Where are the Europeans? Hua Hin/Cha Am tourism officials urged to look elsewhere for next wave of tourists

[webfact]

Where are the Europeans? Hua Hin/Cha Am tourism officials urged to look elsewhere for next wave of tourists

 

 

A meeting was held in Hua Hin yesterday called a "Market Briefing". The Tourism Authority of Thailand with responsibility for Europe, Africa and the Middle East and the Petchaburi and Prajuab Khiri Khan TAT invited business leaders, hoteliers, golf course people and wellness and spa reps. 

 

The message was clear: Europeans are not coming as much as in the past. 

 

The answer to this dilemma was waffle and buzzwords. 

 

The gathering was told about segments for products, luxury, family, multi generational travellers...the list went on as the assembled gathering nodded in appreciation of the English terms and listened politely. 

 

They were urged to utilize www.thaitravelmart.com and attend trade shows and road shows. 

 

But there appeared nothing of substance to address the core issues and the reasons for the downturn. A 77kaoded report left the reader none the wiser. 

 

At the end of the meeting it was decided to have another meeting. 

 

That will be on the 14th of January in Krabi. 

 

Then everyone smiled and had their picture taken. 

 

And went back home to wonder where all the tourists had gone. 

 

Source: 77kaoded

 

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2019-12-19

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[apalink_thailand]

I thought the plan was big spending Indians and busloads of low end Chinese tour groups? Oh wait, simple quiet beaches aren’t of much interest to that crowd.

[RichardColeman]

11 minutes ago, webfact said:

The answer to this dilemma was waffle and buzzwords.

 

11 minutes ago, webfact said:

At the end of the meeting it was decided to have another meeting. 

Thai efficiency at it's best, talk waffle and arrange a new meeting to talk more waffle...........................and another jolly day out for the TAT

[AhFarangJa]

Reminds of something from the past...................

 

[Just1Voice]

Where are all the Europeans??  Ahh, Vietnam would be my guess. lol 

 

[sfokevin]

Someone at this meeting should have stood up and told the TAT cronies that f$#@ing with the retirement visa rules caused the loss of farrang community and this is just the beginning of the exudus... 

[Sametboy2019]

When one hand doesnt know what the other is doing!

[soalbundy]

They've looked under every rock and still can't find any....it's a mystery.

[NCC1701A]

Where have all the tourist gone?
Long time passing
Where have all the tourists gone?
Long time ago
Where have all the tourists gone?
Thais have <deleted> them off every one
When will they ever learn?
When will they ever learn?

[Tropicalevo]

1 hour ago, sfokevin said:

Someone at this meeting should have stood up and told the TAT cronies that f$#@ing with the retirement visa rules caused the loss of farrang community and this is just the beginning of the exudus... 

Now you are being silly. TAT have nothing to do with retirement visa rules. TAT are for tourists.

Please vent your wrath in the correct thread. (I am not saying that your point is wrong - it is just in the wrong place.)

[kingofthemountain]

5 minutes ago, Tropicalevo said:

Now you are being silly. TAT have nothing to do with retirement visa rules. TAT are for tourists.

Please vent your wrath in the correct thread. (I am not saying that your point is wrong - it is just in the wrong place.)

I heard in multiple occasions by the authorities that

all of us here on retirement visas are long term tourists.

If TAT can't give any information to the actual goverment on the

negative impact on the tourism caused by a strong baht and immigration rules

it's time to ask themselves if they are really usefull for something in a way or another 

except for fools numbers from the hat and hot air slogans and meetings

[mokwit]

Used to be an overwinter stay for Swedes. Maybe the requirements of an METV or OA are seen as making Thailand not worth the bother.

 

There may be a link between lack of 6 month contract property rentals and lack of ability to easily stay 6 months as a tourist over winter.

[bkkcanuck8]

1 hour ago, sfokevin said:

Someone at this meeting should have stood up and told the TAT cronies that f$#@ing with the retirement visa rules caused the loss of farrang community and this is just the beginning of the exudus... 

That is a pittance as the retirees are not that much importance for the tourist industry in Hua Hin.  Unless a retiree is visiting Hua Hin from another location in Thailand they are not going to pump much into the economy.  Retirees are not even considered prime demo in their home countries as they tend to spend less.  A tourist (especially first time) is going to come into town, spend money on hotels (likely mid to higher end), go out and spend money on lunch and dinner at restaurants (not likely the cheaper end as they tend to go to what other tourists have indicated as good - and that tends to be higher prices)...   Retirees tend to over estimate their importance to the overall economy.  Retirees might provide a steady stream of income over a year to a local economy, but after setting up residence that amount tends to decrease... and that is more of into a local economy rather than 'tourist economy'. Retirees tend to overvalue their contribution... 

