Thailand offers ‘a completely different experience’

Thailand is much more than a beach and city destination, a tourism expert in the country has claimed.

People booking holidays to Thailand can expect much more than a traditional ‘drop and flop’ break, it has been claimed.

“[Thailand] is about culture, nature and heritage,” Chris Lee, marketing advisor for the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), commented.

He added that there is an extensive programme of events – particularly for the north of the country – that draws tourists to the region.

“We have got all the elephants up there in the elephant camps, a bit of the Himalayas with some beautiful scenes, butterfly farms, orchid farms and heritage trails in ancient cities,” Mr Lee elaborated.

Last month, TAT announced that its campaign Amazing Thailand, Amazing Value generated 46 per cent more bookings between October and December this year than experienced in the corresponding period in 2008.

The TAT figures showed that, on average, tourists stay in the country for 13 nights.

Earlier in the year American Express Global Foreign Exchange Services reported that UK demand for currencies from long-haul destinations such as Thailand increased in the second quarter of 2009 as holidaymakers travelled further afield to find value on their breaks.

Written by Anthony Nicholson