TAT moves to draw more Malaysian tourists

BANGKOK, May 7 (TNA) -- The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) announced that it has plans to increase Malaysian tourists numbers by at least 5 per cent which will contribute to more than 5 billion baht in tourism revenues. Tanes Petsuwan, the TAT deputy governor for Marketing Communications revealed that Malaysian tourists ranks 2nd behind China for the highest number of visitations to Thailand. Last year, 10 million Chinese tourists visited the country with Malaysia contributing to around 3.5 million. Significantly this represents a vast untapped market that the TAT feels it can exploit. Mr Tanes also revealed that he has just returned from the "Open to New Shades" tourism promotion campaign in Kuala Lumpur where he had met with TAT representatives. A preliminary target of 5 per cent increase in Malaysian tourists or approximately 170,000 visitors has been set over last year's 3.5 million Malaysian tourists. If achieved, this target will help the country generate a 5 billion baht increase in revenues over the previous 87 billion baht from Malaysian tourists alone. The primary objective in helping to achieve this will be a campaign to promote greater use of air travel over private automobiles. Currently the ratio of private car to air travel usage by Malaysian tourist is about equal. The TAT is aiming to increase this ratio to 60 per cent in favour of commercial flights. The TAT will be eager to publicise the fact that private car usage in comparison is around 30 per cent more costly than commercial flights and will be promoting this fact to entice more tourists to arrive by air. On average, Malaysian carriers operate around 400 weekly flights into the country. As more and more Malaysian tourists take to flying the TAT's task to promote secondary tourist venues on top of popular destinations - such as Bangkok, Chiang Mai and Phuket, will be made easier. Mr Tanes revealed that he has delegated TAT representatives in Malaysia to launch public relations campaigns to promote new tourist destinations in secondary provinces such as Kanchanaburi, Hua Hin and Prachuab Kiri Khan. (TNA)