Thailand Travel News: Thailand has been voted the world’s top international tourism destination for a record eighth consecutive year by the 500 members of the Swedish travel and tourism industry.

The annual Grand Travel Awards, now in their 17th year, are hosted by prestigious Swedish travel publication Travel News, with a panel of the publications editorial team and four representatives from the Swedish travel and tourism industry drawing up a list of contenders and submitting them for consideration to the Swedish travel and tourism industry to vote on.

This year the list of destination countries comprised: Australia, Egypt, Italy, South Africa, Spain, Thailand, Turkey, and the United States.

Accepting the award, Thai ambassador to Sweden, Thanarat Thanaputt, said the win not only to Thailand’s tropical environment – sun, sea and sand – but also to the kingdoms various cultural and beautiful tourist destinations.

“Tourists to Thailand can experience the 3Vs – value for money, variety and very Thai (Thai-ness), while enjoying their holidays”, Mr Thanarat said.

According to unofficial figures from the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), more than 392,000 Swedes visited Thailand in 2008, generating revenue of about Bt27.5 billion (about $US828.3 million) – an increase of 13,600 Swedish visitors over the 2007 year.

At the same awards ceremony Thailand national flag carrier, Thai Airways International, was awarded second place – behind regional and international heavy-weight Singapore Airlines – for Best International Flight in 2010, while the Stockholm office of the TAT was awarded second place in the Best Tourism Office category, behind the Danish National Tourism Organization.

By John Le Fevre

Thailand Travel News for February 18, 2010