Thailand favourite Asia-Pacific country
Bangkok Post: 4 Feb 2010
TRAVEL Titbits
Thailand still favourite 
Thailand retained its position as "the favourite country" in Asia-Pacific for the third year running in 2009, concludes a survey by Wotif.com, a specialist in online accommodation.
From bookings and other data compiled last year, Wotif's Executive General Manager Asia Sii Eawsakul said the tough economic climate and internal political strife failed to prevent Thailand from going on top of the list, where it was followed by Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia and Indonesia.
The leading destinations in Thailand were Bangkok, Phuket, Koh Samui, Chiang Mai and Pattaya - in that order.
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Tourism set to rebound, says UNInternational tourism is expected to grow 3-4% per cent this year, according to the UNWTO's publication World Tourism Barometer.
"The results of recent months suggest that recovery is underway, and even somewhat earlier and at a stronger pace than initially expected," said UNWTO Secretary-General Taleb Rifai.
International tourist arrivals declined worldwide by 4% in 2009 to 880 million, but it represents a slight improvement on the previous estimate as a result of the 2% upswing in the last quarter of 2009.
By region, Asia is expected to continue showing the strongest rebound, while Europe and the Americas are likely to recover at a more moderate pace.
Growth is expected to return to the Middle East while Africa will continue its positive trend benefiting from the extra boost provided by the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa.
The year 2010 is regarded as a "year of transformation" as business and consumer confidence are expected to pick up, he said. However, there are also some challenges such as unemployment, unstable oil prices and security threats.
"The (tourism) sector can make a vital contribution to economic recovery, particularly as a primary vehicle for job creation and the transformation to a green economy. But to do so we need serious global policies that are supportive of tourism," said Rifai.
For more information, visit
http://www.unwto.org/facts/eng/barometer.htm.-------------
'Feel the Warmth'"Southeast Asia: Feel the Warmth" is a new online campaign designed to attract tourists to the region, especially those from the United Kingdom, Australia, North America, India and Hong Kong.
Inaugurated by ministers of the 10-nation Asean meeting in Brunei last week the campaign, launched via the website SoutheastAsia.org, brings together Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Burma, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Brunei and Vietnam.
Brunei's Minister of Industry and Primary Resources Pehin Dato Yahya said that in launching the campaign online, Asean took note of the significance consumers now put to modern search tools and user-generated content, the importance of authenticity and warmth factor in travellers' decision-making process, and the tremendous opportunities that Southeast Asia offers to visitors interested in exploring niche themes such as culture, adventure, shopping, ecotourism, island holidays, train travel, spa, culinary experiences, river and sea cruises, and the likes.
The website, complete with interactive maps, will allow travellers to research, plan and book their holidays, and also enable them to submit their text, videos, comments and reviews.
Lonely Planet, meanwhile, has supplied information on 8,000 attractions and things to do in Southeast Asia.
In-flight service
Oman Air plans to provide in-flight mobile phone and wi-fi connectivity on its new Airbus A330s starting the middle of this month.
The service will allow passengers to send or receive calls, SMS and email or browse the web via their mobile phones, said the airline CEO Peter Hill.
"For many travellers, the ability to communicate via phone, SMS, email or internet is a vital part of everyday life and staying in contact with friends, family or colleagues will constitute huge benefits for Oman Air's customers," he said.
Using Honeywell's SwiftBroadband (SBB) solution, the service can support any computer and phone devices including iPhones or Blackberries, he said, noting that the Airbus fleet will also have new in-flight entertainment systems offering four channels of live TV, audio and video on demand, iPod connection and USB ports.
For details, visit
http://www.omanair.com.
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Narathiwat flightsOne-Two-Go, a low-cost carrier operated by Orient Thai Airlines, now connects Bangkok and Narathiwat, a southern province bordering the Malaysian state of Kelantan, with a daily flight.
The flight departs Don Mueang Airport at 3pm and arrives in Narathiwat at 4.30pm while the return flight leaves Narathiwat at 5pm and arrives in Bangkok at 6.30pm.
Visit
http://www.fly12go.com for more information.
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Travel fairThe "Thai International Travel Fair 2010" is scheduled Feb 25-28 at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre.
Organised jointly by the Thai Travel Agents Association (TTAA), the Association of Domestic Travel (ADT), and the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), the event will feature some 1,120 booths offering travel and holiday packages, airline tickets and hotel rooms at attractive prices. On sale will be Otop products from all over Thailand as well as travel and diving gear.
The fair will run 10am to 9pm.
Call TTAA at 02-214-6175/8 or visit
http://www.ttaa.or.th for more information.
http://www.bangkokpost.com/travel/travelnews/32278/tourism-set-to-rebound-says-un
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