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Weddings in Thailand will be widely promoted as part of an ambitious effort to bring tourism revenues up to 2 trillion baht over the next three years, the Tourism Authority of Thailand announced. Niche tourism market segments including weddings, golf, health and wellness are being encouraged to promote higher-spending, low-impact visitors.
 
One such promotion involves bringing in 99 couples from China to hold a joint wedding ceremony this October. Phuket is already a popular wedding and honeymoon destination, especially with Korean and Japanese couples.

This has been a banner year for tourism in Thailand, with the latest figures from the Tourism Authority of Thailand revealing that nearly 10.5 million visitors arrived to the country in the first half of 2012, up 7.60% over the same period of 2011.
 
The most important contributor to this growth was arrivals from China which, for the first time, crossed the one million arrivals mark in the six-month period to record a total of 1,124,234, up by a robust 28.87% over January-June 2011. Malaysian arrivals also topped 1 million, making this neighbouring country Thailand’s second largest source of visitors (a total of 1,115,721). Rounding out the top-ten source markets of visitors to Thailand are Russia, Japan, Korea, India, Laos, United Kingdom, Australia and the USA.

Thailand is renowned for its massage and spa services, so it’s only natural that Bangkok would be the host city for the World Spa & Well-being Convention 2012, held from September 19-21 at the IMPACT convention centre. Spa professionals from Thailand and around the world will join the event, which will feature exhibitions of spa services and products as well as networking opportunities.
 
Thailand’s spa and wellness industry has helped generate millions of jobs at the grassroots level, especially among women. Many of the organic and herbal products used by Thai spas are being exported worldwide. This will be a chance for Thai spa industry players to showcase their distinctive hospitality and care.
 
For more information on the World Spa & Well-being Convention visit http://www.worldspawellbeing.com.

Phuket based artist Robin Gillow and South African artist Libby Harrison will be showing their newest work in a joint exhibit at the VR Gallery at Mom Tri’s Villa Royale in Kata. The exhibition opens this Saturday (July 14) at 7pm.
 
The artists have known each other since their early teens and both attended the (then) Johannesburg College of Art together. The exhibition’s ocean related theme, perfectly suits the art duo’s subject matter. In addition to the exhibition, each artist has donated a painting to be auctioned via the Cape Panwa Hotel Phuket Raceweek regatta to raise funds to promote sailing in Phuket for underprivileged children in Thailand. The paintings will be on display at the VR Gallery until the regatta starts.

Phuket products will be the highlight of the seventh ‘One Tambon One Product’ fair at Saphan Hin park in Phuket City from July 10-16. The local product initiative has helped villagers across the country raise millions of baht in income and sparked thousands of home-grown innovations.
 
The fair will feature a range of products from Phuket and neighbouring provinces, including food, beverages, fabrics, herbs, gifts and decorative items.

Phuket history buffs are in for a treat at this month’s International Business Association of Phuket (IBAP) meeting on July 13, which will feature a presentation of a treasure trove of memories and stories about Phuket from 30 years ago.
 
The meeting will take place at A2 Resort on the bypass road. All welcome. Visit http://ibap-phuket.org for more information.

Italian luxury goods designer Salvatore Ferragamo surprised fashion followers last month by putting on a lavish show featuring its latest resort and cruise fashion line at the Louvre museum in Paris.
 
The show featured influential fashion icons and celebrities, usually seen only at couture shows, lined up along the front-row seats. Fashionista magazine said “The collection was of a game of contrasts, between flesh tones and Art Nouveau-esque silver appliqués, suede fringes and paper-thin knits, flowy layers and chunky patchwork. In an aim to ‘link nature to something more modern’ said head designer Massimiliano Giornetti, the clothes referenced any number of summery fantasies, merging 1970’s Big Sur, Greek Antiquity, and a touch of disco dancing.”
 
Fashionista speculated that the show was a sign that resort wear was gaining prominence in the world of fashion.
 
http://fashionista.com/2012/06/is-resort-the-new-ready-to-wear-ferragamo-puts-on-first-ever-runway-show-at-the-louvre-to-showcase-resort/

The month of May was sweet for Phuket resorts, which enjoyed one of the highest rates of revenue growth in the Asia/Pacific region, according to a recent STR Global report. Occupancy rates were also boosted.
 
Phuket reported an increase in revenue per available room (RevPAR) of 37.7% to Bt2,009.08 as well as an increase in occupancy of 19% to 60.9%, while Bangkok also reported an increase of RevPAR by 21.3% to Bt1,991.59.
 
Find the full STR Global report here: http://www.ttrweekly.com/site/2012/06/thai-hotels-improve-revenue/

Phuket iPad, iPod and iPhone fans now have easy access to a vast selection of video and aural offerings with Apple set to expand its iTunes store into Thailand and other Asian countries this week.
 
PC Magazine reports that, “Customers in Asia can now purchase and download music and videos from iTunes' library of more than 20 million songs by international artists, as well as local musicians. Before the iTunes Store became available, users in Asia could buy and download only apps, not music or movies, on their Apple devices.”
 
iTunes is the world’s top online music store, with more than 20 million songs in its library.
 
http://www.apple.com/asia/itunes/