Paradise Lost
The land of smiles
This first lesson introduces Thailand as a tourist destination, who might go there and for what reasons.
Key questions:
- Who goes to Thailand?
- Why do people go to Thailand?
Key Concepts:
Place
Space
Cultural understanding and diversity
Who goes to Thailand?
13.38 million international guests visited Thailand in 2005, staying 8.1 days on average. According to the Tourist Authority of Thailand, 65% of tourists come from the Asia Pacific region with Japan and Malaysa among the leading countries of origin. Outside of Asia, ourists come from Britain, Germany, Scandinavia and the USA with increasing numbers coming from the Middle East. Approximately 55% of tourists are return visitors. Thailand prides itself on having something for everyone from backpakers to families; from culture and wildlife lovers; from adventure travellers to those who just fly and flop on one its many beaches.
Why do people go to Thailand?
Thailand offers a great variety of attractions which can be combined with hobbies or leisure. This includes dive sites, sandy beaches, hundreds of islands, archaeological sites, museums, ethnic and religious sites and World Heritage sites. However, in recent years, Thailand has been losing out on tourists seeking cultural destinations, to Cambodia (famous for Angkor Wat) and Laos (famous for Luang Prabang). To counter this Thailand is seeking more niche markets such as golf holidays, or holidays combined with medical treatment. These are especially aimed at the lucrative and medium-haul markets of Japan and South Korea and in the future China. According to the Tourist autority of Thailand, Asian tourists prefer Bangkok and the historical sights nearby, western tourists prefer Bangkok and the southern beaches.
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Starter
Main activity
Plenary
Interactives:
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