Bizkado

The ten ASEAN countries today launched a new tourism campaign built around the slogan, Southeast Asia: feel the warmth.

A dynamic, new, interactive website, SoutheastAsia.org is being created as the primary marketing tool. The new campaign, officially supported by the 10 Asean tourism
ministers at the Asean Tourism Forum in Brunei today, will immediately target tourists in medium and long haul markets such as the UK, Australia, India, North America and Hong Kong. Southeast Asia: feel the warmth and SoutheastAsia.org will emphasize the warmth of
Southeast Asia’s hospitality and climate and the diversity of the region’s cultural attractions and tourism activities. The ten participating countries are Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos,
Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.

Announcing the campaign today, His Excellency Pehin Dato Yahya, Brunei’s Minister of Industry and Primary Resources, told ASEAN Tourism Forum delegates and media that the new campaign had been built on four principles: “First, the fact that ‘Southeast Asia’ has greater recognition in international source markets than ‘ASEAN’. Second, the trust that online consumers now put in meta-search tools and user-generated content. Third, the importance of authenticity and ‘warmth’ in travelers’ decision making processes. And fourth, the tremendous opportunities that Southeast Asia offers to visitors who are interested in exploring niche themes such as culture, adventure, shopping, ecotourism, island holidays, train travel, spa, culinary experiences, river and sea cruises, and much more.”

Southeast Asia: feel the warmth was jointly created by ASEANTA and the ASEAN Competitiveness Enhancement (ACE) office in collaboration with the ten Asean member countries of Southeast Asia. The region’s national tourism organizations played a key role at each stage of the brand and campaign development.

In January 2009, ACE and ASEANTA signed an agreement to work together on a new branding and marketing campaign that would encourage travelers to visit multiple Southeast Asian destinations, stay longer, and spend more money in the region. Since then, ACE has created alliances and agreements across the public and private sectors to build the campaign. For example, for SoutheastAsia.org, Lonely Planet is supplying insights and practical
information on more than 8,000 travel attractions and things to do in Southeast Asia.

The Nation, 25-01-2010

A Thai Cabinet resolution, yesterday, approved the extension of most of the tourism stimulus measures that were introduced last year.

The special measures extended until 31 March 2011 include: Visa fee waiver for foreigners from all nationalities; reduction of landing and parking fees; Budgets for government units to hold seminars and meetings up-country; reduction of utility fees for hotels; 200% tax refund for expenses on accommodation and meals linked to company meetings and training sessions in the country; and the US$1 per head tourist insurance scheme will continue cover disruption of travel due to political disturbances until 31 March 2011.

The special measures were first introduced after Bangkok’s airport closure in late November 2008.

Raimond Land
March 2010

* Published: 2/03/2010 at 04:07 PM
* Online news: Breakingnews

The cabinet has agreed to continue measures to stimulate the tourism sector for another year, as proposed by the Ministry of Tourism and Sports, deputy government spokesman Watchara Kannika said on Tuesday afternoon.

The assistance was due to terminate at the end of next month.

The measures are;

1) Visa fee exemption for foreign tourists
2) Helping state agencies hold seminars and field trips in the country to boost domestic spending
3) Cutting the electricity consumption guarantee fund for hotel operators
4) Reduced aircraft landing and parking fees
5) Providing free-of-charge riot protection insurance worth US$10,000 for each foreign tourist, and
6) Allowing business operators who organise domestic seminars, training courses and tourist destination trips for employees to deduct the cost for tax purposes.

The cabinet acknowledged the Tourism and Sports Ministry’s expectation that 15.3 to 15.5 million foreign tourists will visit Thailand in 2010.

The ministry also reported that the number of foreign tourists last year was 14.09 million, down 3 per cent on 2008, with a total income of 527 billion baht, down 8 per cent from the previous year.