Chiang Rai News
Annual Teachers Convention Converges ChiangRai
Chiangrai Times – According to Dusit Island Resort’s General Manager, Mana Chanhorm, ChiangRai City is about to be invaded by a hundreds of commuter vans and tour buses, 27 August, as more than 1,700 secondary school teachers meet for the their annual conference.
Mana Chanhorm says “We are going to see traffic jams” Already hotels are filling up and we are expecting a full-house for the week beginning 27 August.
Dusit staff led by Mr Mana Chanhorm (middle, back row), General Manager,Mr Mana says positive changes were evident earlier this year as more government related meetings headed to Chiang Rai, boosting the economy after a commercial drought of more than two years.
“We have gone through two very slow years, but there has been a positive turn in the local economy this year, especially for the hotel business that is improving mainly driven by domestic events and leisure travel.”
When the 1,700 school teachers file into the Mae Fah Luang University convention hall for their week-long meeting, Mr Mana estimates there will be another 1,000 to 1,300 family members enjoying the province’s attractions.
“The teachers will bring along their families and I estimate we could have as many as 4,000 domestic tourists in town through to the end of the month.”
Most of the teachers will stay in budget or midscale hotels, but even the up-market properties like the Dusit Thani with its off-peak rate of around Bt2, 400 a night will fill up.
“You can stay three nights in a five-star hotel in ChiangRai for the cost of a single night on Samui island,” Mr Mana explains with some regret.
‘We should be getting a much higher rate for the product we offer.”
Dusit Island Resort is the first Five-Star Hotel to open in ChiangRai on a prime riverside site Despite its years, the property remains in good shape having carved out a respectable events related business and undergone various renovations.
