Chiang Mai floral show

A one-stop service centre is being established to make it easier for tourists planning to visit the International Horticultural Exposition Royal Flora Ratchaphruek 2011 when they reserve rooms and tour packages, a press conference was told yesterday.


Tourism entrepreneurs, tourist vehicle providers, hotels and restaurants in Chiang Mai were told to plan and work together to serve the tourists under the one-stop service centre concept, said Sarawut Saetiao, president of the Chiang Mai Tourism Business Association.

To make online room reservations, tourists can click www.asiatravel.com - the official website for reservations.

"Thirty countries have confirmed to visit the event as we've targeted. We also expect that there will be more than 2 million visitors to the event - 90 per cent of them will be locals and the rest will be foreigners. It will generate Bt25 billion, which won't be less than the first time of organising the event, as this time it will last 99 days while the first one lasted 90 days," said Kampol Nisitsukcharoen whose company was appointed to promote the event.

Sarawut said since European countries and the US were facing economic recession and Thailand's political transition caused a delay of the event's marketing plan in those countries, he targeted more visitors would be from Asian countries, including China, Singapore, Malaysian, Indonesia and the Philippines.

Royal Flora Ratchaphruek 2011 is held from November this year to January 2012.

Kampol said there would be four new gardens plus 23 current gardens and there would be more academic activities and contests