Thailand strategies to open a consulate-general workplace in Fukuoka this year to provide visas for Japanese individuals who wish to go to the nation for long stays, either for research study, work or investing.
The opening of a brand-new consulate-general workplace is anticipated to assist reduce the time for file processing and visa approvals, relieving blockage at the 2 existing workplaces in Tokyo and Osaka, stated Pattaraanong Na Chiangmai, director of the Tourist Authority of Thailand (TAT) workplace in Tokyo.
Japanese travelers have the ability to remain in Thailand without a visa for 1 month however can remain longer than that for other functions.
Ms Pattaraanong stated Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak will remain in Japan today and is set to sign arrangements to draw Japanese financial investment to the Eastern Economic Passage (EEC) and boost tourist partnership in between the 2 nations.
The relocation might draw more financiers and professionals to operate in EEC megaprojects, she stated.
Ms Pattaraanong stated Japan has actually been a leading location for Thai travelers for many years and the increasing varieties of Thais checking out Japan have actually triggered airline companies such as NokScoot and AirAsia to provide direct flights from Bangkok to significant cities in Japan, following the elimination of the International Air Transportation Association’s (IATA) warning on airline companies signed up in Thailand in October in 2015.
The withdrawal of IATA’s warning has actually triggered airline companies to permeate Japan market, in addition to other high-potential markets like China and South Korea.
” With more than 150 existing flights each week and over 40,000 seats in between Thailand and Japan, this might produce big travel company and TAT intends to capitalize from this,” she stated.
Ms Pattaraanong stated the TAT is likewise drawing up tactical strategies to improve check outs from Japanese individuals, concentrating on females and more youthful demographics, professional athletes, scuba divers and honeymooning couples.
This year, the TAT will continue to utilize popular Japanese lady group Nogizaka 46 as the tourist ambassador for a 2nd year to assist promote Thai tourist in Japan. The group has actually gone to Bangkok, Phuket and Ayutthaya, shooting movies at destinations and relaying clips on social networks channels.
The transfer to deal with celebs is targeted at raising the part of female travelers from Japan from 25% of overall Japanese visitors (1.5 million in 2017) to 30% of the anticipated 1.6 million visitors this year.
Each year, 85% of visitors from Japan are male.
The Thai firm likewise prepares to generate more young Japanese travelers, specifically college student, by holding a travel competitors on Thailand. The occasion currently drew more than 500 candidates and anticipates to get more individuals.
” This activity is anticipated to improve awareness on Thailand’s tourist to 3 million youths in Japan,” Ms Pattaraanong stated. “The winner of the competitors will be granted a plan trip to Thailand.”
TAT workplaces in Japan are dealing with permeating the wedding event section by promoting secondary provinces such as Sukhothai as brand-new wedding event locations.
One wedding event fair from Japan might create expense of approximately 1 million baht, which is greater than the basic traveler’s typical costs of 50,000 baht per fair. The carry on wedding events is anticipated to draw about 400 couples to call their wedding event bells in Thailand this year.
Ms Pattaraanong stated the TAT will take regional marathon organisers to consult with organisers in Japan to promote marathon running in second-tier provinces in Thailand such as Ratchaburi, Sukhothai and Udon Thani.
Additionally, the firm will deal with how to bring in Japanese golf enthusiasts to play in Thailand. There are 10 million golf enthusiasts in Japan.
Ms Pattaraanong acknowledged numerous obstacles to the strategy to increase visitors from Japan, especially bad air gain access to: global airline companies have no linking domestic flights to reach secondary cities. The outcome is that Japanese visitors flock to Bangkok, Pattaya, Phuket and Chiang Mai.
Additionally, lots of Japanese still fret about the political environment in Thailand and the strong baht, with the latter leading to greater travel costs.
