Stay-at-Home Travel Trend in Thailand Appears Strong.

Byline: Nondhanada Intarakomalyasut

Nov. 3--Talk of Thailand's tourism industry gaining a windfall from the growing reluctance of local people to travel abroad may be justified.

The turnout and response of visitors to the Thailand Tourism Festival 2001 at Muang Thong Thani has pleased organisers and exhibitors. Up to Thursday, some 450,000 people had attended during the first seven days of the 10-day event that will end tomorrow.

Many staff manning booths said more brochures than expected were being snapped up by fairgoers, mostly locals -- a positive sign of rising interest among Thais to travel within the country in the coming holiday season.

More than 50,000 brochures produced by the Association of Domestic Travel to promote its 40 members were distributed during the first four days of the fair, said Charoen Wangananont, the association president.

"Earlier, we expected only 50,000 brochures would be given out during the 10 days. But we have reached our target and now project that 100,000 brochures will be distributed by the time the festival ends on Sunday," he said.

He said the association would consider its effort a success if only 3 percent of the 100,000 people who received brochures ended up buying travel products.