Fetta wants a review of TAT board decisions
October 21, 2009 by Chanida Sa-ngiamphaisalsuk
Filed under News
The Federation of Thai Tourism Associations has asked the Minister of Tourism and Sports, Chumpol Silapa-archa, to solve conflicts and has warned the Tourism Authority of Thailand’s board of directors to review decisions that caused discord in the industry.
Fetta was commenting on recent TAT staff protests over the TAT board resolution, 15 September, over a reshuffle of top officials.
It forced the resignation of board chairman, Weerasak Kowsura, but TAT staff continued their protest and have given the board a deadline (21 October) to review their decisions.
“There are even suggestions that TAT will go on strike,” said Fetta spokesperson, Charoen Wangananont.
Fetta wants the TAT board to come under a review particularly with reference to the selection process.It b elieves that private sector representatives assigned to the board are not representative of the industry.
That view has its roots in the split and breakdown of relations between the Tourism Council of Thailand and Fetta. The latter believes the TAT board representatives from hotels and travel agencies do not have a mandate from their industries to sit on the board.
“We are asking the TAT Union, the board of directors and the Minister of Tourism and Sports to do something together,” said Fetta honorary committee member, Apichart Sankary.
They requested the Minister of Tourism and Sports to take responsibility and be the one to negotiate a solution.
The latest discord comes as both travel agencies and hotel associations report unprecedented drops in business this year.
Travel agencies put the losses at between 30 and 35%, yet they find themselves embroiled in “petty discord” rather than focusing on the need to be competitive and fight for market share.
According to Thai Hotels Association, hotel occupancy from January to September this year dropped by 22.8% although September did show a rebound of just 5%.
It forecasts the end of this year the decline in occupancy will be in the region of 15 to 20% and tourist arrivals to the country will stand at 11.2 to 11.5 million. The Association of Thai Travel Agents forecasts arrivals will reach 10 to 11 million.
We need a Siam Celebration
The Thai and English versions are on the internet:
Thai Language: http://www.siamcelebration.com
English Language: http://www.backtosiam.com
“Europeans like the ‘Siam’ Image of Thailand” The result of a joint study on the behaviour of European tourists by TAT account winner Leo Burnett and Ipek International; the leading research group in Europe
Ivan Walsh
1.As tourism marketeers, we should not reflect too much about our negative tourism factors because our competitors will laugh at us and cultivate the advantage over us. The conflict in TAT is not the main worrying negative factor that drives our visitors away and we hope it is not difficult to solve this conflict.
The conflict of the people in our country is the most worrying factor and we should speak out loudly to ask them to stop the conflict that really hurts our country.
2. No need to damn anyone or any group in our tourism industry, try to understand each others and be in harmony to drive our tourism forward.
3. TAT staff,tourism private sector and the media should keep watching and tracing the politicians and their actiivities as well as how they interfer in tourism projects leading to corruption which reduces tourism output.