Date: 25 Dec 02

Thailand will close 2002 with the visitor arrivals with 10.7 million by the end of the year 2002, exceeding a forecasted record of 10.5 millions despite security fears for traveling in the Southeast Asian region due to the horrific event in Bali.

The confirmation of that figures will promise about 330,000 million Baht in revenue, going beyond the TAT's earlier expectation which set at 10.5 million visitors and 320,000 million in revenues.

The domestic market displays as dramatically as the international one. Trips reached 32.18 million during the first six months of the year, an estimated increase of 5.05% on the same period last year with 133,010 million Baht in revenue. The target in 2003 for domestic tourism is 323,000 million Baht.

In 2003, TAT is projecting a new promotional campaign "Unseen Thailand", a theme focusing on unknown destinations and attractions in the country. Lanta Island in Krabi and the Northeast region will be destinations to be promoted among others. Meanwhile, it will be good that Thailand will change a crisis into a chance. Amid the horror of terrorism in US and Europe, most visitors change their destination to Asia instead.

With this new project and according to the great performance of this year, TAT is eyeing for 11.13 million foreign visitors and 360,000 million in revenue in 2003.

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