The recent visit of the Miss Czech contestants 2008 to Phuket constitutes TAT's continual drive to promote Phuket as a tourism destination all over Europe. In the recent months, Phuket has seen a significant increase in arrivals from Eastern European countries, including Estonia and Finland.

More charters from the Benelux market have resulted form a sustained promotional drive by the TAT which has been pushing Phuket and the Andaman as a tourism hot-spot with road-shows and networking conducted over much of the year 2007.

The beauties who also visited Bangkok and Pattaya arrived on Phuket on January 10, and stayed at various hotels on the island for the duration of their visit. With an itinerary packed with visits and sight-seeing, the girls experienced many of Phuket's most popular tourist spots and sampled a wide variety of local fare at various restaurants.

The plan also included a trip to Phi-phi and James Bond islands. Their visits all over the island were filmed and photographed extensively by the accompanying media, and bagged prolific media coverage back in the Czech republic, where, as the media representative of the Czech delegation told the Post, reports were published and aired in the national media on a daily basis.

TAT's Khun Suwalai expressed her delight at the arrival of the beauty pageant contestants on Phuket and her confidence that the exposure to Phuket through this exercise would entice many more tourists from that country to the region.

On the final night of the their stay, the Miss Czech 2008 contestants were hosted to dinner by the
Phuket Travel Association at the Hilton Phuket Arcadia Resort & Spa Karon. TAT's Marketing Representative in Czech Republic Mr. Marzoukj Ali, who was instrumental in organizing the visit assured the present audience that the visit has been a great success and the immense exposure for Phuket would reap rich dividends in the near future.

The girls themselves, who gushed about their wonderful experiences on the island promised to carry happy tales of their visit back to family and friends. On Phuket, at the various places visited, they caused many a flutter. Khun Nampetch (Nikki) Tipaxsorn of the Hilton informed the girls that the entire staff of the hotel had been eager to welcome them, “Not one employee took the day off today,” said Khun Nikki, to the delight of the contestants, “and everybody from housekeeping to reception are all proud and excited that you are here tonight.”