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Director,Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) Pasakorn Supannapan said Sri Lanka is an important market for Thailand in South Asia and more emphasis will be laid on promoting the multitude of exotic tourist attractions Thailand boasts of.

Addressing the Travel Agents, Airline staff and the media at the "Amazing Thailand Road Show to Sri Lanka 2009 Supannapan said Thailand is visited by tourists from different parts of the world as it is a value for money destinations in the region other than the diverse tourist attractions the country offers.

"It's value for money with uniqueness and promoted as the destination of Seven Wonders," he added.

Thailand is increasingly becoming popular as a destination for "Medical Tourism" due to its cost effectiveness, quality and the exotic and diverse attractions the product offers compared with what our competitors have to offer in the region, the TAT Director said.

There is also an increase in the number of honeymooners since Thailand is fast gaining popularity as a honeymooners paradise Supannapan noted.

Thailand has also very gained immense popularity as a shoppers paradise which offers a great variety he noted.

"Most of the Sri Lankans who have been to Thailand have not visited the majority of these destinations as their visits have been restricted to the capital Bangkok and the beaches of Pattaya and Phuket," he said.

There are a number of different tailor made packages the tourists can choose from and Sri Lankans can avail themselves of these packages via the travel agents in Colombo Supannapan pointed out.

"Thai Airways operates four frequencies a week Bangkok-Colombo-Bangkok with convenient connections to other parts of the world as well as a wide network domestic flights to every corner of the country," he said.

 In 2008 over 40,000 Sri Lankans have visited Thailand and during the first eight months of this year 23,000 Sri Lankans have visited the country and this expected to rise sharply during the December school holidays he explained.

Supannapan was confident that the TAT's target of 14 million tourists for 2009 is quite an achievable target.

Thai government waiving the tourist visa fee for one year has encouraged more tourists to visit the country he said.

Asked how the Sri Lankans have reacted to this concession offered by the Thai government he said it has encouraged more visitors Sri Lankans and other South Asian to visit the country and there is a visible increase in tourist traffic to Thailand.

Earlier a Sri Lankan had to pay Rs 4,000 for a tourist visa to Thailand and it is a considerable saving for them now he explained.