Top Tourism Awards Hailed On World Tourist Day

The Tourism Authority of Thailand presented the country's major tourism awards on World Tourism Day, 27 September 2000, to commemorate the efforts of individuals and companies to uphold the professionalism, standards and image of one of the country' s most important foreign exchange earning industries. The Thailand Tourism Awards, the Friends of Thailand Awards and the inaugural Tourist Guide Awards take on a special significance this year in view of TAT celebrating the 40th anniversary of its founding. The colourful gala function was held at the Central Plaza Hotel presided over by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Health H.E.Mr. Korn Dabbaransi and Minister to the Prime Minister's Office and TAT Chairman H.E. Mr. Adisai Bodharamik. Initiated by TAT in 1996, the awards are conferred bi-annually to honour private and public tourism-related organisations for innovation and creativity in the field of sustainable tourism, conservation and environmental protection efforts. This year the Award Winners included national parks, historical parks and museums, arts and cultural centres, hotels and resorts, inbound and domestic operators, and travel and tourism media, which have worked hard at improving their standards and quality of their products for both international and domestic tourists.

Initiated by TAT in 1996, the awards are conferred bi-annually to honour private and public tourism-related organisations for innovation and creativity in the field of sustainable tourism, conservation and environmental protection efforts. This year the Award Winners included national parks, historical parks and museums, arts and cultural centres, hotels and resorts, inbound and domestic operators, and travel and tourism media, which have worked hard at improving their standards and quality of their products for both international and domestic tourists.

This year, the Thailand Tourism Awards were conferred in 16 major categories including Best Tourist Attractions which was won by Chae Son National Park, Lampang; the Best Cultural and Historical Tourist Attraction was awarded to Phuket Fantasea and the Best City Accommodation was won by the Grand Hyatt Erawan, Bangkok. Other awards were conferred on the Best Tour Programmes, Best Conservation/Preservation and Best Tourism Publicity. A total of 83 Friends of Thailand Awards were also presented in categories like individuals, media, tour operators and airlines. To celebrate its 40th Anniversary, TAT also initiated the First Tourist Guide Awards to recognise quality tour guides who have endeavoured to high levels of professionalism as well as to encourage other tour guides to follow suit. The selection of World Tourism Day, 27 September 2000, on which to confer the awards was also symbolically intended to show TAT's solidarity with the theme of the Day, "Technology and Nature: Two Challenges for Tourism at the Dawn of the 21st Century". The Day is marked every year under the auspices of the Madrid-based World Tourism Organisation.

THE AWARDS

Best Tourist Attractions

1. Best Natural Tourist Attraction: Chae Son National Park, Lampang
2. Best Cultural and Historical Attraction: Si Thep Historical Park, Petchabun
3. Best Cultural and Historical Tourist Attraction: Phuket Fantasea, Phuket
4. Best Town and Local Attraction: The Ban Khok Kong ? Phu Thai Cultural Village, Kalasin

Best Tourist Accommodation

1. Best City Accommodation: The Grand Hyatt Erawan, Bangkok
2. Best Resort Accommodation: The Fern Rimtan Resort, Mae Hong Son

Best Tour Programmes

1. Best Domestic Tour Programme: Camping Bike Company Limited
2. Best Inbound Tour Programme: "Tourism For Health?, Chiva Som International Health Resort
3. Best Conservation/Preservation Organisation: Institute of Marine Science, Burapha University, Chonburi
4. Best Conservation/Preservation Project: The Kung Krabaen Bay Royal Development Study Centre, Chanthaburi

Best Tourism Publicity

1. Best Tourism Mass Media: "From Traitreung to Si Satchanalai? Thai Treasure, World Heritage? by Chamrat Chuengthirapanich of Advance Thailand Geographic Magazine
2. Best Tourism Television: "Cultural Tourism? from the Blue World television series, sponsored by Siam Commercial Bank
3. Best Tourism Internet and IT: www.Bangkok.Thailandtoday.com by Soruch Chamyenura of ThailandToday.com