Chiang Mai eyes green tourism image

CHIANG MAI 11 October 2012: Named as the “Most Splendid City of Culture” by the Cabinet, 3 May, Chiang Mai at the grand age of 716 intends to  fine tune its image to embrace ecotourism.

The objective is to build a tourism experience based on quality and sustainability, in tune with the environment, while reflecting centuries of  Lanna culture.

However, there are challenges and the travel industry has to come to the party with a diversity products, improved transport links and deliver above all else the quality of safety and a sense of confidence for both tourists and travel professionals who ultimately recommend destinations.

Tourism development plans

Right at the top of the priorities is a call to strengthen Lanna culture so the province can offer a distinctive experience that is linked to the culture, local language and dress. It’s a tough call as the city and province are besieged by the drive to be modern, spin in  the techno groove and offer all the global brands in food, shopping and entertainment.

Chiang Mai Provincial Administrative Organisation president, Boonlert Buranupakorn, told TTR Weekly: “It will need to start in schools by ensuring children are proud of their heritage and adopt Lanna traditions.”

The province also needs more tourist attractions and PAO will initiate a project ‘One District One Attraction’ that will focus on 25 districts in the province, to introduce new attractions. It is a difficult task that has taken two years to identify just two attractions that have potential.

“They are a forest like China’s Zhangjiajie Kad Muang Phi (spiritual market in Lanna) in Chai Prakan and Pha Wing Chu Cliff in Hot where the Ping River passes through a gorge that has similar features to the Grand Canyon, but on a much smaller scale.”

Ministry of Tourism and Sports’ Chiang Mai Provincial Office has allocated Bt10 million to 10 districts to support the quest for tourism attractions. The districts are: Doi Tao; Samoeng; Mae On; Chai Prakan; Fang; Mae Taeng; Chiang Dao; Chom Thong; Mae Chaem; and Galyani Vadhana.

The objective is to set up tourist service centres, improve signs to existing attractions, and build more restrooms at sites.

Chiang Mai moat

In addition, this year the office plans to restore what it calls three deteriorated attractions — Doi Suthep, the Night Bazaar and San Kamphaeng Hot Springs.

The office has proposed a rehabilitation plan to the ministry, last month, which will need approval.

The office asked for Bt30 million to add more road signs covering 25 districts and Bt120 million for rehabilitation at the three sites that need restoration. The budget approval will be known by November.

Besides Thai and English language signs, the office plans to add Chinese to meet the expected influx of Chinese speaking visitors after the ASEAN Economic Community becomes a reality in 2015.

In addition, Tourism Authority of Thailand Chiang Mai Office has identified green and golf tourism and a so-called slow travel project as a top priorities to support an ecotourism theme for the northern destination.

The green tourism project will include efforts to sell cycle trips on a route linking Chiang Mai to Lamphun and Lampang. It will encourage cycle tourists to explore provinces’ scenery, way of life, temples, culture and history along the route.

Together the three towns offer an ideal route for cycle tourism particularly as the distance is not too great (200 km for the entire trip) and while there is a hilly section between Lamphun and Lampang the views are spectacular.

There are a variety of accommodation options in Lamphun and Lampang including home-stay and Lampang airport has a daily service from Bangkok making it possible to fly to Chiang Mai and cycle to Lampang and rejoin the flight to Bangkok.

The project will need a budget of around Bt1.5 million. Right now the office is studying a sample itinerary (around three days/two nights) and how to promote the routes for cycle tourists.

For golf tourism, TAT will launch Chiang Mai Golf Festival 2013 scheduled for 1 May to 30 June, which will require a budget of Bt1 million and will seek more cooperation budget from partners. The festival will position Chiang Mai province as a new golf destination targeting golfing holidays in regional markets.

Chiang Mai Night Bazaar

At present, 70% of golfers playing courses in Chiang Mai and the north are Thais, but TAT believes there is potential to attract foreign golfers, mainly from markets that are linked directly by airline services.

