Phuket, 20 November 2009 — Twenty contestants in the Miss Belgium 2010 beauty contest are to visit Phuket during 16-23 November, 2009, as part of the efforts by the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) to generate publicity and attract more visitors from Belgium and other countries of the European Union.
The TAT Paris office together with BEST Tours, a major Belgian tour operator, won the support of the organizer of the beauty pageant to select Phuket as the backdrop destination for the various fashion and other film-shoots featured in the beauty pageant.
The contestants, along with organisers and accompanying media members, will travel to Phuket by XL Airways, a charter flight operating from Brussels to Phuket.
Mrs. Juthaporn Rerngronasa, TAT Deputy Governor for International Marketing said, “TAT will organise a welcome reception which will be based on the Loi Krathong theme. The beauty contestants will be provided with traditional Thai costumes which they can wear and join the Loi Krathong event, after which they can participate in activities like elephant riding, Thai cooking demonstration, spa treatment, etc”.
Belgium is one of the major sources of visitors from Europe. In 2008, arrivals from Belgium totalled 75,223 up 8.95% over 2007. In January – September 2009, Belgian visitor arrivals to Thailand at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi International Airport totalled 42,317, a decline of 5.95% over the same period of 2008.
Belgian visitors to Thailand can obtain a visa-free entry at all international airports and stay up to 30 days
On 19 October, 2009, Mr. Pisan Manawapat, Thai Ambassador to the Kingdom of Belgium, together with Mrs Pataraporn Sithivanich, Director of TAT Paris, attended the press conference of Miss Belgium 2010, organized by Miss Belgique 2010 Company in Antwerp.
Over 300 participants attended the press conference, including media, politicians, designers, movie stars, and executives from major sponsors of Miss Belgium 2010. A fashion show by Miss Belgium 2010 contestants saw them on the cat-walk carrying traditional North Thailand umbrellas, followed by a Thai cultural show which was widely covered by hundreds of media.
Thailand, particularly Phuket, will get widespread media coverage via the Miss Belgium 2010 pageant for at least 1-2 months before and after the finals. The pageant is expected to be promoted and broadcast by TV Channel Club RTL and RTL TVI in French and JIJF TV Station in Flemish. It will show the contestants visiting major Thai tourist attractions and otherwise having a nice time in Thailand.
The final round of the pageant will be held in Knokke town, a major beach attraction in Belgium (same as Saint Tropez in France). On 10 January, 2010, it will be broadcast on VIJF TV channel and RTL Channel during the prime time 20.10-23.30 hrs with a projected viewership of over 1 million in Belgium, Luxemburg, and surrounding countries.
Thailand has hosted several beauty pageants in the past and itself has two Miss Universe titles to its credit. Associating itself with beauty pageants generates widespread publicity, especially for the key target, women travellers.
Previously, TAT Paris office has supported the Miss France 2009 pageant, also using Phuket as a backdrop. In early 2008, the Miss Czech 2008 contest highlighted Thailand as the backdrop destination for the various fashion and other film-shoots featured in the TV campaign.
Miss Poland 2009 contestants also visited Thailand during the first two weeks of October 2009. The 24 beautiful ladies from different cities in Poland visited Pattaya and Phuket as a part of their “Polonia Preparation Camp”. They enjoyed seaside activities that were showed during the Miss Poland television pageant on 24 October, 2009.
