On 2nd February 2012 H.E. Ambassador Apichart Chinwanno, together with Mr. Sarun Charoensuwan, Minister, and other diplomatic officers, visited the ?Brussels Holiday Fair 2012?, Brussels Expo. They were welcomed and guided by Mrs. Aroonwan Kosiyakul?Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT)?s marketing representative to Belgium and Luxembourg.
The ?Brussels Holiday Fair 2012? is interesting by the fact that it is the biggest holiday fair in Belgium, occupying about 44,900 sq. m. According to Brussels Fairs & Exhibitors (BFE), the organiser, the selling pitches of the event are the fact that it lies in the heart of Europe and the ?cradle of European diplomacy?. Moreover, Belgians are ranked the top three tourism consumption population in Europe.
With these advantages, the Fair last year drew 113,978 visitors (an increase of 44% compared to 2004 and an increase of 2% compared to 2010) and 786 exhibitors (an increase of 30% compared to 2004 and an increase of 3% compared to 2010).
This year, TAT, Thai Airways International and Sombat Thai Restaurant, Antwerp, joined hand in showcasing Thai Tourism Booth as well as organising a game, asking participants to guess the total turnout of visitors in this year?s event with the first prize being a Thai Airways direct flight round-trip ticket between Brussels and Bangkok and other smaller prizes such as dinner vouchers at selected Thai restaurants. This activity successfully drew interested visitors to come to listen to the promotion of tourism in Thailand provided by the Thai Tourism Booth staffs.
Furthermore, on 2nd February 2012, the inaugural day of the Fair, Miss Belgium 2012 Laura Beyne, in her Thai dress, graced the Thai booth and helped the Thai team welcome and promote the memorable experience she and her fellow contestants had upon visiting the Elephant Conservation Centre in Lampang, Thailand, in November 2011?an initiative co-supported by The Royal Thai Embassy, TAT and Thai Airways International.
Representatives from neighbouring countries under the theme ?Asian/Pacific Village? include Indonesia?which enjoyed the limelight as this year?s Fair?s host country?Malaysia, Singapore, China, Japan, South Korea and India.
The Brussels Holiday Fair 2012 took place from 2nd to 6th February 2012 at the Brussels Expo, Brussels.
