The DOT said that in line with the Asean policy to boost tourism within the region, it is assisting tourism personnel in the upper Northeast to deepen their knowledge on Issan history and cultural heritage as well as to improve their skills and abilities to serve the visitors efficiently.

“It’s necessary for people in the tourism industry to give impressive experiences to the visitors which will bring in more tourists and more repeated visits,” said Anan Wongbenjarat, director general of the DOT.

The retreats accommodate up to 10 persons and include accommodations, breakfast and lunch, five group sessions covering physical and mental relaxation and mental resilience, one hour personal coaching session and four hours of spa treatments. They will run from 16th April – 12th May 2018, the resort said in a press stattement.

David Arni is a Neuro Linguistic Programming Master and certified coach in Kinesiology, Systemic Constellations and European Coaching Association. He conducts resilience workshops for companies in Switzerland and Germany and personal coaching for business professionals and private persons. He designed this wellness retreat to incorporate systematic tools, yoga and Qi Gong, spa treatments and individual coaching to improve self-understanding and personal resilience. Participants would emerge relaxed, revitalised and better-equipped to deal with stress.

Centara’s Koh Chang Tropicana Resort, set on Klong Prao Beach in the centre of the island’s west coast, is an ideal destination to escape the tensions of city life and practice healthier physical and mental habits. The calm blue sea, landscaped tropical gardens, and verdant mountain backdrop provide clean air and a tranquil, natural environment. Participants can opt for spacious rooms or Cabana suites for their stay.

“David is an outstanding coach,” said the resort’s General Manager, Pius M. Luechinger. “He has the expertise to help people identify the sources of their stress and develop mental and physical approaches to overcome them. We are fortunate to host his program in this beautiful natural location.”

The announcement, which was witnessed by Vietnam President Tran Dai Quang and senior leaders of Vietnam and India, marked a breakthrough on the 45th anniversary of the Vietnam-India diplomatic relationship and the 10th anniversary of the strategic partnership between Vietnam and India.

The first route is planned to connect Ho Chi Minh City with New Delhi with four flights per week.

India is well-known for its marvelous nature and grand architecture certified as world heritage sites. Among them are Valley of Flowers National Park (Uttarakhand), Lotus Temple (New Delhi), Taj Mahal (Uttar Pradesh) and Red Fort (New Delhi).

The six Asean member states on the list are Thailand, Singapore, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines. Other countries on the list were Japan, South Korea, Maldives and the United States.

According to the report, outbound visits by Chinese residents hit a record high of more than 130 million and they spent US$115.29 billion (Bt3.6 trillion) in 2017, making China the world’s biggest source of outbound travellers.

File photo: Chinese tourists in Thailand

The report found that China’s outbound tourists demand high-quality tourism products, with more of them preferring premium and customised trips, looking for a “more foreign experience”.

Living conditions and services, rather than shopping and sightseeing, were given more weight by Chinese tourists. Outbound travel has now also grown into a gauge measuring the happiness of Chinese.