Is there a method in the madness of Indian group pricing by Thai Destination Management Companies (DMC) ? It sometimes makes the DMC's themselves look like fools in front of their clients when the prices they quote are way off the competition mark. So the question that comes to mind is how does competition price a Thai group product ? The answer is that every Thai DMC has different underlying motives for bagging a group to Thailand as is evident from a study of points 1 to 4 below. The fact is that any group tour is made up of components like coaches, Indian meals, sightseeing attractions, hotels, tour guides, tips, expressways and tollways and so on. Most Thai DMC's use popular spreadsheet programs to tot up these costs. Up until this point, there is a universal method that helps them arrive here. From this point though the outcomes they produce diverge because of the following underlying motives. 1. DMC's that have been in the business for a while will add a small markup on top of the costs alluded to above to arrive at a selling price. The markups are small in keeping with Thailand's status as an FMCG product. 2. New (just entered the business) Thai DMC's will apply a negative markup to factor in commissions that they believe (mostly wrongly so) will accrue from Indian customers and therefore a total cost of the components of say USD 150 will become USD 120 or USD 130 depending upon the risk appetite of the new Thai DMC and the depth of the pockets of the new investor. 3. DMC's that are allied with local Indian restaurants or pubs in Pattaya (or is it the other way round) will look at Indian clients as curry eating commission targets to be sold all sorts of legitimate and illegitimate services while in Pattaya, thus applying negative markups to the costs of a tour. 4. DMC's that are owned by large multinational Travel Conglomerates whose staff are under tremendous pressure to meet targets will also apply negative markups. Thereafter they will gamble on the group commissions to bring the group file into profit while the group is on tour. They can do this because these staff move frequently between agencies and there is a time lag between picking up an Indian group and the financial audit of this group. Continue reading

Tourism Thailand is now an FMCG product. According to Wikipedia Fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) or consumer packaged goods (CPG) are products that are sold quickly and at relatively low cost. Examples include non-durable goods such as soft drinks, toiletries, and grocery items. Though the absolute profit made on FMCG products is relatively small, they are generally sold in large quantities, and so the cumulative profit on such products can be substantial. The destination clocked 22 million tourists in 2012. Destination Management Companies promoting Thailand would be well advised to keep this in mind while doing their costings. They will need to create a brand to compete or they will need to amass volume to just stay afloat. Tourism Thailand does offer plenty of niches but if you are in a mass volume destinaton like Pattaya, Bangkok, Phuket, Chiang Mai or Hua Hin, you are more likely to experience this FMCG phenomenon. The following are the reasons why Tourism to Thailand is characteristic of FMCGs: From the consumers' perspective: Frequent purchase Low involvement (little or no effort to choose the item – products with strong brand loyalty are exceptions to this rule) Low price From the marketers' angle: High volumes Low contribution margins Extensive distribution networks High stock turnover Continue reading

Located right in the shopping area, Pratunam, this 280 room hotel after its renovation represents excellent value for money for both FIT's and groups. To add value to the FIT, one child from 16 years old and below staying with parents is entitled to free extra bed and breakfast. Also you don't need to wake up early in the city of Angels after a night out on the town because your breakfast can be traded in for an a la carte breakfast or even lunch or dinner upto 11.30 pm. Free Internet is another advantage. I found the design of the superior rooms really contemporary as the bed is in the middle of the room with the headboard doubling up as a desk. MICE is also an option for smaller groups. Though the ball room has pillars in the room, you can do meetings of upto 350 pax in classroom style and 600 pax in theatre style. Continue reading

