| A young Japanese model and actress who has captured the hearts of movie-goers across Asia was unveiled today as the latest weapon in the bid by Thailand's southern resort island of Phuket to rebuild its tourism image following the last December tsunami.
The 28 year-old Maju Ozawa will travel to Phuket several times over the course of the next year to act as a presenter for tourism publicity videos, which will be broadcast live on Japan's Channel 4, and which are expected to attract around 60 million viewers.
Mr. Phattanaphong Ekwanich, head of the Phuket Tourism Association, told reporters that Miss Ozawa's presence in Phuket would help reassure Japanese tourists that Phuket remains a safe place to visit after the tsunami, and that the province now has a system of early warning towers.
"The VTR's will be shot in important tourism destinations, such as Patong, Kata and Karon Beaches, in order to show images of tourism attractions in Phuket which have been restored since the tsunami", he said.
While a trickle of Japanese tourists has made it to Phuket since the tsunami struck on 26 December, visitor numbers are still nowhere near their pre-tsunami levels.
The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) hopes to redress this problem by holding roadshows in the Japanese cities of Osaka and Tokyo, both of which are linked by direct flights to Phuket.
Miss Ozawa spoke today of feeling impressed by Phuket's natural beauty, and by the fact that there was no real evidence of tsunami damage.
Expressing confidence that Japanese visitors would return to Phuket, she promised to promote the island on her return to Japan.
By: MCOT, Thailand
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