Three other Phuket tourist attractions also won Kinnari Awards, while the island also picked up two Kinnari Gold Awards in the Spa category, along with two other Phuket spas being bestowed prestigious Kinnari Awards.
This year’s edition of the awards, held at the Samyan Mitrtown shopping complex in Bangkok, saw 94 awards, six Hall of Fame and 88 Kinnari Awards, up for grabs.
The awards are held to recognise the Thai travel industry’s best and brightest for their excellence in delivering remarkable service and experience to local and international tourists.
Minister of Tourism and Sports Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn presided over the event, along with TAT Governor Yuthasak Supasorn, who explained that the TAT initiated the biannual awards in 1996, and specifically organised the awards ceremony on World Tourism Day as a symbolic gesture of recognition that builds awareness for responsible and sustainable tourism.
This year marks two decades of the Thailand Tourism Awards. Before the evening awards presentation ceremony, the TAT staged a seminar on the two decades of the Thailand Tourism Awards and a special “speed dating” business appointment for operators of award-winning tourism products and services and travel companies.
In the Accommodation - Location Hotel category, the Ramada Phuket Deevana along with the Deevana Plaza Krabi Aonang and Deevana Plaza Phuket Patong were each bestowed the Kinnari Award.
The ShellSea, Krabi, won a Kinnari Gold Award for Luxury Hotel.
In the Resort category, the Dusit Thani Krabi Beach Resort won a Kinnari Gold Award, while the Rayavadee, Krabi, won a Kinnari Award.
Flying Hanuman, Phuket won a Kinnari Gold Award in the Outdoor Adventure Activity division of the Attraction category, while Banana Beach Koh Hey, Phuket; Amazing Andaman Underwater with Sea Bees Diving, Phuket, and Hanuman World, Phuket, all picked up Kinnari Awards.
In the Health and Wellness category, which offered 23 awards, Banyan Tree Spa Phuket and Oasis Spa (Turquoise Cove Spa), Phuket both won Kinnari Gold Awards in the Spa division, while Cool Spa, Phuket and Wareerak Hot Spring Retreat, Krabi, both won Kinnari Awards.
Phuket Museum and Krabi Koh Klang Thai Culture (Anda Krabi Sea Tour Company Limited), Krabi both won Kinnari Awards in the Learning and Doing division of the Attraction category.
Old Phuket Town Tourism Community won a Kinnari Award while Laem Sak Tourism Community, Krabi, picked up a Kinnari Gold Award in the Local and Community division, while Tham Le Stegodon, Satun, won a Kinnari Award in the Nature and Park division.
As part of this year’s awards event, the TAT also inaugurated the “Kinnari Showcase 2019” consumer fair to enhance market exposure for award-winning tourism products and services among local tourists. Held at Samyan Mitrtown from 10am to midday on Sept 28-29, the event served as a marketing platform for operators of 60 award-winning hotels, resorts, homestays; attractions – natural, community and adventure; and spas and wellness retreats to promote their products and services.
The two-day showcase also featured workshops from the five regions: North – Mulberry paper class by Jinnaluck Miracle of Saa, Chiang Rai; East – incense making workshop by Abhaibhubejhr Training Centre Day Spa, Prachin Buri; Northeast – pot planting and painting workshop by Khaoyai Farm Village, Nakhon Ratchasima; Central Region – water hyacinth bag weaving workshop by Ban Laem Sub-district Community Tourism Group (Mae Suan Land), Suphan Buri; and the South – traditional dessert making and batik painting workshops by the Laemsak Tourism Community, Krabi.
Submissions for the 12th Thailand Tourism Awards were open from Feb 1 to April 30, and the TAT simplified the awards into three main categories comprising 12 sub-segments.
The accommodation category now comprises four sub-segments: Luxury Hotel, Location Hotel, Resort and Design Hotel.
The health and wellness tourism sector now comprises two sub-segments: Spa and Wellness retreat.
The attraction category now comprises six sub-segments: Outdoor Adventure Activity, Learning and Doing, Nature and Park, Fun and Entertainment, Historical and Culture, and Local and Community.
FULL LIST OF AWARDS
ACCOMMODATION – 26 Awards
Hall of Fame: RatiLanna Riverside Spa Resort, Chiang Mai
Location Hotel
Kinnari Gold Award: Pullman Bangkok King Power, Bangkok
Kinnari Award (6 winners): Phanomrungpuri Hotel, Buri Ram; Sivatel Bangkok, Bangkok; The Sukosol, Bangkok; Deevana Plaza Krabi Aonang; Krabi; Deevana Plaza Phuket Patong, Phuket, and Ramada Phuket Deevana, Phuket.
Luxury Hotel
Kinnari Gold Award (4 winners): RatiLanna Riverside Spa Resort, Chiang Mai; Anantara Riverside Bangkok Resort, Bangkok; The ShellSea, Krabi, and Royal Muang Samui Villas, Surat Thani.
Kinnari Award: InterContinental Hua Hin Resort, Prachuap Khiri Khan
Resort
Kinnari Gold Award (6 winners): Centara Grand Beach Resort & Villas Hua Hin, Prachuap Khiri Khan; Ace of Hua Hin Resort Cha-am, Phetchaburi; Siam Bayshore Resort Pattaya, Chon Buri; Dusit Thani Krabi Beach Resort, Krabi; Muang Samui Spa Resort, Surat Thani, and Santhiya Koh Phangan Resort and Spa, Surat Thani.