If you have been looking for the best restaurants in Bangkok or the best rooftop bars in Bangkok, look no further. This blog post is intentioned to give you the scoop on Bangkok's best rooftop dining, all in one place. So if you are planning a romantic dinner for two or a MICE event at the best restaurant in Bangkok, here are your choices. The listing is not in order of which outlet is better. Each of them have their own unique points and strengths. 1. Scarlett Wine Bar & Restaurant @ Pullman G, Silom Scarlett Wine Bar & Restaurant, located on the 37th floor of what was formerly the Sofitel Silom, now the Pullman G, is the latest meeting point for young executives who like to have fun and chill out. Scarlett boasts a fine selection of wines along with tapas, daily specials, imported cold cuts and showcasing a large variety of cheeses. The Menu is inspired by 2-Michelin star French Chef Manuel Martinez, owner of the Louis XIII restaurant in Paris. Seating Capacity: 160 // Open Air terrace of 120 sqm 2. Vertigo grill & Moon Bar, Banyan Tree Bangkok Dine al fresco at the stylish and sophisticated roof top open-air grill and bar. Every evening, you can delight in a succulent seafood grill and premium steaks prepared by the Banyan Tree chefs while you enjoy the breathtaking and panoramic views of the city. Moon Bar offers a stunning venue for any occasion. Premium drinks are served in luxurious comfort in a sensual, friendly and romantic ambience. Contemplate the heavens or gaze at the stars while you sip your favorite beverage at one of the best bars in Bangkok. 3. The Roof Restaurant at Siam @ Siam The Roof Restaurant is Thailand’s first stone grill alfresco restaurant designed to accommodate private dining and various parties or functions of up to 130 seated guests. The Roof offers a variety of international dishes made from the world’s finest ingredients. Food is freshly cooked on volcanic stones which can retain the heat for a period of 20-minute cooking. With the inside temperature exceeding 400 degrees Celsius, customers will be able to cook the food by themselves and eat it right away, a chance to enjoy “Hot Stone Grill” for the first time. This multi-level restaurant provides every seat on the roof top experience with remarkable angles of Bangkok by night. Open... Continue reading

Wave is where classic Miami style meets fresh Thai modernity in downtown Pattaya. This boutique hotel is a haven for all that's hip, cool and alluring about America's iconic southern hot spot. The Hotel combines edgy décor, service and amenities with a great location and unique offerings to give you something fresh and new in the city that never sleeps… Designed with playful intent, the four-storey building is strikingly pastel by day and vibrant neon by night. The hotel is unabashedly flashy, fabulous, flirty and hard to miss! There is even a hot pink 1940s Cadillac parked out front for all petrol heads and shutterbugs to check out. From the breezy lobby through the restaurant, out to the pool terrace and up to the rooms, all public and private spaces our out-fitted with captivating design and seaside comfort. This 21-room luxury Art Deco boutique hotel stands majestically on the shorefront of Pattaya Bay, perfectly located on prime Beach Road in the centre of this cosmopolitan resort city. Guests will quickly discover that Wave has one of the best locations in town — just meters from all the action and next door to the fabulous Central Festival entertainment complex. Continue reading

If you are looking for a romantic hotel in Thailand and are not convinced with what you see in the popular media, then perhaps you need to check out this list of romantic resorts in Thailand. Some of these are so unexposed that they do not even have a website of their own but are available through popular third party hotel booking sites. I have intentionally avoided the popular hotel chains as the hotels on this list exude a totally different flavour. Cha am/Hua Hin Cape Nidhra Hotel Cher Resort Hotel De La Paix Koh Tao Jamahkhiri Resort & Spa Thipwimarn Resort Koh Samui Fair House Villas & Spa Punnpreeda Pool Villa Beachfront Samui Villa Nalinnadda Chiang Rai Doi Hom Fha Resort Du Doi Suay Resort Phu Chaisai Mountain Resort & Spa Wang Nam Keaw & Khao Yai Village Farm & Winery Muthi Maya Forest Pool Villa Resort Phuket Malisa Villa Suites Continue reading

If you have explored the possibility of staying at the best luxury hotel in Phuket and find that it does not meet your standards of privacy and luxury, perhaps you could look at this list of the best private pool villas in Phuket. This list of best private pool villas is not in order of priority. Click on the links of each best pool villa in Phuket to see whether this is better than the best hotel in Phuket for you... 1. Sri Panwa 2. The Racha 3. Trisara 4. Bell Pool Villa 5. Andara 6. Sala 7. The Shore at Kata Thani 8. Banyan Tree 9. The Pavillions 10. Paresa Resort Continue reading

