THAILAND IS WORLD'S MOST ATTRACTIVE LONGHAUL DESTINATION FOR EUROPEANS

KEE@FSWMAG.COM
OF COURSE NO ONE IS SURPRISED THAILAND HAS SCORED TOP MARKS IN KUONI'S 2013 TRAVEL TRENDS REPORT.

Malaysians know this very well as we are Thailand's most important and biggest market with the highest number of tourist arrivals as 2.5 million Malaysians visit the Kingdom of Smiles annually!

China has just beaten us with 2.6 million tourists but China's population is 1.5 billion compared to our 28 million! So we still win relatively!

Thailand is #2 in Kuoni's Top 10 Destinations and #1 in Kuoni's Top Destination for Singles! Naturally if you are single, it makes sense to visit Thailand where you can new friends and sex is as easy as pie!

Plus Thailand is also in the Top 10 Wedding Destinations and Top 10 Honeymoon Destinations!

The winner in the Top 10 Destinations is Maldives but who wants to swim, snorkel and get sun burned with no shred of culture or shopping (unless you are into coconut carvings or rubber slippers)? You can do all these plus everything else under the sun in Thailand!  I have been to Maldives thrice and still think Thailand offers better scuba dive sites and hotels! The massage and spa in Maldives are nowhere near Thailand's which set the standards for the world to follow.

The Top 10 Destinations are;
1; Maldives
2; Thailand
3; Sri Lanka
4; USA
5; UAE
6; Mauritius
7; MALAYSIA
8; Barbados
9; Singapore
10; St Lucia

Malaysia ranks 7 while teeny-weeny Singapore is 9 despite its 2 casinos and billions spent on infrastructure and manmade attractions. 

Just look at what Thailand can offer!


This entire building is just a spa! You don't get this in Maldives and Sri Lanka for sure but only in Thailand as this is the fabled Mandarin Oriental Dhara Dhevi hotel in Chiangmai

A genuine rice field in the garden of Mandarin Oriental Dhara Dhevi in Chiangmai. What a view from your verandah at bottom left!

This is not a palace or temple but a hotel, the Mandarin Oriental Dhara Dhevi in Chiangmai 

Thailand Ranked Second Best Long-Haul Destination in Kuoni Travel Trends Report 2013 London - 6 February, 2013:Thailand has been rated the second best long-haul destination in the 2013 Travel Trends Report issued by the UK tour operator Kuoni. It has also been rated amongst the Top Ten in other categories such as for Weddings, Honeymoons and for Singles. Listing the top three selling destinations for 2013 as the Maldives, Thailand, Sri Lanka, the report says, "The fact that Thailand occupies the No 2 slot in our Top 10 Destinations is no surprise. The country offers holidays for everyone from captivating cities such as Bangkok with its floating markets to small island hideaways to languish in, overlaid with a friendly, open culture." It adds, “The world's austere economic outlook will drive a greater need for opportunities to escape the doom and gloom. The power of a holiday will not diminish and the allure of the Maldives, Thailand and Sri Lanka will continue." Kuoni has been undertaking the annual Travel Trends Report since 1980. Figures in the 2013 Report are based on statistics from booking patterns made between January to December 2012 for holidays during 2012 and 2013, actual passenger numbers, customer behaviour and feedback. The figures are based on holiday bookings made up until December 2012. Said TAT Governor Suraphon Svetasreni, “The trends indicated in the Kuoni report are proof that the entire Thai tourism industry has got its marketing and product-development strategies right. Keeping a watch on lifestyle trends and demographic changes has helped us to ensure that we target our customers correctly. We are very happy to see the results.” The following is a compilation of the mentions of Thailand and its various tourism products in the report: Top 10 Destinations: The fact that Thailand occupies the No 2 slot in Kuoni Top 10 Destinations is no surprise. The country offers holidays for everyone from captivating cities such as Bangkok with its floating markets to small island hideaways to languish in, overlaid with a friendly, open culture. Thailand also retains it second spot. Synonymous with excellent value and outstanding service, in 2013 Kuoni is offering ten exclusive properties, from Trip Advisor’s top choice – Rocky’s in a private location on the lush island of Ko Samui – to the new, laid back charm of Let’s Sea in Hua Hin and the family friendly Holiday Inn Mai Khao in Phuket, which offers Kids Suits including play corner, games console, iPod docking station and so on. Top 10 Wedding Destinations: Thailand in sixth place, up from seven last year, is another great value destination. Hotels such as the secluded Centara Villas on a private beach offers a “Just the two of us” packages for approximately £450 that takes some beating. Top 10 Honeymoon Destinations: Thailand in third place, up from fourth last year, excels in smaller hideaway resorts perfect for honeymoons. Places such as Six Senses Yao Noi, Ko Lanta, and Khao Lak are making their mark alongside Thailand's excellent beach and city-based resorts. At Yao Noi, Mountain View villas are elevated above lush, tropical forest while at Ko Lanta each of the 55 hideaway villas have private pools and are set into the hillside that is part of a mature rubber tree plantation. Top 5 Holidays for Singles: Thailand stays firm in the Number 1 slot, with a host of tours to choose from, renowned personal service, iconic sites and fabulous food. Single travellers can choose between a volunteering holiday in Chiang Mai, unspoilt beach resorts to languish in, rich cultural traditions to dip in and out of and unparalleled landscapes to marvel at. Kuoni was established in 1906 in Switzerland. Today the tour operator has branch operations in over 40 countries. Further info: www.kuoni.co.uk International Public Relations Division Tourism Authority of Thailand 1600 New Petchaburi Road, Makkasan, Ratchathevi Bangkok 10400 Thailand Tel: 66 (0) 2250 5500 ext.4545-4548 Fax: 66 (0) 2253 7419 Email: prdiv3@tat.or.th For the latest updates, please visit www.TATnews.org Copyright Tourism Authority of Thailand. All Rights Reserved.