The largest tour group in Chinese history will set off for Thailand next January.

More than 10,000 people from all over the country, including 5,000 from Shanghai will head off to the popular tourist destination to attend the annual conference of the tonic sales company they work for.

During the seven-day trip, the tourists will visit more than 12 cities in Thailand starting on January 13. Thirteen airlines will handle the group, using 200 flights.

"We are confident we can successfully organize the trip, in view of our previous experience of sending a group of 4,000 people to Thailand," said Liu Jian, a manager with Shanghai Peace International Travel Service, which is handling the 5,000 travelers from Shanghai.

According to Liu, the agency will divide all the travelers into groups of less than 50 people, and verify the schedules of the small groups to ensure that such a great number of people won't cause problems when visiting scenic spots.

Since about half of the travelers come from outside of Shanghai, the agency will also arrange a one-day tour of the city before they set off for Thailand.

Organizers say they are still looking for a hall to host the company's conference, and if they can't find one, they will divide the travelers into groups and hold a video conference.

According to the manager of the Peace Travel, the agency has seen a significant increase in company-organized tour groups to reward excellent employees at the end of the year.

(Shanghai Daily November 23, 2005)