Assuming you resisted Bangkok's amazing nightlife and crawled into bed early on a Saturday night, i highly recommend a bicycle tour in your district on a good old fashioned bicycle to get the street view. I clocked 22 kilometres this morning exploring my neighbourhood on my Giant mountain bike and I was surprised at the perspective you can get from the street view. I also discovered a radio controlled car racing track just next to the Crystal Shopping Centre on Ekamai Raminthra Road. But first some tips on safe biking and bicycle touring in Bangkok. 1. Always wear a helmet and a riding suit. 2. Do not use sun screen. As you perspire, the sunscreen is likely to trickle into your eyes and irritate them making them burn. 3. Do not cycle on the main roads. Get into the Soi's (substreets) You will be amazed on what you see. 4. Watch out for dogs that might attach themselves to your ankle. I recommend staying away from areas where you see or hear packs of dogs. 5. Keep water handy to prevent yourself getting dehyrated. Now you are good to go on a bicycle tour of your neighbourhood: Besides the usual Wat (temple) and food stalls selling Kai Yang (BBQ Chicken) with its accompanying aromas, I also found that Bangkok has some well laid out bicycle tracks which have well trimmed hedges bordering them. . But it is once you get into the Soi's that you really see your neighbourhood from a different perspective. The Soi that I explored this morning had some large restaurants which looked really nice (i made a mental note to check them out evening time...see ! you wouldn't find that in a food guide). As I went deeper into the Soi, I found a Convention Centre called Phothalai. It looked like a golf driving range from the outside but the driveway and its size made me make another mental note to check it out for MICE groups. Deeper into the Soi, I discovered a mansion set back from the road. The high walls and gates did not allow you to get a peek in but the police cars around told me that I had found the residence of Khun Yingluck, Thailand's current prime minister. I moved on from there and found my way back to the top of the Soi. I then found an excellent cycling... Continue reading

In continuation of my earlier article on Indian weddings, i would like to expand the list of wedding venues to Phuket, the pearl of the Orient, if you are planning a Phuket wedding. If your Indian wedding planner has not given you all the options of venues for your Indian wedding in Phuket, here are 21 options of Phuket weddingsvenues. Go through the websites on the links below and the events and meetings pages will give you plenty of wedding ideas for your wedding ceremony. So before you decide which address goes onto the wedding invitation, you would be well advised to study this list to finetune your options of venue for your Indian wedding. Most of these hotels have wedding planners or banquet coordinators who are specialized in working with you to achieve the best result for your Indian wedding ceremony. However if you do not have a planner, you can contact Pathfinders to help you set this up. Over the years Pathfinders has been a pioneer in organising Indian weddings in Thailand. Mai Khao Beach & surrounding beaches Anantara Imperial Adamas Beach Resort, Nai Yang Beach Indigo Pearl JW Marriott Renaissance Phuket Resort The Pavilions Laguna Area Angsana Banyan Tree Phuket Dusit Thani Laguna Patong Beach Avista Hideaway Resort & Spa Holiday Inn Resort Le Meridien Mercure Phuket Deevana Millenium Patong Novotel Phuket Resort Novotel Phuket Vintage Park Resort Karon Beach Centara Grand Beach Resort Hilton Movenpick Resort Karon West Phuket The Naka Island - A Starwood Luxury Collection Hotel The Westin Siray Bay Resort & Spa Continue reading

Kidzania Siam Paragon needs to be added to your list of things to do in Bangkok on the next time your Thai Airways plane touches down at Suvarnabhumi Airport. Avoid the regular haunts such as Dream World and Siam Park and head to the centre of Bangkok, Siam Paragon which already houses Siam Ocean World and head upstairs to the 5th floor of Siam Paragon where you will find Kidzania. This space is approximately 1000 square metres where kids get a go at role playing professions such as fire fighters, pilots, policemen and policewomen, bankers, journalists, auto CAD designers, automobile mechanics, hair dressers, vetinerarians, doctors, nurses, chefs, actors and a host of other professions. Here is a photo tour of Kidzania at Siam Paragon. The popularity of Kidzania Tokyo, Kidzania Kuala Lumpur and Kidzania Dubai is sure to rub off on Kidzania Siam Paragon, Bangkok. A kid getting money out of the ATM. Kidzania give every kid 50 Kidzos with the entrance ticket. The object is to grow this principal sum by working at some profession that the kid enjoys. The ATM issues slips that are like a real ATM giving you your balance with the bank etc. Kidzania Siam Paragon Town Square A Kidzania Siam Paragon staff showing his young interns how to repair an automobile. I don't know if it was my imagination but I think the Logistics businss is the most popular at Kidzania as you can see from this picture. Kids love delivering couriers to McDonalds, the Court, the Cops and a dozen other places. Like little busybodies they are happy to deliver these parcels and boxes and one can keep them busy an entire afternoon doing that. I guess Corporates study this behaviour and keep some of us busy doing nothing ! Kidzania Siam Paragon Fire Fighters putting out a fire And if a kid lands in trouble for beating up another kid, this is where he lands up. The jail is right next door but the cell bars are made of elastic material allowing kids to escape the long arms of the Kidzania law ! Continue reading