Also, there are efforts to bring tourists to Chiang Mai province during the rainy season dubbed the “green season”. One of the key markets is the Middle East while regional markets also have potential. China and India are a potential markets and the province needs to tap during the green season.

A top priority is to attract Muslim travellers from the ASEAN region particularly from Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore.

These markets will grow in importance after AEC 2015 is introduced. To succeed the tourism sector needs to understand the Muslim way of life, halal food preparation and prayer room requirements in hotels.

“If we can supply the right products and understand Muslim travellers it will help us to achieve success in the Middle East and build a balanced tourism industry in the province’s tourism,” said TAT director Chalermsak Suranan.

Extend non-immigration visa issue

Another feature  that would support tourism in Chiang Mai is the extension of the long-stay visa from one to three years.  Japanese travellers, who are mainly retirees over the age of 50, favour Chiang Mai over Bangkok due to its cooler climate and slower pace.

Currently, Japanese long-stay travellers are eligible for a one-year non-immigrant visa, but it has to be extended every 90 days at Chiang Mai Immigration Bureau, which defeats the purpose of the yearly visa provision. This contrasts with Malaysia where Japanese long-stay visitors gain a stay of up to 10 years.

Doi Suthep

Thai Hotels Association Northern Chapter is backing the Chiang Mai Chamber of Commerce in its efforts to improve  long-stay facilities and has presented facts on the market to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

“If we can achieve a more acceptable solution, we could recruit hotels that can meet the criteria of the Japanese long-stay club in Chiang Mai as well as set at least one floor of each hotel for this market to rent,” THA Northern Chapter president Phunut Thanalaopanich told.

So far there are around 50 to 60 hotels joining the campaign mostly located near the Night Bazaar, Nimmanhaemin and Hauy Kaew roads popular spots for Japanese long-stay visitors. Around 15 hotels are members of THA.

“The campaign will support and encourage Japanese who choose Chiang Mai for its culture, natural attractions and lower the cost of living particularly medical fees.”

There are nine northern provinces where 3,500 Japanese are registered as long-stay guests. They are: Chiang Mai; Lamphun; Lampang; Chiang Rai; Mae Hong Son; Nan; Payao; Phrae and Uttaradit. The majority stay in Chiang Mai age over 50 years.

In addition, the city attracts around 3,000 Japanese and the trend towards long-stay has grown since a tsunami and earthquake hit Japan early March 2011.

Long-stay visits could earn hotels around Bt300,000 per person per year. The market could reach 10,000 to 30,000 visits well within the town’s room capacity, which has around 41,000 rooms that could cater to this market.

Transport improvement scheme

Land transport

PAO president Boonlert explained: “The province lacks of good public transport system. Therefore, I recently asked Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra to help us improve and build a better public transport system and she assigned the Ministry of Transport to look into it.”

“We believe the construction of the first high speed railway project should start next year and be ready in three years, connecting Bangkok and Chiang Mai. This was confirmed by PM Yingluck who believes it will boost tourism to the province.”

“It will reduce travelling time from Bangkok to Chiang Mai from seven hours to three and a half hours and can carry more travellers than other transport.”

The Bangkok-Chiang Mai high speed railway will span over 745 km and trains will reach a cruising speed of 250 kph.

There are five high-speed rail projects that will cost Bt983.47 billion. The other four routes are: Bangkok-Nong Khai, Bangkok-Ubon Ratchathani, Bangkok-Rayong, and Bangkok-Padang Besar.

Despite the stated optimism none of the projects have gone beyond the study stage and are possibly years away from materialisation despite the assurances made by the PM.

More practical for Chiang Mai tourism is a plan to develop local transport including the construction of a fourth ring road at Hang Dong district to reduce traffic congestion.

“The 55-km fourth ring road will help ease traffic. If there is no new ring road, the province will face more traffic jams problem in the near future.”

Aviation

Northern destination need more direct air links to boost regional tourism. The government has given assurances it will introduce measures to increase direct flights to the province to boost more travellers and revenue for the industry.

