Bangkok, Thailand, 7 January 2008 — Twelve contestants in the annual Czech beauty contest, along with organizers and accompanying media members, are visiting the kingdom as part of the efforts by the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) to generate publicity and attract more visitors from the new member countries of the European Union.
The group was welcomed this morning at the TAT Head office, by Mrs. Phornsiri Manoharn, Governor, TAT, Mrs. Juthaporn Rerngronasa, Deputy Governor for International Marketing and Mr. Suraphon Svetasreni, Deputy Governor for Marketing Communication.
The Miss Czech 2008 beauty contest is organised annually by the Czech National Television. The show is widely watched across the country, as the winner goes on to represent the Czech Republic in the annual Miss Universe Pageant.
This year’s Miss Czech contest will highlight Thailand as the backdrop destination for the various fashion and other film-shoots featured in the TV campaign. The contestants arrived in Thailand and will be here until 17 January.
Their visits in Bangkok, Pattaya and Phuket will include the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, Grand Palace, Temple of Dawn, Siam Paragon, Duty-Free King Power, Siam Niramit, Ancient City, Nong Nooch Garden, Pattaya Beach, Tiffany Show, Laem Phromthep, Ko Panyee, Phuket Fantasea, Kata Beach, Karon Beach and Patong Beach, among other popular spots.
These shots will be broadcast in the final round of the Miss Czech 2008 Contest on 15 March, 2008, at 20.00 hrs on TV Nova, a well-known Czech Republic TV channel.
A member of the European Union since 2004, the Czech Republic has a population of ten million and a rapidly growing middle-class due to increased investments pouring into the country, especially from other EU member countries.
TAT Governor Mrs Phornsiri said, “We agreed to support this beauty contest because of the valuable exposure it will generate for Thai tourism destinations in a promising new source market in terms of visitor arrivals.
“As the Czech Republic and other new EU member countries become more economically integrated, it will certainly facilitate travel, initially within Europe and then of course beyond to long-haul destinations like Asia.”
Beside the TV promotions, the organisers have also agreed to publicise Thailand via billboards featuring Thai tourism destinations all over the capital city of Prague as well as advertising on a leading radio programme for three months and articles in the local daily newspaper and leading magazines.
TAT is taking care of the group’s travel expenditure in Thailand at a cost of roughly one million baht.
In 2006, visitor arrivals to Thailand from the Czech Republic totalled 13,128 up 27.26% over 2005. Repeat travellers totalled 7,329 or 55.83% of the total.
Visitor arrivals from the overall East Europe region totalled 95,312, up 46.53% over 2005. First-time travellers totalled 48,257 or 50.63% of the total while repeat travellers totalled 47,055 or 49.37%.
The average length of stay was 12.36 days and average expenditure per person per day 3,884 baht, generating tourism income of an estimated 4,576.36 million baht. Most of the expenditure was on shopping.
In January-November 2007, visitor arrivals from East Europe at Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport totalled 108,845, up 32.69% over the same period of 2006.
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