If you are a quality conscious destination management company that has worked hard to earn your stripes and realise that one or several of your erstwhile big clients have been gambling with your reputation, then this article is for you. A couple of days ago I wrote a well received post on big clients hijacking your company (which a hotelier friend thought that I had plagiarised because it was so well written and spot on he said:) I told him that I wrote it from the heart and from personal experience. So is this one. So a big client moves away because he has got better prices elsewhere, or he needs to use your Company as the reason for his incompetence, or his massive ego could not take the gentle pin prick that you administered because you could not take any more of his self righteous attitude or simply boredom. He needs to justify his decision to his bosses, shareholders and the larger world. It is the easiest thing in the world for a big client to gamble with your reputation by making vague and off the cuff allegations like "their services were not upto the mark," or "the food quality was not good," or "maybe he (meaning you) has grown too big and cannot handle the volume," or even hinting that you may be financially in problems These are loose comments that mean nothing but these might drive your other customers away from you. They may not even be meant to hurt you per se and have no relationship to his actual reason outlined in the paragraph above but these stories are floated only to justify their selfish actions to their stake holders while minimising the damage to themselves. But the net result is damage to your reputation and business. And in these days of social media, you need to protect against this. Here are 6 ways to protect yourself. 1. Following a separation with a large client, you need to keep your ears to the ground. Your suppliers and clients will call you (people love gossip and tell you what your former unequal partner told him or what he heard from somebody else). You must always listen. Don't be defensive. Maybe some of it could be true. Use that information as positive feedback to improve your operation and business. Gently and tactfully put your point of view across... Continue reading

The year was 2009. I was sitting in the plush Make My trip ( MMT) office at Gurgaon while a senior MMT executive was brow beating me over the prices of the package tours he wanted from my company Pathfinders. At the time their package tours to Thailand were handled by another Destination management company in Thailand and we were trying to get into their account. The senior executive moaned, " In Singapore and Malaysia our numbers are 5 times what we are doing in Thailand and no amount of advertising, marketing and sales is pushing our numbers to Thailand. It is like we have hit a glass ceiling at 4000 pax a year to Thailand. For this reason we need the price of USD xxx which would help us to compete effectively with D. Paul's and grab market share. " I have heard different versions of this same story before from various companies and am tired of this broken record. So in sheer frustration, I told this senior MMT executive that if he wanted to copy D. Paul's, he must begin with copying their office, their salaries, their accounting systems, their low key advertising....the works. I think I lost him at the point where I said he should take a salary similar to D. Paul's executives:) Anyway I was sure that the answer to their volumes was not in matching D. Paul's low prices but in providing exceptional value to MMT customers who being web customers have a very high acquisition cost and zero loyalty, while at the same time have plenty of differentiation from D. Paul's customers. I came back to MMT with a 5 star offer at 4 star prices. So we offered a Dusit Thani Pattaya with a Dusit Thani Bangkok combination which provided exceptional value. If the web customer were to compare by going onto sites like Hotels.com or Agoda.com and shop for only hotels and compare this with the offer which we made to MMT which they launched as their own, the customer would find it cheaper to buy a MMT package that included transfers, dinners on all nights, some basic sightseeing and Hotel stay at the Dusit Thani Pattaya and Dusit Thani Bangkok ! So MMT was creating true value by pushing a better product at a price that was higher than D. Paul's and they did not steal D. Paul's customers...they built... Continue reading

