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TTM+ 2020 to help position Phuket as a ‘Responsible Tourism destination’

TTM+ 2020 to help position Phuket as a ‘Responsible Tourism destination’

PHUKET: The 19th Thailand Travel Mart Plus Amazing Gateway to the Greater Mekong Subregion (TTM+) 2020, to be held at the Hilton Phuket Arcadia Resort & Spa on June 1-3, will be held under the theme “New Shades of Responsible Travel”, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has announced.

tourismeconomicsnatural-resourcesenvironment
By The Phuket News

Thursday 23 January 2020 03:46 PM


A campaign poster promoting Phuket as a 'Responsible Tourism' destination. Image: TAT

A campaign poster promoting Phuket as a 'Responsible Tourism' destination. Image: TAT

This will be the first time that Phuket has been chosen to host the annual B2B trade show, the TAT proudly noted in a release issued yesterday (Jan 22).

“The 60th anniversary celebrations of the Tourism Authority of Thailand will usher in a new era for Thai tourism. So, it is appropriate that our flagship TTM+ event should follow suit.

“As our second most important aviation gateway city after Bangkok, Phuket is the perfect venue to launch this new era,” TAT Governor Yuthasak Supasorn said in the release.

The event will upgraded with “a broad range of qualitative improvements to minimise its ecological impact while maximising its economic and commercial impact for both buyers and sellers”, the release noted.

“In line with the TAT strategy to focus on sustainable and responsible tourism, this year’s edition will be an entirely ‘green meeting’ and help position Phuket as a Responsible Tourism destination, with zero waste and total environmental protection,” it added.

Mr Yuthasak said that Phuket was chosen as the venue of the TTM+ 2020 because it has all the requisite facilities and services for hosting such an event. It also has necessary support systems in place by both the government agencies as well as the private sector, the TAT added.

A 3,000-square-metre marquee will be installed for use as a business negotiation area, similar in size to the 2018-2019 TTM+ events in Pattaya, Chon Buri province.

The TAT forecasts that 350 quality international buyers and 370 quality sellers will attend the event. “Preference will be given to buyers specialising in Responsible Tourism, Health and Wellness, CBT [community-based tourism] and DMC [destination management companies],” the TAT noted.

The business appointment process has been streamlined by segmenting the appointments into three special niche groups: Responsible Tourism, Health and Wellness, and DMC Tour Operators.

“To enhance the quality of exhibitors, first-time sellers are being give special privileges. Entrepreneurs who give importance to environmental protection are being prioritised along with DMCs, tourist attractions and entertainment venues. Entrepreneurs from emerging destinations and former winners of the Kinnari National Tourism Awards will get a 50% discount,” the TAT noted in its release.

The buyer selection has been streamlined to prioritise high-potential and first-time buyers, especially from emerging markets; such as, Africa, Latin America, Eastern Europe, etc. Repeat buyers will be evaluated on the basis of a positive appointment fulfillment record.

All buyers will then be further scrutinised and approved by a special Buyer Committee, the TAT explained.

Although it the TTM has been mostly held in Bangkok, the TAT has relocated the events to Chiang Mai (2016-17) and Pattaya (2018-19) as part of the strategy to promote provincial destinations, said the TAT in its announcement.

“The TTM+ has proven to be very popular for exhibiting the many creative new travel products and services emerging all around the country and the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS). It is an especially useful platform for Thai tourism small- and medium-sized enterprises to showcase their products to international buyers,” it added.

“Winner of numerous awards, Phuket is one of the world’s most popular international beach resorts, famous for its many beautiful, sandy beaches, world-class golf courses and marine sports, high standard hotels and resorts, as well as excellent health and spa facilities,” the release said.

Buyers and sellers are invited to register for the event online from Jan 30 at https://thailandtravelmartplus.com

Key tourism, tour and hospitality figures in Phuket late last year expressed serious concerns over whether the TAT had pulled the plug on hosting the major B2B event in Phuket after a long period of silence after the official website promoting Phuket as the host destination was pulled down.

However, TAT Phuket Office Director Kanokkittika Kritwutikon in November was able to finally confirm that the TAT remained steadfast in its decision to hold the event in Phuket. (See story here.)