Wood heads Thailand Skal
March 2, 2012 by TTRweekly Staff
Filed under People, Trade Talk
BANGKOK 2 March 2012: Thailand’s tourism is set for a bumper year. That’s the view of Andrew Wood, the newly-designated National President of Skal in Thailand. Skal is a global tourism industry organisation with almost 20,000 active members in 450 clubs across 85 countries worldwide.
Mr Wood, formerly general manager of the Chaophya Park hotel in Bangkok, is confident that the tourism and aviation in Thailand can bounce back from recent man-made and natural disasters.
“The signs are looking good, with encouraging numbers of business and leisure travellers opting for destinations in Thailand. Hotel rates in Thailand remain remarkably competitive but hoteliers need to maintain higher levels of occupancy throughout the year to regain, and then maintain, profitability.”
Andrew Wood
He was speaking after the Skal International Thailand AGM, in Bangkok, earlier this week, when he was nominated to replace Brian Sinclair-Thompson as national president of Skal in Thailand.
Skal’s regional representation in Thailand remains strong with flourishing organisations providing a wide range of industry networking events in Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Hua Hin, Phuket and Koh Samui.
“Our own challenge in 2012 is to retain members and to attract more representatives from the travel and tourism fraternity to join our organisation. Young Skal in Thailand offers tourism and hospitality students to meet with young professionals and we are fortunate to enjoy the support of top universities such as ABAC,” Mr Wood commented.
He also paid tribute to the work of the late Malai Sakolviphak – considered by many as the ‘father’ of Skal Thailand.
Other Skal members elected to serve on the national committee for 2012/14:
Vice President: Robert Lee (Skal Bangkok); Honorary Vice President and Government/Trade Liaison: Somsak Kiratipanich (Skal Bangkok); Secretary: Brinley Waddell (Skal Bangkok);International Skal Councillor & Director for Young Skal: Scott Smith (Skal Bangkok); PR and Communications: Dale Lawrence (President – Skal Bangkok);Directors: Annette Kunigagon (Skal Chiang Mai); Boris Blobel (Skal Hua Hin) & Michael Biedermann (Skal Samui Island).
