TTM gets a plan B
May 6, 2010 by Chanida Sa-ngiamphaisalsuk
Filed under News
Tourism Authority of Thailand’s contingency plan for Thailand Travel Mart, if the red-shirt stand-off continues in downtown Bangkok, calls for a postponement rather than a change of venue.
When asked what it would do if the red-shirt protests continue well into May and travel advisories continue to prohibit travel to Thailand, officials said they were still committed to hosting the show in Bangkok.
Switching to Pattaya or Phuket was not on the radar, they said. The event is scheduled for 2 to 4 June at IMPACT Muang Thong Thani, Nonthaburi province, just 30 km north of the city centre.
However most of the hotels contracted to provide accommodation for buyers and media are in downtown Bangkok and around the protest area.
Tourism Authority of Thailand governor, Suraphon Svetasreni, confirmed the decision to stay with Bangkok, last week, but he did concede the TTM might be postponed if trouble continues. He reaffirmed the agency had no intention of considering a different venue.
“I still believe that the situation will not last that long. Buyers attendance is promising,” he said. There are 353 buyer applications, but it is still not clear how many of them will upgrade to firm bookings.
TAT’s confident view is not shared by the private sector in yet another glaring example of how far the government agency is adrift from industry thinking.
Association of Thai Travel Agents president, Surapol Sritrakul, said one month was not be enough time for foreign business buyers to decide whether they should come or not. With the travel advisories in place and the lack of business that can be sent to Thailand over the next six months, they may consider it a waste time and investment.
However, he insisted the TTM plus should occur this year, but only when the political was clear and all rallies had ended in the capital.
“If it is postponed by two months that would be fine, even as far forward as September or October would be okay,” said Mr Surapol.
The latest report indicates a 12% decline in seller participation from 405 organisations last year to 355 sellers. The registration breaks down into 257 hotels and resorts, 46 tour operators, one airline, three eco and adventure operators, 11 in the wellness and spa categories, 11 in entertainment and culture and two golf courses.
At the Greater Mekong Sub-region booth area, there are now 12 organisations, including NTOs, plus private sector companies — one from Laos, three from Vietnam, six from Myanmar and two from Cambodia. Cambodia Ministry of Tourism confirmed last week it will take two booths.
With only about 3 weeks left before the opening of this year’s TTM+ it should be about time making the final decision about the venue should go on as planned or be postponed. We sellers have paid for our booths (money I know that no matter what will not be wasted), but are also producing handouts and other material meant for the fair and should have a fair chance of saving our expenses on those issues for the time being. Buyers are in most cases hosted, either officially or by agents’ and hotels and can deal with an cancelation or rescheduling on much shorter notice. My plea to TAT is to make the decision during this week whatever it then might be.