Without nonstop flights, travelling time from Hong Kong, Singapore, Jakarta and Malaysia when connections are included make it a five to seven-hour journey.

Financially, it suits the airlines to feed traffic through connecting services out of home-base hubs, but it is not in the best interests of regional travellers.

Tourism office director, Churirat, acknowledged there was insufficient direct flights a key factor that deters short-stay tourism mainly regional travellers who can only spare three to four days.

“Direct flights to Chiang Mai should be increased to generate more arrivals and revenue. Phuket is an example of how it works.”

Meanwhile, the PAO president Boonlert urged the government to force THAI Airways International to operate more direct flights between the province and key markets.

“THAI Airways is the flagship carrier and must pioneer routes to connect main destinations to the province instead of considering only profit as it does today.”

Chiang Mai Tourism Business Association president, Sarawut Saetiao, also said there was a lack of direct flights to the province that stifled market growth from Russia and China.

Meanwhile, direct flights from Japan would support the long-stay market as there are around 3,500 Japanese retirees living in the province nowadays.

Currently, there are 11 direct flights to the province. They are: Macau (Thai AirAsia); Kuala Lumpur (AirAsia); Singapore (Silk Air); Hong Kong (Dragon Air and Cathay Pacific); Kunming (China Eastern Airlines); Guang Zhou (China Southern Airlines); Taiwan (China Airlines); Seoul (Korean Air);Yangon (Air Bagan and Air Mandalay); and Vientiane and Luang Prabang (Lao Airlines).

Safety and security measure

Safety and security for tourists is now a top priority. TAT Chiang Mai Office director, Chalermsak said: “To raise a security and safety TAT is supporting the set up of CCTV surveillance at popular tourist spots such as Tha Phae area and the Walking Street. The project should be ready in two months.”

CCTV cameras will be used as a deterrent against violent crime in tourist districts and could possibly reduce theft and bag snatching.

Once the cameras are operational, travellers and residents will be able to gain a real-time situation report on TAT’s website www.tourismthailand.org.

Earlier in mid-June, Chiang Mai governor Panadda Disakul instructed security units to beef up measures to improve confidence.

Police patrol units have been increased particularly during the weekends when there is a large influx of tourists. There are more than 200 police volunteers who patrol the areas and report to officers if they witness tourist related incidents.

In addition, a tourist service centre will open at Chiang Mai’s airport possibly this month. The centre at the airport will has 11 staff who will be able to speak Thai, English, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and French.

Another tourist centre will open in the Chiang Mai Governors House particularly to assist tourists who claim they have been cheated by scammers.

Main attractions

Doi Suthep-Doi Pui National Park; Doi Inthanon National Park; Mae Sa Waterfall; Pang Chang Mae Sa; Wat Phrathat Doi Suthep; Wat Phra Singh; Walking Street; Night Bazaar; Chiang Mai Zoo; and Chiang Mai Night Safari.

Main festivals

Bo Sang Umbrella Festival (January); Flower Festival (February); Songkran Festival (13 to 15 April); Doi Suthep Pilgrimage (On the night of Visakha Bucha Day); City Pillar Inthakin Festival (seven auspicious days and nights in the 7th lunar month); and Yi Peng Festival (Loy Krathong).

Fact file

On average, 5 million tourists ( 70% are Thais and 30% foreigners)visit the province and generate around Bt30,000 million to Bt40,000 million a year.

The province also hopes to be an events destination when the Chiang Mai Convention Centre opens later this year.

The 326-rai convention centre facilities once it opens will have a plenary hall with a capacity of 3,000 people; 32 meeting rooms and space for 475 exhibition booths.

The centre located in Nong Hor, Chang Puak, province town close to the 700th Anniversary Stadium and Chiang Mai University.

Ministry of Tourism and Sports has assigned Tourism Authority of Thailand to take a responsible for the centre management’s to give more time to consider a long-term management solution possibly involving either Thai or foreign partners.

Sourced: ttrweekly