The Tourism Council of Thailand and the Office of Small and Medium Enterprise Promotion will for the first time lead 50 tour operators to Australia and Singapore this month, to meet with local entrepreneurs.
"We'll start with these two markets to restore the industry," TCT secretary-general Pornthip Hirunkate said yesterday.
Mission members will negotiate business with operators in Sydney before attending the National Association of Travel Agents Singapore Travel Fair, the city-state's largest tourism consumer event, from February 22-28.
Osmep will be the main sponsor for the trip, contributing Bt11 million, while the TCT will pitch in Bt4 million.
Australia is a potential market for boosting arrivals in Thailand, because more airlines are serving Bangkok and Phuket these days, Pornthip said.
Australia's economy was not very affected by the global crisis, and the country has many repeaters who would like to return to Thailand once the political situation calms down.
The Singaporean market also holds high potential for Thailand, as many flights have been added.
Osmep and the TCT expect to boost tourist traffic from both countries throughout this year, but particularly during the low season falling about midyear.
Last year, more than 600,000 Australians arrived in the Kingdom for an average stay of 12 days, while more than 500,000 Singaporeans journeyed here and spent five days.
The TCT plans to host another trip to Shanghai, China about midyear. It will take operators to India and Indonesia this year in a bid to open up those markets.
The TCT will also attempt to boost domestic tourism by holding a cluster-tourism seminar in Pattaya this year, to help operators along the Eastern Seaboard see more business. A few more similar events are also planned for the domestic market throughout the year.
This year, the TCT has targeted 15 million international visitors to the Kingdom, close to the official forecast of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) but short of the Tourism Ministry's prediction of 16 million.
Tourism operators abroad remain worried about Thailand's domestic political problems and wary from the airport closures in Bangkok in late 2008.
"Tourists are really worrying about airport closures. If we don't go tell them the situation is under control, we may lose huge numbers," she said.
Vunsadej Thavarasukha, deputy governor for the domestic market at the TAT, said the authority would hold an Amazing Isaan Travel Fair from February 18-21 at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre in Bangkok.
The fair is expected to stimulate local travel within the country during the low season. Hotels, tour operators and entrepreneurs will offer special deals to visitors at the event.
