Bangkok, 24 May, 2016 – The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) recently arranged a Meet and Greet of its tourism presenter – the famous Thai film star and singer Mario Maurer – in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, as part of its “Experience Thailand with Mario Maurer” expanded marketing campaign that aims to attract more travellers from China and ASEAN to experience Thailand.
The Meet and Greet activity, which was held at SC Vivo City on 14 May, 2016, allowed Vietnamese fans of Thai heartthrob pop star Mario – who is famous for Thai films; such as, Love of Siam and First Love – to meet their idol and also learn about the attractions that await tourists in Thailand. Mario was made a Brand Ambassador for TAT in 2014, as he has a high profile in both the ASEAN and Chinese markets due to his frequent film appearances and chart-topping hits.
During this trip to Ho Chi Minh City, Mario first appeared at a TAT-hosted press conference to launch the new “Experience Thailand with Mario” marketing campaign. Members of the media were shown six short films starring Mario that showcase some of the exciting travel experiences Thailand can offer in Bangkok, Trang, Amphawa (Samut Songkram), Chiang Mai, Lampang, and Pattaya (Chon Buri).
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Following the press conference, Mario then appeared at the ‘Meet and Greet’ activity where more than 1,000 fans turned up with some lucky individuals sharing the stage with their hero and asking questions.
Dr. Walailak Noypayak, TAT’s Executive Director for the ASEAN, South Asia and South Pacific Region said, “This marks the first appearance of Mario as TAT’s presenter in the Vietnamese market, where Mario has a fan base of more than 700,000. Mario has been a wonderful representative for Thai tourism and is helping us reach out to new markets, especially in China, Vietnam and the Philippines where he has large numbers of fans. Using popular cultural icons and the T-pop phenomena as well as the six short films starring the heartthrob himself experiencing Thailand, we hope to encourage more people from the target markets to travel in Thailand, especially young people and families.”
As part of the “Experience Thailand with Mario” marketing campaign, TAT has scheduled “Meet and Greet with Mario Maurer” functions and press conferences in five locations across China and ASEAN, including Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam (14 May), Guangzhou and Beijing, China (30 July and 20 August, respectively), and Jakarta, Indonesia (12 November). In addition, Mario’s fans across Asia can keep up with his travels by following him on his social media platforms; such as, Weibo and Wechat.
Mario Maurer said, “It is a wonderful experience travelling to different countries and meeting so many delightful people. I especially love being able to tell them some of the delights and good times that await them in Thailand. I love my country and this job gives me the chance to share its attractions with the world.”
Vietnam is a fast growing market for tourism and more arrivals from Vietnam are expected as the ASEAN Economic Community encourages free movement and travel. In 2015, Thailand welcomed 7.51 million Vietnamese tourists, an increase of 34 per cent over the previous year. In 2016, TAT expects Thailand to attract 8.2 million travellers from Vietnam that will help earn 32 billion Baht for the Thai economy.
Contact Information
International Public Relations Division
Tourism Authority of Thailand
Tel: +66 (0) 2250 5500 ext. 4545-48
Fax: +66 (0) 2250 0246
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.tatnews.org
Facebook: TAT Newsroom
Twitter: TAT Newsroom
Instagram: TAT Newsroom
