As TTM Plus 2019 opens, TAT connects new buyers from new markets with new destinations

Friday 07 June 2019 10:46
The Thailand Travel Mart Plus, the country's leading B2B travel show, opened for business on 5 June 2019, ushering in a new era of business opportunities for new buyers from new markets looking for emerging new Thai destinations.

The three-day TTM+ 2019 is being held under the theme of 'New Shades of Emerging Destinations' as part of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) strategy to promote 55 provincial destinations which are already popular with domestic tourists and now seen as being ready for an influx of foreign visitors. The objective is to create jobs and distribute revenue countrywide, from major cities to local communities, while creating sustainability by balancing the number of visitors to the destinations.

Mrs. Srisuda Wanapinyosak, TAT Deputy Governor of International Marketing (Europe, Africa, Middle East and Americas) said that this year's TTM Plus features some important changes in the trade show component to ensure enhanced business opportunities for both buyers and sellers.

She said "The total of 340 buyers from 51 countries is up 18.47% over 2018. Meanwhile, the TAT is seeking to step up its profile in the long-staying, high-spending Latin American market. For the first time, the buyers list includes 13 companies from Brazil along with new buyers from Chile, Argentina and Colombia.

First time buyers have also been invited from other new source-markets; such as, Lebanon, Latvia, Estonia, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Slovakia, Ukraine and Israel.

The sellers list includes 370 exhibitors, mainly from the Southern and Central regions of Thailand. In order to help buyers home in on the emerging destinations, the directory of sellers includes a special listing of the 20 exhibitors from this segment.

The business sessions will be held on 6-7 June after which the buyers and media will depart for post-tours to various parts of Chonburi, Rayong, Chantaburi, and the Eastern Seaboard of Thailand and neighbouring Cambodia.