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Thailand is hosting the World Economic Forum on East Asia 2012 in Bangkok from May 30 to June 1, 2012, and more than 80 delegates were invited to a networking dinner hosted by the Minister of Tourism and Sports with collaboration with the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT). Under the theme “A Night by the Riverside” at Asiatique the Riverfront, Thailand’s newest mega shopping complex, the networking dinner featured sumptuous Thai and international cuisine, as well as charming Thai traditional dance performances including the Lantern Dance and a Northeastern traditional dance.
Earlier in the day, the Travel, Trade & Tourism Summit at World Economic Forum on East Asia 2012, under the topic of “Open Borders: Revitalizing Asia’s Growth through Travel, Trade and Tourism,” opened with remarks by John Moavenzadeh, Senior Director, Head of Mobility Industries, World Economic Forum USA. During several breakout sessions, key leaders in the travel industry discussed collaboration and strategies for the region’s tourism sector. Ideas on policies facilitating travel, sustainable transport, meeting consumer demands and brand strategy were also exchanged among influential decision makers. The sessions ended with the closing remarks by Mr Chumpol Silapa-Archa, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism and Sports of Thailand, followed by the “A Night by the Riverside” event.
“The Ministry of Tourism and Sports and the Tourism Authority of Thailand is delighted to support this event for key players from the tourism industry in the East Asia region to meet and discuss how the countries in the region can formwin-win alliances to be more competitive in the future. It’s also a great opportunity for Thailand to showcase our readiness as a travel hub for the region, building upon our track record as one of the world’s most preferred tourist destinations,” said Mr Chumpol Silapa-Archa, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism and Sports.
Thailand’s strategic location and excellent tourist infrastructure make it a natural hub for travel throughout the countries of the Greater Mekong Sub-region (GMS), which are southern China, Vietnam, Myanmar, Lao and Cambodia. Tourism has been a very important component of the development program for GMS over the last 20 years. The growth that exists today is almost entirely the result of specific policy measures implemented in regional and sub-regional agreements. With the ASEAN Economic Community coming into effect in 2015, the TAT plans to further support improvements of the standards and quality of local tourism operators.
“To remain competitive when the AEC comes into effect, Thai operators must be able to deliver the best possible products and experiences to visitors. This can be accomplished through knowledge and training programs, combined with all the strengths that Thailand offers as a tourism destination. Networking events such as this lead to relationships that can help to strengthen Thai tourism and the sector’s international links,” said Mr. Suraphon Svetasreni, Governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand.
Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.
