Congratulations to New Minister of Tourism and Sports
Yuwadee Chirathivat (3rd from right), chief executive officer of Central Department Store Co. Ltd.—on behalf of the management of the Central Group of Companies and the Centara Hotels & Resorts—presents a flower bouquet to congratulate Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul (center) on her appointment as Minister of Tourism and Sports. The management also hosted a dinner party for her at Red Sky Restaurant of Centara Grand & Bangkok Convention Centre at CentralWorld.
Oasis Spa received rave reviews at the “OTDYKH International Russian Travel Market-Leisure Trade Fair,” held in Moscow recently. Thailand’s premier spa brand gave a demonstration of Thai massage and the use of hot herbal compress balls at the Thai Spa Pavilion, sponsored by the TAT. The event was held at Crocus Expo International Exhibition Centre, Moscow. Photo shows Eumporn Jiragalwisul, TAT Thailand Moscow office director, and Pathita Tantivejakul, chief of souvenir, being welcomed by Pakin Ployphicha and Toby Allen, managing directors of Oasis Spa, during their visit to the booth. Oasis Spa was chosen to represent the Thai Spa industry at Eastern Europe’s most prestigious travel fair.
Wayne Duberly (center), general manager of Centara Seaview Resort Khao Lak, welcomes Maeya-Nonthawan Thongleng (left), Miss Thailand World 2014, and Pat- Venus Nuntachai (right), 1st runner-up Miss Thailand World 2014, during a visit at Centara Seaview Khao Lak recently. The two beauty queens attended the Miss Myanmar World 2014 pageant held at the resort.
An exclusive new partnership between the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) and Tourism and Events Queensland (TEQ) is expected to provide Queensland tourism businesses with access to the latest Asia-Pacific visitor research. The partnership will empower them with access to a world first exclusive online visitor data, TEQmPower. The new TEQmPower platform aggregates data from key source markets and enables for on-demand, immediate insights to allow for faster, smarter decision making. This new paradigm in tourism data research provides a clearer understanding into current and future trends, assisting stakeholders to better determine key market performance. TEQmPower gives the industry the means of viewing key research and data in a clearly recognizable and easily understood format. TEQ is the first state tourism organization in Asia-Pacific to partner with PATA in delivering this technology to operators.
The world’s biggest cycling race, Tour de France, will be held in Thailand in 2015. The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) recently held preliminary talks with Jean-Etienne Amaury, chairman of the Paris-based Amaury Sport Organization (the main agency organizing the annual Tour de France) in Paris, to seek ways of organizing this prestigious sporting event in Thailand. Tour de France is an annual multiple stage bicycle race held since 1903. TAT Governor Thawatchai Arunyik said more talks are underway, “but we expect Thailand to play the perfect host to this esteemed and prominent cycling race as early as in 2015.”
The initiative is part of TAT’s plans to develop cycling tourism as well as eco-friendly travel and green tourism in the kingdom further.
Absolute Resorts & Hotels, the resorts and hospitality division of the award-winning Absolute World Group, recently appointed Clément Gohin as Food & Beverage Manager for the group’s Thailand operations. Based at the Phuket headquarters, Gohin will oversee all F&B operations across the group’s Phuket hospitality portfolio, which includes Absolute Bangla Suites, Absolute Nakalay Boutique Resort, the Absolute Twin Sands Resort & Spa, and Absolute Sea Pearl Beach Resort. Gohin’s extensive hospitality experience includes working in Europe and Asia. He has previously worked at the Blue Elephant Bangkok and Blue Elephant Brussels, where he held the General Manager (Restaurants) position. He holds an MBA in Hospitality Management from the esteemed Ecole de Savignac in France.
