Thailand Travel Expo Opens in Chiang Mai with 4 Themes to "Smile Together"

▲ Experience a horse-drawn carriage ride through Lampang, southern Thailand. (Photo / Provided by the Tourism Authority of Thailand)

Tourism Centre / Comprehensive Report

The Thailand Travel Trade Expo has been held in Bangkok for 14 consecutive years, but the 15th edition in 2016 moved to the Chiang Mai International Exhibition and Convention Centre, taking place grandly from June 8 to 10. This year, the number of registered buyers and sellers hit a record high for the first time, focusing on four key features: eco-tourism, honeymoons, wellness, and the Twelve Hidden Gems, with the theme "Smile Together with Us."

The 15th Thailand Travel Trade Expo (TTM+) and the Gateway to the Mekong Subregion’s Charms and Surprises, organized by the Tourism Authority of Thailand, is the largest B2B tourism and trade event in Thailand. Many innovative tourism products and services have been highly popular.

Mr. Yuthasak Supasorn, Governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand, said: "Now is a good time to move TTM+ to another location, and Chiang Mai is the best choice because it is the closest city to our neighboring Mekong countries, plus the new exhibition and convention centre and its high-quality hotel facilities that can accommodate all guests. Myanmar is emerging as a major tourist destination, and improved transportation links in the Mekong subregion will further enhance the area's appeal, giving buyers and the media the chance to explore many emerging tourism products and services."

The Tourism Authority of Thailand expects more than 400 sellers to participate, focusing on four main target market segments: 1. Eco-friendly tourism and Thai happiness experiences, weddings and honeymoons, health and wellness, and the Twelve Hidden Gems. Other participating sellers include general hotels and accommodations, tourism operators, leisure and entertainment facilities, transportation, golf courses, tourism associations, tourism organizations, and other products and services.

After the TTM+ Travel Trade Expo, the Tourism Authority of Thailand has also prepared inspection tours, this time heading to Lampang, Lamphun, and then back to Chiang Mai. In Lampang and Lamphun, participants will visit Wat Phra That Lampang Luang, the Lampang Historical Museum, tour the Ceramic Museum and experience painting ceramics, as well as make Songkran festival flags, visit the Lampang Old Market and walking streets, take part in alms-giving to monks, experience a horse-drawn carriage ride, and visit textile centres. In Chiang Mai, they will visit the Bo Sang Umbrella Village and the San Kamphaeng Hot Springs. This series of inspection tours aims to help industry professionals appreciate the beauty of northern Thailand and develop packages to introduce more people to northern Thailand.