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A group of 16 UK tour operators were in Thailand this week to review the situation in the country following a military coup on May 22 as tourism authorities insist “everything is back to normal”.
Representatives of firms including Flight Centre, Gold Medal, Thomas Cook, Trailfinders, Travelbag, Travel2, and Virgin Holidays made the trip to Bangkok at the end of last week at the invitation of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT).
They formed part of the biggest fam trip Thailand has ever hosted as up to 900 travel industry and media representatives from 47 countries descended on Bangkok.
TAT governor Thawatchai Arunyik told them: “The objective is to show Thailand is safe to visit . . . Everything is back to normal.”
UK visitor numbers to Thailand have barely been affected by the coup. The TAT reports UK arrivals in June down just 0.12% on a year ago and numbers for the year to date up on 2013.
But arrivals from the country’s key source markets in East and Southeast Asia have fallen heavily.
The military takeover followed six months of street protests centred on Bangkok.
The TAT governor described the fam trip as “a critical component of our recovery programme, especially for the second half of this year when we have to double or efforts to bring visitors back.
“This will help restore visitors’ confidence.”
Flight Centre partnership marketing manager Sarah Dean told Travel Weekly: “It seems very much business as usual.
“From the tourist perspective you would not feel at all uncomfortable. I didn’t notice any issue.”
The UK group left Bangkok for Kanchanaburi and then on to the beach resort of Hua Hin south of the capital. They are due to return at the end of this week.
Flight Centre plans a Thailand promotion in early August ahead of a joint campaign with the TAT in September.Special report: Thailand after the coup (below)