Kinnari Award (6 winners): Nan Boutique Hotel and Resort, Nan; Panviman Chiangmai Spa Resort, Chiang Mai; Baan Talay Dao, Prachuap Khiri Khan; Movenpick Asara Resort & Spa Hua Hin, Prachuap Khiri Khan; Ravindra Beach Resort & Spa, Chon Buri, and Rayavadee, Krabi.
Design Hotel
Kinnari Award: The Riverie By Katathani Collection, Chiang Rai
ATTRACTION - 45 Awards
Hall of Fame: Nan Municipality, Nan
Outdoor Adventure Activity
Kinnari Gold Award: Flying Hanuman, Phuket
Kinnari Award (4 winners): Maesa Elephant Camp, Chiang Mai; Banana Beach Koh Hey, Phuket; Amazing Andaman Underwater with Sea Bees Diving, Phuket, and Hanuman World, Phuket.
Learning and Doing
Kinnari Gold Award (7 winners): Dhanabadee Ceramic Museum, Lampang; Jinnaluck Miracle of Saa, Chiang Rai, Royal Park Rajapruek, Chiang Mai, Chiang Mai Night Safari, Chiang Mai; Khon Kaen Zoo, Khon Kaen; PB Valley Khaoyai Winery, Nakhon Ratchasima, and Roi Et Science and Cultural Centre for Education, Roi Et.
Kinnari Award (13 winners): Singha Park Chiang Rai, Chiang Rai; Umbrella Making Experience, Chiang Mai; Chiangmai Celadon, Chiang Mai; Cocoa Valley, Nan; Elephant POOPOOPAPER Park, Chiang Mai; Phu Wiang Fossil Research Center and Dinosaur Museum, Khon Kaen; Khao Yai Farm Village, Nakhon Ratchasima; Baanrimklong Homestay Community Enterprise, Samut Songkhram; The Golden Jubilee Museum of Agriculture, Pathum Thani; PTT Green in the City, Bangkok; Krabi Koh Klang Thai Culture (Anda Krabi Sea Tour Company Limited), Krabi; Tong Tom Yai Homestay, Chumphon, and Museum Phuket, Phuket.
Fun and Entertainment
Kinnari Gold Award: Tiffany’s Show Pattaya, Chon Buri
Kinnari Award (4 winners): Ripley’s World Pattaya, Chon Buri; Alcazar, Chon Buri; Cartoon Network Amazone, Chon Buri, and KAAN Show Pattaya, Chon Buri.
Nature and Park
Kinnari Gold Award: Chae Son National Park, Lampang
Kinnari Award: Tham Le Stegodon, Satun
Historical and Culture
Kinnari Gold Award (2 winners): Nan Municipality, Nan, and Phetchabun Intrachai Archaeology Hall, Phetchabun.
Local and Community
Kinnari Gold Award (2 winners): Phra Bat Huai Tom Tourism-based Community, Lamphun, and Laem Sak Tourism Community, Krabi.
Kinnari Award (8 winners): Lotus House by Nutty’s Adventures Co., Ltd., Phayao; Tourism Promotion Club by Ban Rai Kong Ginger Village, Chiang Mai; Wang Krod Old District, Phichit; Thai Retro Market, Ban Rajan, Singburi; Ban Laem Sub-district Community Tourism Group (Mae Suan Land), Suphan Buri; Ban Laem Mangrove Forest Conservation Community Enterprise (Na Tab), Nakhon Si Thammarat; Old Phuket Town Tourism Community, Phuket, and Muang Klong Community Tourism Community Enterprise, Ranong.
HEALTH AND WELLNESS - 23 Awards
Hall of Fame (4 winners): The Oasis Spa Lanna, Chiang Mai; Bangkok Oasis Spa, Bangkok; Banyan Tree Spa, Bangkok, and Abhaibhubejhr Training Centre Day Spa, Prachin Buri.
Spa
Kinnari Gold Award (13 winners): The Oasis Spa Lanna, Chiang Mai; Fah Lanna Spa, Chiang Mai; Rarinjinda Wellness Spa, Chiang Mai; Zira Spa, Chiang Mai; Bangkok Oasis Spa, Bangkok, Banyan Tree Spa, Bangkok, Rarinjinda Wellness Spa Ratchadamri, Bangkok; Rarinjinda Wellness Spa Ploenchit, Bangkok; The Oasis Spa Pattaya, Chon Buri; Abhaibhubejhr Training Centre Day Spa, Prachin Buri; Banyan Tree Spa Phuket, Phuket; Oasis Spa (Turquoise Cove Spa), Phuket, and Banyan Tree Spa Samui, Surat Thani.
Kinnari Award (5 winners): Cheeva Spa, Chiang Mai; Lanna Come Spa, Chiang Mai; Cool Spa, Phuket; Divana Virtue Spa, Bangkok; Wareerak Hot Spring Retreat, Krabi.
Wellness Retreat
Kinnari Gold Award: Kamalaya Spa, Surat Thani
The Hall of Fame is for winners who have already received three Kinnari Gold Awards in any category. The Kinnari Gold Award is for winners who receive a 85-100% rating of the total rating set for each category, and the Kinnari Award is for winners who receive a 75-84.99% rating.
Winners benefit by receiving a 50% discount when attending the TAT’s travel shows in Thailand and overseas, including the Thailand Travel Mart Plus, World Travel Market and International Tourism Borse.
They also get additional publicity via TAT’s marketing tools on the Thailand Tourism Awards; such as, TAT’s prominent social media channels; namely, Amazing Thailand and Thailand Fan Club, as well as other marketing and media platforms.
Full information on the Awards can be found at www.tourismthailand.org/tourismawards or www.facebook.com/thailandtourismawards.