Destinations

Bucking The Trend


The Tourism Authority of Thailand is preparing to open a downtown Toronto office to serve all of Canada, a move that would see it bucking a trend in recent years of having tourist boards close physical office space and have staff work from home in the age of the Internet.

Kayla Shubert, who carries the flag for the tourism authority in this country, told a Tuesday Toronto gathering that the plan is for the office to open in September or October and have multiple employees.
Currently, Shubert is the TAT’s only Canada-based representative and she, like her predecessor, works from home.

“It will lead to increased awareness for the destination. It is positive,” Shubert told Press Today of the upcoming office.

Currently, Charinya Kiatlapnachai, director of the tourism authority’s New York office, is responsible for all of Canada as well.

But the TAT plans to have a Canadian director when the Toronto office opens.

“I guess they feel that Canada has been a very important market for Thailand and it offers a lot of future potential,” Shubert said.

Thailand saw 226,500 visitors last year, a 7.8% increase over 2015.

Canadian visitors also average stays of around 18 days, among the highest of any nationality visiting the Asian nation.

Meanwhile, Shubert told the Toronto gathering that Thailand has a “vast array of quality products … that truly deliver unique experiences.”

Shubert added that Thailand has “many diverse regions, from small villages … to large, cosmopolitan vibrant cities.”

Landscapes include jungle and “some of the world’s most breathtaking beaches,” she continued.
Shubert also praised the “off-the-beaten-path destinations” in Thailand, including Sukhothai, home to “spectacular historical ruins” that have earned UNESCO World Heritage Site status.

In the photo are Kiatlapnachai and Shubert.