TAT blitz “helping to change perceptions’

PHUKET: Tour operators and journalists from eastern Europe have changed their perceptions of post-tsunami Phuket after seeing the effects for themselves, Suwalai Pinpradab, Director of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) office in Phuket has told the Gazette.

“The journalists have been to Krabi, too,” said K. Suwalai. “They were very surprised to see Phi Phi Island, and Maya Bay, and said things were very different from what they had seen on TV at home. They thought the whole of Phuket was destroyed.”

Charter flights between Russia and Phuket ended after the tsunami, but, said K. Suwalai, some tourists were now travelling to Phuket via Bangkok.

The TAT Director was speaking after meeting 23 journalists from Russia and Ukraine at the Sheraton Grande Laguna Phuket yesterday.

She outlined plans for attracting tourists to Phuket from elsewhere in Asia, including the rest of Thailand.

“We’re going to promote Phuket as a destination for Thais, as well as people from China, Hong Kong and Korea, and we expect this to do well before the next high season,” she said.

“We also plan to exploit the meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) market to bring Thai people here during the green season.”