TAT Confirms Date for 9th Thailand Tourism Awards

The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has set 27 September 2012, coinciding with World Tourism Day, for conferring the biannual Thailand Tourism Awards, the highest recognition in the kingdom’s travel and tourism industry.

Applications for the Awards 2012 are open from 1 May - 31 August 2012, the TAT announced. Forms can be downloaded at http://tourismawards.tourismthailand.org.

Initiated by the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) in 1996, the Thailand Tourism Awards are designed to reward best practices in the Thai travel and tourism industry and encourage companies and organisations to constantly strive for higher professional standards.

Since their launch, the Awards have been conferred on 406 companies, organisations and institutions, broken down into 120 Awards of Excellence, 284 Outstanding Awards and 2 Honorary Awards.

This year, the selection criteria stresses the management of tourism products that are environmentally friendly, in line with the principles of the sufficiency economy and innovative economy, and undertaken creative marketing campaigns, particularly via social media. They should also meet the World Tourism Organisation’s criteria on environmental management.

TAT Governor Suraphon Svetasreni said the TAT wants the Awards to be globally recognised as a symbol of quality. He said, “The primary judging criteria goes beyond just individual product design and service delivery. It includes how the applicants help conserve the country’s natural resources, mitigate climate change, contribute to economic and social development, practice good governance and pursue innovation.”

According to the Governor, it is very important to reward the hard work of the committed and dedicated industry professionals by helping them boost their competitive advantage and marketing efforts.

For 2012, the Thailand Tourism Awards are categorised into six groups as follows:

Tourist attractions
1.1 Natural attractions
1.2 Historical and cultural attractions
1.3 Community attractions
1.4 Ecotourism
1.5 Agro-tourism
1.6 Recreation

Tourism development and promotion organizations
2.1 Government sectors
2.2 Private sectors
2.3 NGOs/Civil society
2.4 Community based-tourism

Tourist accommodation
3.1 City hotels over 80 rooms
3.2 Provincial hotels over 80 rooms
3.3 MICE hotels
3.4 Boutique hotels
3.5 Pool Villas

Health tourism
4.1 Day spa
4.2 Destination spa
4.3 Hotel / Resort spa
4.4 Hospitals that promote health tourism
4.5 Thai wisdom spa

Tour programmes
5.1 Domestic packages
- Historical, cultural and local lifestyle attractions
- Natural and environmental conservation
- Agro-tourism
- Soft adventure and adventure tourism

5.2 International packages
- Historical, cultural and local lifestyle attractions
- Natural and environmental conservation
- Agro-tourism
- Soft adventure and adventure tourism.