[Destiny1990]

Try to attract a new wave of tourists with stricter visa rules?

Perhaps such an approach works this time?

[unamazedloso]

5 groups of family members i have would visit us yearly and now they wont. Sick of the scams and scarred of my abusive neighbors and corrupt police. You douche bags shot yourselves in the foot!! The rest of the Europeans are probably back kickstarting the tourism in Europe for which many visiotrs will be the rich from Thailand that made there money from tourism without ever lifting a finger.... Im getting the popcorn that i bought online cheaper than at the local store. Toruism is dead, go get real jobs people and stop taking money from tourists. It's actually all a bit weird and immoral the way tourism is promoted here..

 

[yellowboat]

"Waffling" and "buzzwords" is small provement over fortune tellers.  Parts of Isson looked at doing their own marketing I read once instead of relying on the cha cha who has said he wanted tourism to concentrate on Bangkok.  

 

Thailand just aint that much fun anymore.  

[spidermike007]

Better to look elsewhere for a competent administration who can kick out the army. They are tearing the nation asunder and completely decimating tourism.

 

Any other ideas will result in little progress. Get rid of the racist army. They are moving the nation backwards at an alarming pace. Nothing useful is getting done. The list of areas which are being ignored is too long to list.  

[bkkcanuck8]

7 minutes ago, unamazedloso said:

5 groups of family members i have would visit us yearly and now they wont. Sick of the scams and scarred of my abusive neighbors and corrupt police. You douche bags shot yourselves in the foot!! The rest of the Europeans are probably back kickstarting the tourism in Europe for which many visiotrs will be the rich from Thailand that made there money from tourism without ever lifting a finger.... Im getting the popcorn that i bought online cheaper than at the local store. Toruism is dead, go get real jobs people and stop taking money from tourists. It's actually all a bit weird and immoral the way tourism is promoted here..

 

You should leave as well...  it is not doing your mental health any good staying here ????

[Scot123]

46 minutes ago, Tropicalevo said:

Now you are being silly. TAT have nothing to do with retirement visa rules. TAT are for tourists.

Please vent your wrath in the correct thread. (I am not saying that your point is wrong - it is just in the wrong place.)

It is the perfect place. You do realise expats generate tourists with friends and family visiting or actually advertising their experiences which in couraged people to visit now they discourage people or have simply left with a very bade taste in their mouths. 

[Barry343]

Aussies and Kiwis have Bali number 1 followed by Phillipines, Vietnam, Cambodia each others country then Thailand the richer looks at Europe or USA, 

[Creasy]

Thailand is yesterday’s news.

Out of fashion and clapped out.

 

[mokwit]

29 minutes ago, Destiny1990 said:

Try to attract a new wave of tourists with stricter visa rules?

Perhaps such an approach works this time?

It's not as if having the Thai Govt decide how much time you can spend in a property you bought here is irritating.

[MadMac]

There is light at the end of the tunnel, as recently reported the TAT commisioned fortune tellers to find out what everybody else knows ????

[baansgr]

1 hour ago, Tropicalevo said:

Now you are being silly. TAT have nothing to do with retirement visa rules. TAT are for tourists.

Please vent your wrath in the correct thread. (I am not saying that your point is wrong - it is just in the wrong place.)

It is actually quute relevent for Hua Hin and especially more so Cha am as these places were reliant heavily on retirees either living full time or as snowbirds for six months, all of which would have a retirement visa/extension.....plus family and friends would visit which of course is no longer the case.

[Bangkokazy]

Where are the Europeans
They are at home watching TV and dreaming of warmer coats and tan ass

 

 

 

 

THE SUN NEVER SHINES

[DannyCarlton]

2 hours ago, sfokevin said:

Someone at this meeting should have stood up and told the TAT cronies that f$#@ing with the retirement visa rules caused the loss of farrang community and this is just the beginning of the exudus... 

Doesn't affect tourists. (Doesn't seriously affect most expats either).

[Mike Teavee]

3 hours ago, apalink_thailand said:

I thought the plan was big spending Indians and busloads of low end Chinese tour groups? Oh wait, simple quiet beaches aren’t of much interest to that crowd.

I hope not, am off for a quiet 3 day post Xmas break in Cha Am & looking forward to not having to jostle with the crowds. 

 

 

[ireckonso]

Well at least they didn't use the word "lure" in this article.

[mokwit]

1 minute ago, ireckonso said:

Well at least they didn't use the word "lure" in this article.

It's actually a correct translation IMO. You might think "attract" might be better but use of "lure" shows that the translator knew their job.

[BobbyL]

So I take it nobody in attendance raised any of the issues that many expats and tourists have been saying about Thailand over the last 12 - 24 months.