The private ceremony celebrated the creativity of the 40 participants and awarded the top three finalists.
The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) hosted an award ceremony for finalists from the MENA region who entered its video competition, ‘Take Me Back to Thailand’ at Crowne Plaza Dubai Marina’s new Thai restaurant, Charm Thai. With the aim of creating a sense of nostalgia, the tourism board announced the video competition over social media – over 40 travellers to Thailand each submitted a one-minute video highlighting their previous experiences in The Land of Smiles.
During the ceremony, the top three participants received amazing prizes for their video submissions. Muhannad Qarouni was celebrated as the first place winner, receiving the grand prize of a seven-day trip to his preferred city in Amazing Thailand, which includes one business class flight ticket to Bangkok and full-board accommodation. The first runner-up, Muadh Al Ghazali and second runner-up, Hamad Hareb Al Ketbi received high-value shopping vouchers of USD700 and USD500 respectively that they can avail in their country of residence.
Pichaya Saisaengchan, Director of the Tourism Authority of Thailand for Dubai and the Middle East, said, “We are thrilled by the positive response we received by the participants who entered the competition and it is heart-warming to see their enthusiasm to revisit Thailand. We’d like to thank everyone who submitted their videos and congratulate our winners of the competition. Thailand has gone to great lengths to ensure the safety and wellbeing of travellers, and we can’t wait to welcome visitors from the Middle East back to our shores.”
Upon receiving his winning prize, Muhannad who is a videographer by profession, commented, “I am so excited to have been chosen as the winner of the competition and I can’t wait to travel to Thailand after two years! My last trip was in Phuket and Surat Thani with my family which was such a magical experience and I’d like to thank the Tourism Authority of Thailand for giving me the opportunity to revisit ‘The Land of Smiles’ once again.’
Thailand’s reopening roadmap is set in motion for a phased reopening of Thailand’s borders to fully vaccinated travellers without the need to quarantine. Starting in July of this year, Phuket will be the first destination to welcome travellers from the region and a vaccination campaign is also being implemented to provide herd immunity to 70% of Phuket’s population. Visitors who want to travel across Thailand from Phuket must stay in Phuket for seven nights without being quarantined before going to one of the specified destinations – Krabi, Phangnga, Samui, Pattaya and Chiang Mai – which will then be reopened for direct travel later in the year.
For more information, visit www.TourismThailand.org
