The Seven Amazing Wonders of Thailand

As the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) strives to grow its inbound traffic to 15.7 million visitors this year, the organization is redefining its marketing strategies. In late 2006, the TAT segmented its core national tourism products into a seven-point package that is being marketed as the Seven Amazing Wonders of Thailand. “With the Seven Amazing Wonders of Thailand campaign, we expect to increase the tangibility of Thailand’s brand internationally,” said Santi Chudintra, director of the TAT Los Angeles office. “Thailand is already a top-rated destination in terms of friendly people and value for money. Now we are giving potential visitors a clearer picture of the seven main components that make Thailand a great place to visit.”

Thailand’s seven core tourism products are categorized below.

Thainess

Travelers agree that the friendliness of the Thai people is often the extra element that makes a vacation in Thailand so special. But in addition to the hospitality of its people, this category also refers to the ability to interact with the locals through a variety of hands-on programs.

A popular interactive program is Siam Niramit, a massive stage production in Bangkok that features more than 150 performers and 500 costumes. After the program, visitors take pictures with the performers or visit the adjacent Thai village to participate in cooking, handicraft and music-making demonstrations. Another popular learning program is available at the Rose Garden Riverside, a jumping-off point for visitors traveling to the Floating Market. Here, a cultural learning center provides cooking classes, umbrella painting, martial arts displays and fruit carving.

Ritz Tours’ Thailand in a Week package explores Bangkok and Chiang Mai and includes free time for an optional stop at the Rose Garden’s Cultural Village. The eight-day program starts at $1,499 per person and runs through Dec. 31.

Travelers can also connect with Thai culture through Gutsy Women Travel’s Exotic Thai Escape. Uniquely Thai elements include a Tai-Chi class, a spa treatment in Chiang Mai, a Thai cooking class and a visit to the Mae Sa Elephant camp. The 12-day program starts at $3,039 with departures in August and December.

Nature

Thailand is home to nearly 150 national parks, which encompass mountainous terrain, mangroves, beaches and coral reefs, and serve up a variety of eco-activities as well as peaceful introspection. The country is also at the forefront of green tourism initiatives, and its Green Leaf Awards have been celebrating the country’s environmentally friendly hotels since 1998.

JetAbout Asia Vacations’ Taste of Thailand itinerary includes the scenic hill tribe villages outside Chiang Mai, the Maekajan Hot Springs, Phuket’s Siam Safari Elephant Camp, a four- wheel drive through the Chalong Highlands and an eco-tour of Phang Nga Bay. The 11-day package starts at $1,199 (land only) per person through Dec. 31.

Asian Pacific Adventures has a four-day, a la carte program into the Khao Sok rainforest. Guests can canoe through a mangrove forest, enjoy jungle walks, explore mysterious caves or inner tube down the river. Packages start at $890 per person, land only.