From surgery to service, there's something for every tourist

There are likely only a scant few Hongkongers who, office-bound on a rainy afternoon, have not daydreamed their way to the bustle of Bangkok, the culturally rich north or the idyllic palm-fringed beaches that frame the Land of Smiles.

As Thailand's greatest source of foreign exchange revenue, the importance of tourism in the country has not diminished. It has long been a tourist hot spot, developing in the early 1970s, as shoestring backpackers first discovered its charm, then evolving into the multimillion-dollar industry that it is today.

In the last couple of years, visitors from around Asia - including Hong Kong and the mainland, which now sends more visitors each year to Thailand than any other nation - have begun to overtake Europeans.

In addition, the country has become the No 1 destination for travellers from Hong Kong.

The increased influx of Asian tourists has been a boon for the Thai tourist industry, with growth and diversification in the luxury property sector - primarily resorts, hotels and villas - developing to suit this new clientele.

Hong Kong's proximity to this tropical paradise has resulted in countless visitors arriving from the city at Thailand's various airports. Savvy Hongkongers, however, are looking for more than just a weekend at the beach.

The advent of low-cost air carriers plying the route between Hong Kong and Bangkok, along with ever-easier online booking procedures, has led to a spike in the number of Hong Kong visitors, and inexpensive domestic flights have further opened up the country for those on time constraints.