With cooperation between the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) and the Thai tourism industry, Thailand has the honor to annually host the largest B2B event ‘Thailand Travel Mart Plus the Greater Mekong Subregion’ (TTM+).

The event, first organized in 2001, has the uttermost objective to promote the tourism and service business in Thailand and its Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) counterparts.

The tourism economy has developed very favorably in the last years: Tour operators reported increased earnings of 3.5% in the tourism year of 2007/2008. Above-average increases in revenues were achieved in the areas of specialized and educational travel (5-7%), long-distance travel (4%) and cruises (12%).
The travel agency market achieved stable growth for the fourth consecutive year (2% increased earnings).

Malaysia has had an extraordinarily good tourism year in 2008. The campaign „One Golden Celebration“, following the „Visit Malaysia Year 2007“, drew in more international visitors to the Southeast Asian country in the last year than ever before.

The popularity of Malaysia further shows in the awards and accolades bestowed upon the country on a regular basis. Readers of the American magazine Global Traveler, for example, declared Malaysia the best international tourism destination in 2008.

Gerhard R. Fasching, born in Austria and with a successful career in the world of hospitality, has been acting as GM of the Radisson Hotel Pudong Century Park for twelve months. He is responsible for one of the leading hotels in Shanghai, China.

We asked him about his hotel and the situation

On the western shoreline of the Thermaikos Gulf, only 5 kms from the city of Thessaloniki – the second biggest city and port in Greece – lies one of the most important wetlands in Europe. It is a Natura 2000 and Ramsar Convention protected area, consisting of the deltas of the Axios and Aliakmonas rivers, the estuaries of the Gallikos and Loudias rivers, the Kalohori lagoon, the Nea Agathoupoli marsh and the Aliki Kitrous lagoon, all areas situated in the prefecture of Thessaloniki.

From March 3 to 22, 2009, people traveling to Houston will be awaited by a grand Wild West adventure. The American metropolis will be celebrating the 77th Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo – the largest rodeo in the world. The event draws in almost two million visitors every year with spectacular rodeo championships and a gigantic accompanying program. The best cowboys in the world compete in various contests. Immediately following the rodeo events, there will be performances by country singers and world-famous rock and pop musicians every evening.