Singapore , 17 August 2009 – The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) today announced that it is highlighting its strong position as a value-for-money destination for visitors from Singapore that is very easy to get for a short holiday. With over 569,000 Singaporean tourists visiting Thailand in 2008, Thailand is one of the country's top tourism destinations. Singaporean visitors to Thailand prefer gateway destinations, especially Bangkok and Phuket, followed by Chiang Mai and Ko Samui.

There is a trend towards some segments of Singaporeans visiting secondary destinations such as Chiang Rai, Lampang, Hua Hin and Cha-am, Kanchanaburi, Korat and the Northeast region, which attract adventure seekers, golfers, young travelers and visitors who want to spend more time exploring Thailand . Short-haul holidays are also important as Singaporeans want to take a few short breaks over long weekends and during festivals rather than a lengthy holiday.

“The TAT's marketing strategy for Singapore is to position Thailand as a popular destination with strong branding that delivers tremendous value for money. It's easily accessible for several short visits during the year, especially with 210 flights per week between Singapore and Thailand by seven leading and low-cost airlines, and with many travel packages available from tour operators,”, said Mrs. Juthaporn Rerngronasa, Deputy Governor for Marketing Communications for the Tourism Authority of Thailand.

She added that the TAT's research for the Singapore market shows prudent spending to be a priority for most travelers, so they are looking for bargain destinations. Short-haul holidays are also important as Singaporeans prefer to take a few short breaks over long weekends and during festivals rather than lengthy holidays.

The TAT's strategy is to position Thailand as a popular destination with strong branding that delivers tremendous value for money. Easily accessible, Thailand offers the opportunity for several visits of a few days during the year, especially with the choice of airlines.

“We will continue to reinforce what Singaporeans love about Thailand – the unique Thai hospitality and the strong brand association of the ‘ Land of Smiles '. Thailand is regarded as a close neighbour with warm and friendly people, a rich cultural heritage, plenty of seafood and Thai cuisine, a shopping paradise and many attractions that are unique to the country. We will also promote the many ‘Unseen Attractions' that Thailand offers to expand the Singaporean visitors' experience beyond the key preferred destinations. In terms of safety and security, we will continue to highlight the advances the government is making in maintaining stablility,” said Mrs. Rerngronasa.

In 2008, Thailand welcomed around 14.5 million international visitors, which represented growth of 0.5% and revenue of around 15 billion US Dollars. The TAT is projecting 13.25 million visitors this year. There were some 5.6 million visitors during the first five months of 2009. Around 185,736 of these visitors were from Singapore .

To reinforce Thailand 's positioning as a renowned cost-effective destination, the TAT has introduced the “Amazing Thailand Amazing Value” campaign. It reinforces the value for money that Thailand offers for travel to one of the world's recognized quality destinations. Thailand 's value and quality positioning has been validated by independent parties. Futurebrand's Country Brand Index ( CBI ) ranked Thailand as the world's best “brand” in terms of value for money for 2008, for the third consecutive year. A recent CNN International online consumer survey saw Thailand chosen as “the best value for money” for travelers in the Asia-Pacific region.

The TAT has introduced many initiatives to drive tourism growth. For example, the “Package Tour for Transfer Passengers” lets travelers who stop over at Suvarnabhumi International Airport for six to 12 hours take special short tours, such as a visit to the Grand Palace and Emerald Buddha; traditional Thai massage treatments; a boat cruise through the Thonburi canals; or a visit to the Erawan Museum . The TAT is confident these travelers who sample Thailand 's attractions will want to return for a longer stay.

Recent TAT activities geared to Singaporean travelers included Thai culture by participating in the International Chingay Parade, Singapore's celebration of diverse nationalities; holding the “Creatively Thai 2009” in early June, in partnership with the Office of Trade Promotion to promote Thai fashion products; and boosting consumer awareness through bus ads including body wrap and in-bus advertising featuring the Amazing Thailand Amazing Value concept.

Other TAT marketing activities in Singapore include front-line marketing through tour operators here in Singapore; advertising campaigns that highlight all that Thailand has to offer; media visits to Thailand to provide a first-hand tourism experience; and participation in events such as the NATAS Holidays Consumer Event at Singapore Expo during 29-30 August; the ITB Asia Trade Event that will take place at Suntec during 21-23 October, and the NATAS Travel Consumer Event that happens in February 2010 at Singapore Expo.

A recent initiative to tap into the short-haul market for travelers from Singapore as well as other nearby countries is the “72-hours in Thailand ” campaign. Conducted in co-operation with MasterCard, it consists of guidebooks that offer ideal itineraries for a weekend break, combined with exclusive privileges and special offers for accommodations, restaurants and attractions. The current focus is “72 Hours in Hua Hin”, a beach resort on the Gulf of Thailand .

“The future remains very promising for Thailand as a tourist destination, as we develop more travel and tourism products across a variety of market segments. This includes medical and wellness tourism; Thai tourism such as eco-tourism, social tourism, and cultural and historical travel; golf tourism that covers Thailand's 217 golf courses; cycling tours; and weddings and honeymoons. Thailand will capitalize on its existing tourist attractions and develop new ones to remain a special place for a truly amazing holiday,” concluded Mrs. Rerngronasa.

Key activities for visitors during the second half of 2009:

7 th Bangkok International Film Festival (24-30 September):

The TAT is proud to continue its support for the BKKIFF. It will offer a fresh and exciting program of 80 films from all over the world. There will be two competitive sections – the Main Competition featuring films by first and second-time directors, plus the Southeast Asian Competition with films from around the region.

PTT Thailand Open 2009 (26 September – 4 October):

Rafael Nadal, the world's number one-ranked tennis player, will play in the PTT Thailand Open along with many other world-class players. While in Thailand , Rafael and seven of his best friends will enjoy a relaxing holiday in beautiful Krabi province.

Loi Krathong Festival (2 November):

Loi Krathong is also known as the Festival of Lights. Under the full moon of the twelfth lunar month, people all over Thailand release ornately-decorated banana leaf floats into rivers and waterways that reflect the light of thousands of candles. Loi Krathong is one of the Kingdom's oldest and best-preserved traditions that always enchants visitors.

Phuket King's Cup Regatta (28 November – 5 December):

Thailand is becoming a major centre of marine tourism including yachting, cruises and water sports events. This December, Thailand will host “The 23 rd Phuket Kings' Cup Regatta,” Asia 's biggest and most popular sailing event. Thailand is also home to the Pattaya Regatta in May, Samui Regatta in June and Hua Hin Regatta in July.

3 rd Thailand International Balloon Festival (3-6 December):

More than 60 hot-air balloons from countries from around the world including Malaysia, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Austria, Sweden, Denmark, South Africa and Croatia will take part in this spectacular event. The Festival will be set at Wat Maheyong and Wat Chang, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya. Meanwhile, another balloon festival, “Pattaya International Balloon Fiesta 2009” will be held during 10-13 December 2009.

4x4 Caravan:

To boost land tourism, there will be a 4x4 caravan tour on the southern E-sarn route during the Christmas Festival. It will also join the Star Festival in Nakhon Panom to boost Thailand as a main gateway to Indochina . This will broaden land tourism to other regions and increase the number of driving tourists visiting Thailand .

Countdown 2010 (31 December):

With exciting activites taking place from Bangkok to beachfronts, Thailand is the perfect place to ring in the New Year. The TAT will be arranging special countdown promotions that it will announce towards the end of the year.