Japan travel giant pushes Phuket

PATONG: Ways to attract more Japanese tourists back to post-tsunami Phuket were top of the agenda during the annual meeting of Japan’s oldest tour company, JTB Corp, at the Diamond Cliff Resort and Spa.

JTB Group President Sano Kazuhisa said JTB was planning to increase its promotion of areas affected by the tsunami, including Phuket, the Maldives, Langkawi, Penang, Sri Lanka and Southern India.

As part of this drive, JTB has organised a “goodwill visit” to Phuket by 200 Japanese people for later this month, as well as literary and art competitions on the subject of Phuket.

Mr Kazuhisa added that this was first time that JTB had held its annual meeting in Thailand, but that it would probably use Phuket as the venue for other events later in the year.