Tourism Authority of Thailand Works to Bring More Tourism to Chiang Rai

 

CHIANG RAI – The Tourism Authority of Thailand and operators in Chiang Rai are offering seasonal packages to lure visitors during the coming cool season. Arrivals to the province have plunged since the May earthquake.

Sujitra Jongchansitto, director of TAT for the northern region, said the authority was holding a travel fair in Bangkok at Terminal 21 from today until Sunday. Hotel and travel operators from the province are offering special deals and packages for visitors.

It is hoped that the event will restore tourism businesses in Chiang Rai and neighboring provinces to levels seen before the earthquake. The fair will remind people in Bangkok and other regions that the North will soon feature cool temperatures never enjoyed farther south.

“This is one of the marketing plans to rebuild tourism in Chiang Rai after the quake,” Sujitra said.

TAT ran short-term promotions after the earthquake between May and July, offering one-day packages on seven selected routes priced at Bt1,000 per person, including meals, transport and tour guides. It also organized familiarization trips and press visits in August and September.

Sujitra said the travel fair in Bangkok would help increase the number of visitors to Chiang Rai this year by 10 per cent, from 2.3 million in 2013. Chiang Rai attracts the second-largest number of visitors to the northern region after Chiang Mai.

She said 60 per cent of those visiting Chiang Rai were from other parts of the North. “TAT hopes to see more visitors, especially from Bangkok and the eastern region.”

Some attractions and activities being promoted are organic farms, cycling, adventure tours, typical communities, and tulip fields.

The province is also a gateway to Mae Hong Son and Mae Sot in Tak. Chiang Rai province itself offers the Mae Sai border market.