Bid to boost cross-border travel
Thailand and Myanmar are stepping up promotion of cross-border travel, aimed at Western and Middle Eastern markets, as part of plans to stimulate long-haul travel from third countries.
The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) and the Ministry of Hotels and Tourism of Myanmar last week hosted a mega joint familiarisation trip to their countries to promote tourism products and services to European, American and Middle Eastern travellers.
It was part of TAT’s tourism plans set to link tourism with neighbouring countries and to promote cross-border travel in a move toward full implementation of the Asean Economic Community at the end of this year.
Tourism Minister Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul said last week that the tourism scheme would be a win-win for both countries.
It will also allow Thailand to tap the potential of the many long holiday weekends to attract short-staying but high-spending traffic from neighbouring countries, which are all within three to four hours flying time of each other, similar to European countries.
Under TAT’s "Asean for Asean and Asean for All" promotion, some possible linkages have been outlined – Thailand-Myanmar via Yangon, Mandalay, Bagan and Nay Pyi Taw; Thailand-Cambodia via Angkor Wat; and Thailand-Laos via Luang Prabang.
More than 50 tour operators and media from European countries, including the United Kingdom, Germany, Scandinavia, France and Italy, as well as the United Arab Emirates, Israel, the US, particularly Los Angeles and New York, and Canada were invited to join a table top sale in Chiang Mai last week and also a trip to Myanmar.
Elaine Lam, managing director of Jade Travel, based in Stockholm, Sweden, said the new route linking Chiang Mai in the North of Thailand and three major sightseeing attractions in Myanmar could become an interesting route for Swedes as many of them want to see Myanmar.
"Despite many Swedes preferring going to beaches in the southern region, there are many of them who’d love to see the culture and history of both counties, like going to see Angkor Wat in Cambodia," she said.
Carlos Monge, a representative of the Los Angeles travel agency New Act Travel, said the Thai-Myanmar routes could be sold to young travellers and also families in the US market.
Americans don’t come to Thailand and Asean for beaches as they can see all that in their states, but aim to see culture and heritage and traditions.
"Thainess and the way of living in Myanmar are the things Americans want to see," he said.
Adele Engelbrecht, a travel counsellor in the United Arab Emirates, was confident that Myanmar and the North of Thailand would be the new destinations for its customers.
However, the two nations need to improve visa application procedures or speed up immigration work to facilitate the flow of tourist traffic.
