The two ministries recently discussed their cooperation in taking care of tourists to ensure their safety at various sites, such as islands. They will jointly develop an effective communication system and provide training for personnel to take care of tourists and prevent accidents and health hazards from occurring.According to Minister of Tourism and Sports Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul, Thailand aims to become an ASEAN tourism hub in five major areas in 2017, with an emphasis on sustainable tourism growth, the reduction of disparities, distribution of wealth to regional areas, and unique Thai culture. The five areas include Sports Tourism, Medical and Wellness Tourism, Wedding and Romance Tourism, Marine Tourism, and ASEAN Connect.Regarding Sports Tourism, Thailand will continue to attract the world’s global sports competitions to be held in Thailand. The objective is to promote Thailand as a Sports Dream Destination. Thailand also intends to raise its sports … [Read more...] about Developing Thailand as a tourism hub in ASEAN
Thailand as a tourist destination
Private hospitals to be developed in major tourist destinations in Thailand
Government Spokesman Major General Sansern Kaewkamnerd said that the major tourist destinations consist of 10 provinces, namely Bangkok, Phuket, Chiang Mai, Chon Buri, Surat Thani, Songkhla, Krabi, Ayutthaya, Phang-nga, and Prachuap Khiri Khan.The special economic zones are located in five provinces sharing borders with neighboring countries. They include Tak, Mukdahan, Sa Kaeo, Songkhla, and Trat. They are intended to create production bases connecting with ASEAN countries and to develop border towns.According to Major General Sansern, a total of 172 private hospitals in both major tourist destinations and special economic zones will get a major boost, so that more hospitals will meet the standards set by the Joint Commission International and Hospital Accreditation of Thailand.He stated that 50 hospitals in Thailand have been recognized by the Joint Commission International. The number is the highest in ASEAN. Thailand is also well-known for spas, traditional massage, herbal … [Read more...] about Private hospitals to be developed in major tourist destinations in Thailand
USTOA lists Vietnam as top tourist destination in 2013
The next tourist spots on the list are Peru, Cambodia, Brazil, China, Colombia, Costa Rica and Ecuador. Vietnam is ranked second among the emerging tourist spots for international visitors next year in a survey released Tuesday by the United States Tour Operators Association (USTOA), a professional association in the U.S. Around 450,000 Americans visit Vietnam each year, which includes overseas Vietnamese. The fact that Vietnam is listed in the USTOA top list is a good opportunity for Vietnam tourism to show its hidden potential. Furthermore, Vietnam’s name on a U.S. tourism association’s list of tourist destinations that will become popular in 2013 will attract more visitors from the North American country. In a survey in 2012, Vietnam also topped this list. However, the rapid political change in Myanmar turned the South East Asian country into a favorite tourist spot for American travelers. Despite facing a lot of difficulties, Vietnam received more than 6.8 million … [Read more...] about USTOA lists Vietnam as top tourist destination in 2013
Why Vietnam struggles to attract tourists
The number of inbound tourists to Vietnam have fallen 12.8% year-on-year in the four months leading up to May of this year, data from the General Statistics Office (GSO) show. The downtrend began 10 months ago and is likely to continue, according to Vu The Binh, vice president of the Vietnam Tourism Association (VTA).Last year inbound tourism to Malaysia and Thailand shot up more than 20% to 27.4 million and 24.7 million visitors respectively, Binh said— while Vietnam welcomed only 7.8 million foreign arrivals.Tourism in Vietnam actually experienced a negative growth rate in terms of both volume and value for 2014 and lagged miserably far behind other ASEAN member countries, Binh stressed.To add insult to injury, the increasing numbers of outbound tourists suggest that even Vietnamese tourists prefer to travel to countries other than Vietnam, Binh added.“Last year only 136,000 Laotians visited Vietnam while more than 900,000 Vietnamese visited Laos.”“We are … [Read more...] about Why Vietnam struggles to attract tourists
Hai Tac (Pirate) archipelago- a new tourist destination
Hai Tac, literally translated as “Pirate” archipelago, 30 km from Ha Tien Township, is a new tourist attraction in Kien Giang Province. The pristine natural landscapes of this place are amazingly beautiful. In recent years, Ha Tien authorities have invested in Hai Tac archipelago to make it an even more attractive. Hai Tac archipelago comprises 16 islands. Tre Lon Islet sits at the center of the archipelago. The locals subsist on fishing and aquaculture. 70 households are engaged in cage fishing. The sea here between Ha Tien-Rach Gia Bay and Thailand Bay is calm and unpolluted making it favorable for both aquaculture and tourism. Hong Xuan Than says local people are friendly and hospitable: “We always welcome visitors and show them our work. Tourism has generated income for us”. The place intrigues tourists with its “Pirate” name, its white sand beaches, and its turquoise water. Nguyen Thanh Sang is a tourist from An Giang: "My friends … [Read more...] about Hai Tac (Pirate) archipelago- a new tourist destination
Thailand to be developed as a Muslim-Friendly Destination