If you have been planning on holding your Indian wedding in Bangkok or your client's Indian wedding in Bangkok and you are not looking for a wedding studio in Bangkok but just need a venue guide on holding an Indian wedding here, then you have landed on the right page. More and more people from the Indian middle class are looking to hold their Indian wedding in Bangkok which offers the most reasonably priced options out of all the options available in Thailand. I presume that you have already decided on holding your wedding in Bangkok then. If you are not decided yet or need to study why Thailand or look at other venues in Thailand, then this website by the TAT is a good starting point for your exercise. In this article, I am going to cover hotels/resorts in Bangkok. If you find this list too exhaustive and need assistance in narrowing it down you can contact me for further assistance or even assistance with a wedding package. I have given you links to the hotel website so you can surf the various offerings before narrowing down on a couple of Hotels that suit you and your budget. City Centre Centara Grand & Bangkok Convention Centre @ Centralworld Conrad Bangkok Four Seasons Regent Bangkok Grand Hyatt Erawan Intercontinental Bangkok Novotel Bangkok on Siam Square Pathumwan Princess Hotel Plaza Athenee --- A Royal Meridien Hotel Renaissance Bangkok Ratchaprasong Siam Kempinski St. Regis Bangkok The Okura Prestige Bangkok Sukhumvit Ambassador Hotel Bangkok Four Points by Sheraton Holiday Inn Sukhumvit Soi 22 Imperial Queen's Park Lotus Sukhumvit Rembrandt Bangkok Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit Sofitel Sukhumvit Westin Grande The Continent The Landmark Windsor Suites Bangkok Riverside Anantara Bangkok Riverside & Spa Chatrium Hotel Riverside Bangkok Millenium Hilton Montien Riverside Bangkok Ramada Plaza Menam Riverside Royal Orchid Sheraton Shangri La Hotel The Mandarin Oriental Bangkok The Peninsula Bangkok Silom/Sathorn/Surawongse Banyan Tree Dusit Thani Bangkok Eastin Grande Hotel Sathorn Holiday Inn Silom Le Bua at State Tower Le Meridien Bangkok Pullman Bangkok Hotel G Sofitel So Sukhothai W Bangkok Pratunam/Ratchadapisek Amari Watergate Vie Hotel Swissotel Le Concorde Petchburi Amari Atrium Outskirts Amari Don Muang Airport Centara Grand at Central Plaza Lardprao Rama Gardens Hotel If you think there is any hotel that should be on this list that is not here, please feel free to drop me a comment. I would like this list of Indian... Continue reading

Have you launched a successful destination management business in Thailand to find out one day that your largest client has taken his business elsewhere for reasons you cannot understand ? You are not alone. If you talk with other DMC owners you will find that you are only an actor and that the same play is being enacted out again and again on the Thailand DMC stage. So the actors change on both sides...the DMC and clients sides but the theme remains the same. Here are the reasons that your clients take their business elsewhere. Watch out for signs of these reasons and try to write a different script if you can. 1. Sharper prices by smaller fry: Clients get better prices from newer or more desperate players in your space. Big clients love unequal relationships because they get to bully the smaller partner. That's the very reason they signed you up. Look back and see how much you have grown from when the partnership began. Thailand to your clients is a cakewalk with the lovely gentle attitude of Thai people, they can easily recreate their comfort levels with smaller players, someone like you who is the size they picked you up at. 2. The client's own incompetence: The clients think that they are loosing market share in their own market because the product (which they asked you for) is not selling (at the price they asked you for). You are a pawn in their game to their bosses/shareholders so even though the fault may not be yours, replacing you is a better solution than loosing their own jobs or being pulled up for lack of performance. 3. Ego: I have always thought that the ego of some of the bosses in the big tour operator/wholesale space is completely disproportionate to their abilities and intelligence. I have also come to the conclusion that there exists an inverse relationship between the size of ego and their intelligence. So if you are a reasonably intelligent chap, then you are going to run into this issue sooner or later...let's hope later for your own good. Your client is going to find fault with you on a silly point and instead of swallowing your own little ego, you strenuously object to his totally unreasonable request...and poof ! there goes his business. 4. Boredom: A lot of marriages break up on this point. There are... Continue reading

A brand new 29 storey 4 star Holiday Inn Bangkok Sukhumvit Soi 22 has soft opened with 100 room two weeks ago with another 200 rooms in the pipeline bringing the total up to 300 rooms by June 2013. It is the very first building on Soi 22 and also fronts the main Sukhumvit road. Within a 5 minutes leisurely stroll to Phrom Phong BTS skytrain station, the hotel is a welcome addition to Sukhumvit's 4 star line up of hotels. The hotel has a black modern concrete and glass exterior. Elevators take you up to the lobby which is on the 9th floor. The lobby is small and cosy and has a lobby bar on one side. It overlooks the swimming pool which is one level below the lobby and runs the length of the building. The colour schemes are black and corporate or what would typically appeal to Japanese clients. The lead in category of rooms are Deluxe with the majority of the hotel inventory comprising these. These rooms are 32 square metres and have nice touches like ipod docking stations and the signature Holiday Inn pillows. The hotel when fully open will have an Indian rooftop restaurant and bar. The coffee shop has seating for 150 people and offers buffets for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The Holiday Inn Sukhumvit Soi 22 also has a pillarless ballroom that can take upto 500 people with a ceiling height of 6 metres plus. The ballroom is scheduled to be ready by mid May 2013. Continue reading

