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Hotel and airline operators are upbeat about prospects in 2006
– there are twice the number of long holidays this year than in 2005, which
they hope translate into more people taking to the road.
According to Tassapon Bijleveld, chief executive of Thai AirAsia Co, in
2006 there will be 15 long holidays – meaning holidays that extend weekends
by falling on a Friday or Monday – compared with about seven in 2005.
As a result, the airline expects domestic tourism to grow 20 per cent
this year from last year. Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) projections
are a little more realistic, as it expects Thais to make 79 million domestic
trips, up 4 per cent from 76 million trips in 2005.
Those predictions were made despite some domestic tour operators and
hotel operators in Bangkok predicting that the cost of domestic travel would
increase 10 per cent from last year.
Travellers are expected to use more budget airlines this year as well.
Tassapon said that to cash in on the expected travel bug, budget carrier
AirAsia would start new domestic routes to the resort province of
Krabi in
late January with two flights a day, and Surat Thani by early February with
the same number of flights.
Moreover, the airline plans to add a number of flights from
Bangkok to
Chiang Mai,
Chiang Rai, Hat Yai,
Phuket, Nakhon Si Thammarat and Udon Thani.
“The number of passengers at all domestic airlines travelling to Hat Yai
is expected to surge by 90 per cent compared to 2005, while Phuket will see
40 per cent growth and travel to the rest of the provinces will grow between
20 and 40 per cent,” said Tasapon.
TAT’s governor, Juthamas Siriwan, said the authority would implement its
2006 campaign – Grand Invitation – and organise various events throughout
the year. It will hold the Royal Trophy: Europe VS Asia Golf Championship in
Chon Buri from Jan 5 to 7. Chinese New Year will follow on Jan 29-Feb 3.
TAT will hold the Grand Bangkok International Film Festival from Feb 17
to 27. In March, the agency will run the Grand Music and Dance Festival on
Pattaya Beach from March 17 to 19.
The Grand International Kites Festival will be held in
Hua Hin from March
11 to 15, and the Grand Songkran Festival will be held between April 13 and
15. On May 11, the Royal Ploughing Ceremony will be held in
Bangkok.
In June, the royal barge procession will be held for Bangkok’s 60th
anniversary celebrations of
His Majesty the King’s accession to the throne.
And on July 5-11, the Grand Candle Festival and International Candle Carving
Competition will be held in Bangkok and Ubon Ratchathani.
In the month of August, the high point will be the celebration of Her
Majesty the Queen’s birthday on the 12th.
The Grand International Boat Races are scheduled for Sept 9 and 10 in
Muang Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya.
Come October and there will be another royal barge procession during the
Royal Kathin ceremony on the Chao Praya River in Bangkok.
In November tourists and locals can also look forward to Andrea Bocelli’s
royal concert at the world heritage site in Muang Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya
and the Grand Loi Krathong Festival.
The grand opening of Royal Ratchaphruek 2006 will be held in Chiang Mai
from Nov 1 to 12.
On Dec 5 is the celebration of HM the King’s birthday. The Grand Jazz
Festival in Bangkok will be held on Dec 19 and 20. And finally, the year
will end with the New Year’s celebrations around the country.
But not everybody thinks travel will pick up this year despite the extra
hullabaloo. Chalong Anunyapisit, general manager of Radisson Hotel Bangkok,
predicted that in spite of more long holidays, people might reconsider
vacationing due to the high cost of transportation.
Instead, she said, people would save their money or buy luxury goods
rather than spend it on travel.
As for overseas tourism, Thais are expected to travel to neighbouring
countries, especially Singapore,
Hong Kong and Southern
China.
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