Island hopes rise with Trat flights -
Apr 18, 2003
With the official commencement
of flights between Bangkok and Trat today, business operators on Koh Chang
expressed high hopes that the newly opened Trat Airport would provide a
welcome boost in tourists to the island.
Resort and hotel owners on Koh Chang agreed that the Bangkok-Trat route
would help increase occupancy rates. The number of tourists travelling to
Koh Chang has declined in recent months.
"Trat Airport offers new hope for the tourism sector [in Koh Chang]," Sakol
Sunate, president of Trat Tourist Association, said during the opening
ceremony for the airport late last month.
The new airport is the third in Thailand to be managed by a private airline
- Bangkok Airways, which also runs Samui and Sukhothai airports.
Bangkok Airways CEO Prasert Prasarttong-Osoth said that the airline also
planned to offer direct flights connecting Trat with Samui and Phuket.
Koh Chang will be also linked to other destinations flown by Bangkok
Airways, which is offering a "Discovery Airpass" package to travellers. This
special promotion, which runs until April 15 next year, will offer eligible
travellers up to 50-per-cent off standard ticket prices.
Discovery Airpass travellers are required to purchase a minimum of three
coupons (up to a maximum of six), with each coupon redeemable for one
Bangkok Airways flight. The first flight must be confirmed upon purchase of
the Discovery Airpass, while other flights can be left open and booked
later.
The price per coupon is US$50 (Bt2,150) for adults and US$25 (Bt1,075) for
children.
Travellers can chose between any of 15 routes flown by the airline, but are
limited to domestic routes in Cambodia and Thailand, a sales representative
said.
For example, if a traveller chooses to fly Bangkok-Phuket-Bangkok, then
Bangkok-Trat-Bangkok, he will have to pay for four coupons worth US$200
(Bt8,600).
Separately, the Trat Tourism Association president said the country's
largest food processor, Charoen Pokphand Group, is planning to build a fruit
storage facility on Koh Haad Sai Kheow, an island near Koh Chang.
Sakol said pineapples and mangosteens would be promoted among tourists,
to help differentiate Trat from other destinations such as Phuket.
Although usable land on Koh Chang is now less than 10 per cent of the total
island, up to Bt1 billion in new investments is expected this year, with
over 20 new resorts being built. The number of available rooms is expected
to rise by up to 3,000 rooms this year. |