Many gentle souls dream of swimming with dolphins. Now it is possible for you to fulfil this dream in Thailand. Some people find dolphins in the wild by travelling extensively, hoping to find a pod of wild dolphins and then get close enough to actually swim with them. Another way to get the chance to swim with dolphins is at a dolphin aquarium or dolphin park. There are many sea world and aqua parks around the world, USA, the Bahamas, Mexico or other busy tourist locations. In Thailand, besides Safari World in Bangkok where they do Dolphin Shows, there is only one Sea World, "Oasis Sea World" where this "swim with dolphins" dream can easily be turned into reality in the picturesque costal town of Laem Sing in Chantaburi province, Eastern Thailand. The atmosphere at Oasis Sea World is one of good cheer and fun for the entire family. The dolphins seem to really enjoy the work at the training shows. The swimming sessions are for one hour, depending on how busy the park is. This means that you can have an up close and personal "swim with dolphins" experience. You may choose to use Koh Chang as a base for your expedition. Also Laem Sing Beach, and Chanthaburi province where the park is located are nice places to visit. Continue reading

Located diagonally opposite the Centara Pattaya at 99/1-2 Moo 9, Tambol Nongprue is the clean and stylish @ Mind Serviced Apartment & Hotel. There are 107 studio suites where the smallest of these are 45 square metres. While the price range is similar to hotels in the Nova group like the Amari Nova Platinum, Nova Hotel & Spa Centara Boutique collection and the Centara Pattaya, the advantages include more space and privacy and better service. Continue reading

\ Plan on arriving here just before sunset and have a sundowner at the bar on the 4th floor before heading down to the Ground Floor and having a romantic dinner with your better half. Alternatively you could organise a high end exclusive MICE private party here for upto 80 guests. They would be on different levels though and it would have to be an informal event. The highlight is the Ratanakosin skyline and the view of Wat Arun which is directly opposite cannot get better than this. They are part of a boutique hotel called the Arun Residence by the River. Rooms are priced in the region of THB 4000 a night and they usually are not happy to sell it for less than 2 nights. If you are looking for something different from the sanitized 5 star experience and looking to take in the tourist sights of Bangkok like the Reclining Buddha and the Grand Palace, it could be worth a try as the hotel is a stone's throw away from these. Continue reading

This meeting room at the Hilton Hua Hin is 3658 square feet. There is also an excellent prefunction area. Meeting Room Floor: Space Calculator Metric Converter Maximum number of people per seating style Rama 1 1,080 30.00' x 36.00' 10 70 80 50 70 60 80 60 Rama 1 & 2 2,232 36.00' x 62.00' 7 160 160 100 160 140 160 110 Rama 2 1,080 30.00' x 36.00' 10 70 80 50 70 60 80 60 Rama 3 1,380 30.00' x 46.00' 10 60 60 40 60 50 60 50 Rama 4 1,380 30.00' x 46.00' 10 60 60 40 60 50 60 50 Rama 5(A and B and C) 2,670 30.00' x 89.00' 30 350 600 600 600 500 150 180 Rama 5(A+B) or (B+C) 3,658 59.00' x 62.00' 30 350 400 200 350 300 400 150 Rama 5(A, B or C) 1,860 30.00' x 62.00' 30 150 120 90 150 100 120 90 Continue reading

With Hua Hin becoming more and more popular with the Indian weddings market, wedding planners are always on the lookout for new and novel venues. The Cicada amplitheatre at the Cicada Night Market is one such venue. Just don't choose a weekend else you will have a lot of uninvited guests or maybe Thai spectators gawking at the sight of an magnificient Indian wedding. Alternatively the venue will also lend itself well to an award ceremony for a MICE group. Continue reading

