Plea for govt to help end slump

Travel operators in the North have called on the government to encourage the tourism industry by adding more magnet destinations and more overseas marketing campaigns.

Three mega-projects needed for Chiang Mai, the centre of the North, are building a convention centre, relaunching the Royal Flora Expo and promoting the Night Safari as a new magnet.

Travel operators also proposed to the government better mass transportation, more international direct flights and new marketing strategies.

Hoteliers and associations representing eight provinces in the upper northern region expressed their needs to Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej, Tourism and Sports Minister Weerasak Kowsurat and local officials at a meeting in Chiang Mai last Saturday.

Kanok Suwanasut, president of the Thai Hotels Association for the northern region, said the tourism business had been declining significantly for years since the recovery of tourism in the South, hit by the tsunami in 2004.

"The average hotel occupancy rate in Chiang Mai is as low as only 25-40 per cent nowadays while more than 12,000 rooms are in oversupply," said Kanok.

In order to boost tourism, the association is inviting more airlines to service direct flights into Chiang Mai.

"Another measure is to build a natural gas pipeline from outer provinces into Chiang Mai to reduce energy and operation costs. This would attract more visitors due to much lower travel expenses," said Weeravuth Sookhkawatako, chairman of Chiang Mai Federation of Thai Industries.

He also called on officials to revise the entrance fees for tourist attractions to a single fee for both locals and tourists in order to draw more visitors.

Chiang Mai Tourism Business Association vice president Vorapong Muchaotai said operators had urged government agencies to promote tourism overseas, particularly South Korea, Japan and the Middle East.

"Chiang Mai can be promoted as a honeymoon and golf destination. It is also famous for cultural and adventure activities as well as handicrafts," said Vorapong.

One new attraction is the Chiang Mai Aquarium, scheduled to open in October and expected to reclaim many visitors.

As a part of the Chiang Mai Zoo, the aquarium will be the world's longest tunnel aquarium with 8,000 fish and 250 other marine species displayed in two compartments of fresh and salt water. Each compartment will be 700 metres long.

The aquarium will be the largest in Asia with a large dome to accommodate animal displays and conference rooms. Construction work is more than 90-per-cent complete.

The cost of development is Bt600 million, shared by the zoo organisation and private company Marinescape, which has been investing in similar projects in other provinces.

The aquarium can accommodate up to 1,000 visitors at any one time. Foreigners are expected to make up more than 40 per cent of visitors. The operator will charge entry fees of Bt180 for locals and Bt380 for foreigners.

The opening of the aquarium will be later than initially scheduled due to budget planning problems and construction slowdowns.

Tourism and Sports Minister Weerasak said Airports of Thailand would extend landing incentives for Korean Air to keep its operations between Chiang Mai and South Korea.

The ministry is also working with the Tourism Authority of Thailand to build tourism clusters in northern provinces.