 – The 16th Thailand Travel Mart 2017 Plus Amazing Gateway to the Greater Mekong Subregion (TTM+) has reported a strong turnout of quality buyers and sellers at the event, held from 14 to 16 June, in the Chiang Mai International Exhibition and Convention Centre (CMECC).
Held for the second time in the northern capital of Thailand, the Thailand Travel Mart 2017 reported a registration of 388 buyers from 56 countries and 421 booths representing tourism products and services from Thailand and the GMS countries.
The 388 buyers included 245 hosted, 81 international, 35 domestic and on-site registrations 27. Of these, 195 were first-time participants and the remaining 193 repeaters.
One of the highlights of the buyer profile was the large turnout from potential new markets of the future, including Iran (8), Saudi Arabia (8) and Belarus (10), Czech Republic (4) Kazakhstan (2), Ukraine (2), and one each from Bulgaria, Slovakia, Kosovo, Lithuania and Serbia.
The top five markets are China (59), UK (29), India (23), Australia (22) and Italy (13).
The sellers comprise hotels and resorts (272), tour operators and travel agents (30), GMS (13), entertainment (11), sustainable tourism (8), associations (14), NTOs (5), other travel services (5) and sustainable tourism (8).
Mr. Yuthasak Supasorn, Governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) said, “We are very pleased with the continued high level of interest in Thailand and Northern Thailand in particular. We have finalised some very interesting events, activities and tours for the buyers which I am sure will go a long way towards helping them better promote Chiang Mai and Northern Thailand to their clients.”
Now in its 16th consecutive year, this year’s Thailand Travel Mart is held under the theme concept, “Delivering Unique Experiences”.
The Thailand Travel Mart 2017 was opened on 14 June at 14.00 Hrs. followed by the forum for Sellers and Buyers and then Local Tourism Product Presentation. The trade show are scheduled on 14-16 June at the CMECC.
In the evening of 14 June, the welcome reception was held at CMECC. On 15 June (today), a “Lanna Night” reception will be hosted by the Upper Northern Provincial Cluster. The “TTM+ 2017: Thank You Party” will be held on the last day, 16 June, at CMECC.
The decision to maintain Chiang Mai as the venue of the Thailand Travel Mart for the second consecutive year was designed to ensure that buyers and media get yet another chance to explore the many unique emerging cultural and natural attractions of North Thailand and the border countries of Myanmar and Lao PDR.
It is also part of the TAT’s strategy to better balance the distribution of visitors nationwide. Although the vast majority of visitors head for Thai beach resorts along the southern and eastern coastlines, the future potential lies in the North and Northeast Thailand region, which is set to offer its connecting routes to the neighbouring countries of Cambodia, Lao PDR., Myanmar, and Vietnam.
Thailand recorded international visitor arrivals of 14.61 million in Jan-May 2017, up 3.20 per cent over the same period of 2016, generating an estimated 747 billion baht in tourism receipts (+5.07 per cent), according to preliminary figures announced by the Ministry of Tourism and Sports.
In 2017, the TAT has set a target of 35.7 million international visitors, generating an estimated 1.81 trillion Baht (US$50 billion) – a 10 per cent year-on-year increase – in international tourism receipts.