Thai Smile Airways will commence direct flights from New Delhi to Phuket and Mumbai to Phuket from March 31st. Flights to/from Mumbai will operate on Monday and Thursday and flights to/from New Delhi will operate on Tuesday and Friday. These flights were planned last year by Thai Airways but postponed due to a lack of aircraft. Indian visitors to Thailand numbered about 1 million arrivals in 2012. Most of these visitors go to Pattaya and Bangkok. With the introduction of these direct flights, the numbers to Phuket are expected to soar compared with the 22,000 visitors who visited Phuket directly last year and 25,000 the year prior to that. These direct flights from two of India's main gateways will push leisure FIT traffic and MICE traffic to these two destinations. Continue reading

TAT Photo Contest with a cash prize of USD 1000 could be yours if you send them a photo based on the theme "Thailand Events & Festivals" Continue reading

Ripley's Believe It or Not have added Scream in The Dark where you take a surreal journey into a black abyss of crazy clowns, ghastly grave robbers, terrorizing trolls, the living dead, devilish dogs, attacking skeletons, mystical mirrows and enough illusions and delusions to give you the happiest of nightmares for weeks to come! As you ride, the decibel of your scream earns you higher points to help make the action EVEN SCARIER! Ripley's have also added "The Vault Lazer Maze Challenge" It’s just like Hollywood ! Imagine you enter a treasure vault and as you cross the starting point, the Laser Maze pops to life and the room ahead of you is filled with brilliant green lasers radiating from the walls. Music and light effects immerse you into the experience. It’s time to hone your gaming skills. The Laser Maze Challenge is a timed event. The lower the time, the better your score. Your mission is to navigate the Maze without breaking a laser beam. If you do, that’s FINE, you’re simply penalized with time being added to your score. As you expertly navigate through the web of lasers, going over and under lasers as quickly as possible on your way to the end of the Maze, be sure to select the Mission Objectives along the way. When you reach the end and navigate beyond the final laser beam, you select the Mission Complete which finishes your challenge and determines your time/score. But you’re not done yet! The Laser Maze Challenge is easy to learn, but impossible to master, so you can’t wait to play again…Good Luck! Ripley's have also added the Sky Rider which is a ride in a helium baloon tethered to the roof of the Royal Garden Shopping Plaza giving you a bird's eye view of Pattaya City ! Worth checking these attractions out on your next visit to Pattaya ! Continue reading

This hit Chinese blockbuster, Lost in Thailand which grossed 6 billion THB at the box office is being held up as the reason why 800,000 Chinese visitors will visit Thailand in the first quarter of 2013. This would be a 44.4 percent increase of Chinese visitors, year on year. In 2012, the number of Chinese to visit Thailand were 2.7 million visitors. This year the number is expected to touch 3 million visitors. Chiang Mai was the location for the shooting of this film and not surprisingly Chiang Mai is swarming with Chinese. The media has reported that 384 charter flights carried Chinese visitors to major tourist destinations across Thailand from 8th February until February 20, such as Chiang Mai, Phuket and Samui. Is anyone in Bollywood taking note ? It could be used as as a formula for pushing up Indian visitors to Thailand too ! Continue reading

The Outbound Travel Mart (OTM) Mumbai 2013 is India's commercial capital's largest b2b trade fair that happened at the Goregaon Trade Fair grounds from the 8th to the 10th of February 2013. Last year Pathfinders Travel was part of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) pavilion. This year they stepped out of the TAT stand (though they were just opposite them) to let their b2b travel agent client base know that they should not be compared with the me too destination management companies that populate Thailand, as well as to reflect their new positioning that they sell South East Asia and Australia and not just Thailand going forward. Pathfinders service over 1500 travel companies now from their office in India selling destinations that range from Thailand to Singapore, Malaysia, Indochina, Philippines, Hong Kong and Macau. At the exhibition Pathfinders also showcased their state of the art Online Dynamic Packaging system and their Web Booking system available at www.pathfinders.travel Over the three days of OTM from the 8th to the 10th February, the stand was host to hundreds of agents. Many old clients dropped by and were happy to see their partner grow the way an innovative and talented team should. Many of the Pathfinders Team members also got an opportunity to meet their agents face to face who they normally just talk to over phone and email. The TAT stand drew plenty of participants too who were attracted by the live Thai boxing matches that were being staged from time to time which the Director of the Mumbai and South Indian regions, Khun Sethaphan Buddhani was himself refreeing. At another corner Thai massage by experienced masseurs was being offered which also pulled in quite a crowd. The Thai stand was perhaps the most popular stand at the OTM among the participating countries, though Malaysia and Turkey were also pulling in crowds. Continue reading