PATA’s Support for Thailand During the Flood Crisis

Posted: Thu 17 Nov, 2011

PATA CEO Martin Craigs sent an update to PATA Board members and members in Thailand on the various actions taken by the association to help Thailand as it copes with the flood situation.

 

Dear travel industry friends in Thailand,

We are getting through a difficult time together due to your resilience in the face of the floods. As the CEO of PATA I salute your determination and professionalism. I pledge that PATA will continue to work energetically to minimise negative impacts and speed the tourism recovery.
 
I would like to share with you actions PATA has done around the world to correct the negative perceptions about the Thai flood situation and to tell the world about the REAL situation.
 
As you are painfully aware, Thailand has been negatively affected by misleading media coverage on the floods. For example at World Travel Mart (WTM) in London I told many industry and business media it was very wrong to show images of a decommissioned TG aircraft in flood water at Don Muang and leave readers around the world with the impression that this was Suvarnabhumi International Airport and that the capital’s airport was no longer in operation.
 
Likewise, news film crews have stood outside the Grand Palace in Bangkok and pointed their cameras as isolated areas of flood water to film their report. If they had just panned the camera around 360 degrees, viewers would have seen that the majority of the area was in fact dry.
 
I will continue to work with you to speak out against such misrepresentation of Thailand in the world media.
 
In addition, here is a brief summary of what PATA has been pleased to do to help Thailand to the best of our ability during the flood period:

1. PATA broadcast a TV commercial on CNN informing viewers that Bangkok city centre and other parts of Thailand were open for business as normal. The commercial is being broadcast on CNN in Asia, November 9-20, 2011. To view the TVC, please visit http://youtu.be/DlYRWIUz22M
2. PATA ran a banner on CNN website as a support message to the TV commercial. View screenshot.  
3. As CEO, on November 10, 2011 I told a global audience on BBC World TV in a live broadcast with Geeta Guru-Murthy that Thailand was open for business and that Thai tourism industry should not be punished by misleading media reporting. View the clip here: http://www.pata.org/Video or http://youtu.be/2WzJAGz7beI
4. I also conducted an interview with Breaking Travel News at WTM on November 10, 2011: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PHtnzJ_HlWs
5. Due to our advocacy on behalf of Thailand and affected areas in the Mekong,  PATA’s appeal to media to be balanced and for tourists to keep coming was reported in the following print and online publications: http://www.pata.org/inthenews/thailand-flood-update-coverage 
6. PATA sent out a press release in support to PATA members in Thailand on October 18, 2011: http://www.pata.org/press/pata-no-need-to-change-thailand-travel-plans-due-to-floods
7. On October 31, 2011 we sent messages to PATA member travel professionals worldwide telling them about the real situation on the ground in Thailand: http://www.pata.org/press/pata-ceo-update-on-thailand-flood-situation 
8. On November 2, 2011 PATA staff members helped pack relief supplies for Thailand’s flood victims at Chulalongkorn University: http://www.pata.org/Images/pata-hq-activities
9. PATA has put frequent updates on PATA.org and on its Facebook (www.facebook.com/PATA.HQ) and Twitter (@PATA_HQ and @PATATravelNews) feeds.
10. We encouraged tourists and travel professionals to refer to the very useful flood situation updates on www.tourismthailandupdate.com.

Throughout this month, I have emphasised the “support Thailand” message to travel trade and media at events in London, New York and Miami. I will keep amplifying this narrative through all appropriate media and social media channels. (I am, ironically, typing this while listening to the Vice President of Facebook speak to 1,400 participants at the 14th annual PhoCusWright travel innovation conference in Miami. The event is about disinter-mediating old world media!)

At PATA we are here to help and speak out with all the new-generation communication tools now available. Your feedback is encouraged. What else can we do to help? Let me and the PATA team know.
 
On November 23 I am privileged to join Tourism Authority of Thailand Governor, Suraphon Svetasreni, and Ministry of Tourism and Sports Deputy Permanent Secretary, Dr Seksan Narkwong at a panel discussion organised by the PATA Thailand Chapter at the JW Marriott Hotel in Bangkok. The event is called “Thai Floods & Tourism: Lessons Learned and Bouncing Back.” I hope you can join this timely event.
 
PATA has received positive feedback from industry colleagues, with few exceptions. I promise PATA will continue to speak out for Thailand’s rapid recovery. The newly formed PATA Rapid Recovery Task Force will also be active on this and share our expertise with other countries.
 
PATA pledges its full support for Thailand and the Mekong region during the flood recovery period and beyond. PATA members are welcome to utilise our HQ office in Bangkok as you rebuild.
 
Best wishes to all of you who have shown resilience and good humour during these very challenging times for tourism in Thailand.

 

 

Yours truly,

 

Martin J. Craigs

Chief Executive Officer

PATA