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Hunan-Thailand Cultural Tourism Exchange and Cooperation Forum Held
 2019-06-05 11:20:00  ENGHUNAN 

A Thailand tourism promotion roadshow was staged in Changsha on May 31, 2019. A Hunan-Thailand Cultural Tourism Exchange and Cooperation Forum was held the same day. Related Hunan and Thai leaders and personages were present, including Chen Xianchun, director of the Hunan Culture and Tourism Department, Mr. Charun Ohnmee, deputy director of the Thailand Tourism Authority, Chairat Triratanajaraspon, chairman of the Thailand Tourism Committee, and Huang Hanzhong (Vichit Prakobgosol), chairman of the Association of Thai Travel Agents. Consensuses were reached concerning Hunan-Thailand cultural tourism cooperation at the forum.

Chen briefed Hunan’s cultural tourism development, and the 4-hour aviation economic circle with Changsha as the center. He proposed that, Hunan and Thailand authorities, tourism associations, enterprises, and training organizations could be mobilized to establish strategic partnership, complete cooperation between the direct flight linked cities, collaborate in developing and promoting international tourism products, and enhance faithful operation, quality service, and security guarantee of tourism enterprises. He welcomed Thai cultural and tourism companies to start business in Hunan.

Charun Ohnmee agreed with Chen’s proposal, and expressed his willingness to promote resource complementarity, mutual promotion of products and introduction of visitors, information sharing, and personnel communication with Hunan.

Statistics shows that, Thailand, with a total area of 513,000 square km and population of 68 million, is a world famous tourist destination. In 2018, among the 38.27 million tourist trips made to Thailand, 10.5 million were from China. In 2019, the total amount of the worldwide trips will reach an estimated 39 million, with trips from China expected to exceed 11 million.

Hunan has four direct flights from Changsha to Bangkok, Chiengmai, Krabi, and Phuket. In 2018, Hunan tourists made more than 15 million trips to Thailand, including 1.3 million trips organized by travel agencies, an increase of 18.72% over the previous year; more than 0.2 million independent trips organized by tourism e-commerce companies; and, a large number of driving tours. Thailand has become a main outbound destination of Hunan tourists.

Hunan has paid high attention to developing Thailand tourism market. During each Hunan International Tourism Festival, Thai travel agencies and media would be invited to participate in the event, and experience the recommended traveling routes. The Thai tourist trips to Hunan have increased rapidly in recent years, from 25,700 in 2015 to 93,500 in 2018, up 263.81%. Thailand has become the fifth largest inbound tourist source, followed by South Korea, Japan, Malaysia, and U.S.A.