To be launched on 22 June 2015, the app for IOS and Android will be both an online and offline guidebook that will help Muslim visitors find mosques, halal restaurants and hotels, shopping centers with prayer rooms, and other facilities around the country. It will initially be in Thai and English, and will later be expanded to include Arabic and Bahasa Indonesia, as well.TAT has also produced guidebooks and brochures to help Muslim visitors, such as "Halal Check-in Thailand, which contains a list of halal certified restaurants and Islamic attractions in the southernmost provinces of Yala, Pattani, and Narathiwat.The "Muslim-Friendly Destination” is a pilot project to welcome more Muslim visitors to Thailand. TAT realizes the potential and readiness of Thailand to promote this market. Thailand is already the top destination in Asia for Middle East travelers. Among destinations that are not Muslim countries, it is ranked second in the world by the Global Muslim Travel Index.At … [Read more...] about Thailand to be developed as a Muslim-Friendly Destination
Hot springs in Thailand to be developed as health tourism destinations
The decision was made at a meeting of the Committee on the Development and Promotion of Thailand to Be a Medical and Wellness Tourism Hub, held at the Ministry of Public Health on 1 February 2016. The Khlong Thom Spa City will be opened in the next two years. It will be developed to international standards, with spa services of good quality and different types of herbal plants.Located about 70 kilometers from the town of Krabi, the hot springs in Khlong Thom are in the heart of a small jungle. They offer a great way for visitors to relax. The water here comes from thermal springs, originating deep underground in volcanic chambers. The mineral salts contained in the water are said to help ease a number of ailments.Apart from Krabi, the meeting agreed to develop spa cities in six other provinces, namely Ranong and Phang-nga in the South, Chiang Mai and Lampang in the North, and Ratchaburi and Kanchanaburi in the central region.Natural hot springs have been discovered in several areas … [Read more...] about Hot springs in Thailand to be developed as health tourism destinations
Trade Village Tourism in Vietnam: Increasingly Appealing to Foreign Tourists
For recent years, traditional trade village – based tourism in Vietnam has become more and more appealing to tourists, especially foreign ones. Long-standing values, handicraft creation techniques and direct involvement in the production process are among those inspire tourists to discover. This is also tourism promotion and development policy of many nations in the world. Unique tourism productTraditional trade villages in Vietnam were born a very long time ago and have undergone development together with historical events of the nation. A lot of famous trade villages have well maintained their values ever since establishment, such as Bat Trang ceramic village (in Gia Lam, Hanoi); Phu Lang ceramic village (in Phu Lang commune, Que Vo district, Bac Ninh province); Dong Ky wood carving village; Dong Ho folk painting village (in Thuan Thanh district, Bac Ninh province); Nga Son mat village (in Thanh Hoa province); Non Nuoc stone carving village (in Da Nang); Chau Khe jewelry … [Read more...] about Trade Village Tourism in Vietnam: Increasingly Appealing to Foreign Tourists
Phu Quoc Named as Vietnam’s Top Tourist Destination
Phu Quoc Island has taken pole position in a list of Vietnam’s top ten domestic tourist destinations, according to the results of the ‘Best Brands of Vietnam 2008-2009’ campaign. The campaign, which is slated from September 2008 to January this year, is to be organized by the Sai Gon Giai Phong newspaper and the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, and included a wide range of sectors, from commerce to transport and insurance agencies. This award will lead to the creation of numerous opportunities for the island to attract both tourists and investors, said a representative of Kien Giang Province’s People’s Committee. Phu Quoc is an unspoiled tropical island in the Gulf of Thailand that is just a short flight away from almost all Southeast Asia Cities metropolises. About 70 per cent of the 567 square-kilometer island is blanketed by rain forests and criss-cross rivers and streams. Vietnam plans to develop the … [Read more...] about Phu Quoc Named as Vietnam’s Top Tourist Destination
Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam to form a single destination for investors, tourists
The three-day "CLMVT Forum 2016" hosted by Thailand's Ministry of Commerce brought together some 1,000 participants from the countries involved, as well as experts from Japan and the US.Thai Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha said the power of shared opportunities and the expansion of intra-regional business networks for the development of trade, investment and tourism would make the Mekong countries visible to the world.Viet Nam's deputy Minister of Industry and Trade, Nguyen Cam Tu, said that to make such a seamless region, the countries involved should choose specific fields on which to focus their cooperation, such as food processing or automobile industries.According to the forum, after decades of developing both a large manufacturing base and large sales in Thailand, Japanese companies are now increasing their investment in Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam to take advantage of low labour costs, plentiful natural resources, and new and fast growing markets.Thus, enhanced … [Read more...] about Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam to form a single destination for investors, tourists