TAT’s Chattan Kunjara Na Ayudhya, right, and Duong Thu Trang, the one millionth Vietnamese tourist. — Photo the Nation |
BANKOK — A Vietnamese woman, Duong Thu Trang, has become one millionth tourist arrival from Việt Nam to Thailand in 2018, a historic first between the two Southeast Asian neighbours.
Duong landed at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport at 12.25pm on Thursday on a Thai Airways International flight from Hà Nội.
She received special prizes, including a Thailand tour package for two, return airfare for two, and a gift voucher for Bt10,000.
Chattan Kunjara Na Ayudhya, The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) deputy governor for International Marketing (Asia and the South Pacific), who welcomed the lucky arrival, said more than 90 per cent of first-time Vietnamese travellers chose Thailand as their destination.
Việt Nam is one of Thailand’s most vibrant short-haul markets. With a population of more than 96 million, the country is enjoying an economic boom fuelled by foreign investment from Japan, South Korea, China and Russia in several large industrial sectors.
This is combined with the introduction of new low-cost carriers offering increased flight frequencies between Việt Nam and Thailand.
In 2017, Thailand welcomed 970,000 visitors from Vietnam generating over Bt30 billion in tourism-related revenue.
TAT plans to be more proactive in promoting Thailand around Việt Nam next year - it has scheduled marketing initiatives in both key and secondary cities, including the capital Ha Noi plus emerging destinations like Hải Phòng, Quảng Ninh and surrounding provinces. — The Nation/ANN