2012 a miracle year for Thailand

Press Today’s Ian Stalker reports that delegates at last week’s Thailand Travel Mart in Bangkok learned that Thailand’s tourist trade enjoyed a strong year in 2011, with the country seeing 19.2 million foreign visitors. The 2011 figure represented a 20.6% increase over 2010 visitations and this year the Thailand Tourism Authority is hoping for 20.5 million international visitors. The first four months of this year saw 7.3 million visitors, up 7% from the same period last year. The bulk of Thailand’s foreign visitors are drawn by the country’s many beach resorts but tourism authorities are increasingly promoting other sides to the southeast Asian nation. Among the niche markets that Thailand is focusing on are health and wellness, weddings and honeymoons, ecotourism and golf, with Thailand being home to over 200 golf courses. This year is being dubbed “The Miracle Year” for Thailand,’s tourist trade, with that project designed to highlight things that are distinctively Thai. It includes cultural events and the country’s cuisine. For more, go to http://www.tourismthailand.org .