Norway is very promising market for Thailand
160.000 Norwegians travel to Thailand every year according to the Ambassador of the Royal Thai Embassy in Oslo, Mr. Jukr Boon-Long.
The European roadshow of the Tourism Authority of Thailand in the three Scandinavian countries started with a great success and very positive impressions.
Yesterday the Thai delegation consisted of 25 hotels, travel agents and even cruise operators visited Norway and met with 15 key Norwegian buyers.
The general feeling was the Norwegian may be the weakest market among the three Scandinavian countries with Sweden to lead and Denmark to follow but it is very promising.
Thailand is the top Southeast Asia destination for Norwegians who usually travel in groups for family holidays.
Norwegians travel a lot to Indochina where Diethlem is very strong as Mr Tony Champion, Head of Sales & Marketing said and Thailand is a very strong destination, there for Diethlem Travel decided to participate in Oslo’s meetings to present the programs they have for Thailand.
Chatrium works already five years with the Norwegian market and Mr. Panpath Kanlaya, Group Director of Marketing & Sales at Chatrium Hotels & Residence comments that Norwegian market all these years maintain its numbers with a steady growth. Accoding to Mr Kanlaya Norway is a good quality market with family tourists who stay 3-4 nights in Bangkok before they travel in other destinations within the country.
Norwegians travel a lot to Phuket, Krabi and Koh Samui which were represented in the meeting but Pattaya is also a destination which position itself as ideal resort to be combined with Bangkok. As Ms Pratarnporn Phornprapha, Managing Director at Siam@Siam Design Hotels & Resorts and Mr Andreas Grommeck, Director of Sales, Leisure-Europe at the Royal Cliff Hotels Group stressed TAT and major hotel brands, like the ones they represent, do many efforts to leverage the profile of Pattaya as a destination suitable for families. This is why Siam@Siam decided to open a new resot in Pattaya in March 2016 as Ms Pratarnporn said.
A new, very appealing, product for Norwegian market presented to the buyers by Ms Olivia Hinterberg, Sales & Marketing Coordinator at Star Clippers. The company which offers a unique tall ship “mega-yacht” experience aboard authentic re-creations of the classic sailing clipper ships decided to rellocate one of its ships to Phuket on December 2016. Norwegians are very fond of sailing and Star Clippers’ ships are very popular. The ship will sail from December 2016 until April 2017 cruising Phuket-Phuket but also Phuket-Singapore. After April the ship will remain in Asia and start again the next season. The flight connections from Europe to Thailand are very often and offer an excellent value for money so it is more attractive for people to travel to Asia for cruises instead of Carribean according to Ms Hinterberg.
Mr. Jukr Boon-Long, Ambassador of the Royal Thai Embassy in Oslo with Mrs. Juthaporn Rerngronasa Deputy Governor for International Marketing Europe, Africa, Middle East and Americas
TAT delegation with the Mr. Jukr Boon-Long, Ambassador of the Royal Thai Embassy in Oslo.
Earlier the same day, the Ambassador of Thailand in Oslo Mr Jukr Boon-Long received the TAT delegation at his residence and discussed with them the potential of the Norwegian market and the targets of TAT to promote the 12 hidden gems destinations of Thailand. The Embassy already organise every year a big Thai festival which is very popular for Noerwegians and plans many more activities to promote culture, gastronomy and wellness which are among the strongest selling points of Thailand.
