Thailand to tout 'trusted' tourism in coronavirus era

[webfact]

Thailand to tout 'trusted' tourism in coronavirus era

By Chayut Setboonsarng

 

FILE PHOTO: A closed restaurant due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, is seen next to the Chao Phraya river with a view of Wat Arun temple, one of the city's top tourist spots, in Bangkok, Thailand March 27, 2020. REUTERS/Jorge Silva

 

BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thailand is positioning itself as a trusted destination for international tourists after travel restrictions ease, capitalising on its relative success in containing the coronavirus outbreak, industry officials say. The Southeast Asian country, the first to report a virus case outside of China, wants to build on its reputation and remake its popular image as a destination for big tour groups.

 

"After COVID eases, we plan to refresh the country's image to a trusted destination where tourists will have peace of mind," Tanes Petsuwan, the Tourism Authority of Thailand's (TAT) deputy governor for marketing and communications, told Reuters.

 

The campaign, to be launched later in the year, will be aimed at young affluent travellers from places that are considered low-risk such as China, South Korea and Taiwan, Tanes said. It will highlight scenic beaches and parks, part of a "tourism bridge" that could emerge in Asia including Hong Kong and Japan.

 

The government has rolled out a health certification system for hotels and restaurants so that travellers can be reassured.

 

"The certificate is a tool to build trust and showcase Thailand as your amazing trusted destination," Tanes said. Southeast Asia's second-largest economy has so far reported just over 3,100 cases and 58 deaths – far less than other major regional economies, except for Vietnam.

 

Local transmission has waned, with the last recorded case on May 25. The tourism industry, which accounts for 12% of the economy, collapsed after the outbreak escalated. 

 

Thailand welcomed 39.8 million foreign tourists last year but projects as few as 14 million for 2020.

 

Thailand has banned international flights until at least June 30, and foreign tourists aren't expected until later in the year. In the meantime, the government is drawing up a stimulus package to promote domestic tourism from July to October.

 

But when international travel resumes, Thailand will promote the "trust" concept, as hotels emphasise measures they are taking for safety and offer special packages.

 

Central Plaza Hotel Pcl, which manages 46 hotels and resorts across Thailand, will seal rooms once they are cleaned and disinfected so guests will be confident, deputy CEO Markland Blaiklock told Reuters.

 

"We may limit occupancy at 50% on some properties so guests experience social distancing that they are comfortable with," he said.

 

But it's unclear if travellers will be at ease before a coronavirus vaccine is available, which experts say is at least a year away.

 

For now, hotels will have to go the extra mile to tempt travellers.

 

Potjanee Darakamas of Oxford Acuity, which manages and operates hotels, cited private airport transfers, in-room spa services and packages around specific themes such as health retreats and activities tailor-made for individual guests.

 

"Hygiene is a must, so offering bespoke services will give boutique hotels with unique selling points an advantage over corporate operators."

 

(Additional reporting by Orathai Siring; Editting by Kay Johnson and Jacqueline Wong)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-06-05

 

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[darksidedog]

I think they are wishing on a dream. Once the borders are open we ARE going to get new cases being imported, so their goes the trust, and many tourists will be put off by the extreme measures they will probably need to comply with. Add to that many around the world are broke right now so traveling is a low item on the shopping list so any resumption in tourism is likely  to be painfully slow.

[Misterwhisper]

14 minutes ago, webfact said:

Potjanee Darakamas of Oxford Acuity, which manages and operates hotels, cited private airport transfers, in-room spa services and packages around specific themes such as health retreats and activities tailor-made for individual guests.

Oooh, sounds expensive. And how, if I may ask, is this going to fit in with Thailand wanting to...

 

14 minutes ago, webfact said:

to build on its reputation and remake its popular image as a destination for big tour groups.

As the past has shown over-abundantly, these "big tour groups" typically stay at tourist-class hotels, are their members having booked all-inclusive packages, "wine and dine" in what is best described as mass-feeding temples, and they are ferried around in crammed tour buses. They certainly aren't the big spender crowd.

[Justgrazing]

37 minutes ago, webfact said:

The government has rolled out a health certification system for hotels and restaurants so that travellers can be

fleeced with greater ease and with a bigger smile .. 

 

37 minutes ago, webfact said:

 

BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thailand is positioning itself as a trusted destination for international tourists after travel restrictions ease, capitalising on its relative success in containing the coronavirus outbreak, industry officials say.

More front than Harrods .. And if CV has been controlled relatively speaking why the on going march with the draconian infringements .. 

 

[DrTuner]

I have as much trust in the usurpers' Thailand as I do buying a used scooter from a motocy taxi. As in absolute zero.

[Brunolem]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

wants to build on its reputation and remake its popular image as a destination for big tour groups.

This is a bit ambiguous. 

 

Does "remake" means that Thailand want to improve its image as a destination for big tour groups, a.k.a. Chinese hordes, 

 

or... 

 

does "remake" means that Thailand wants to change its image, and move from cheap tour groups to high spender individuals? 

 

In short, is Thailand going to give priority to quality over quantity, or to go for even more quantity? 

[Puchaiyank]

You can trust them...to try and take advantage of your naivete....????

[rasmus5150]

1 hour ago, Brunolem said:

This is a bit ambiguous. 

 

Does "remake" means that Thailand want to improve its image as a destination for big tour groups, a.k.a. Chinese hordes, 

 

or... 

 

does "remake" means that Thailand wants to change its image, and move from cheap tour groups to high spender individuals? 

 

In short, is Thailand going to give priority to quality over quantity, or to go for even more quantity? 

If I was a betting man, I would go all in on #1 - "Quantity".......

 

 

[Cali farong]

Another day and another plan to bring back tourist.

Good Luck!!   Can’t wait to hear the next idea.

How about free Amulet upon arrival.   Then everyone is safe 

[elliss]

 

 Thailand and trust, just not compatible ..

 

 

[Blumpie]

Laughable.  

The question is not does Thailand trust these nations, it's do these nations trust Thailand.  They will say they do but unfortunately the answer will be a no when it comes to tourism this year.  

To say that Chinese will be coming back this year is delusional.  They are not going to permit anyone to go to Thailand and risk one of the largest economies on earth to shut down.  

[Brunolem]

2 minutes ago, Blumpie said:

 

To say that Chinese will be coming back this year is delusional.  They are not going to permit anyone to go to Thailand and risk one of the largest economies on earth to shut down.  

Right!

 

Anyway they have suspended most of international flights until October at the earliest.

[kingofallasians]

I'm excited to go this year and have bought cheaper than usual flight tickets.

[talahtnut]

Huge lockdown, beer sales banned, most

bars and shops closed, no air transport.

I aint risking another 6 months stuck here,

could get another bout of flu next year.

How about pics in the glossy brochures of

the poor in the free food ques.

[Donekys]

Genius...take care of covid and road accidents all in one solution

[Donekys]

Just now, Donekys said:

Genius...take care of covid and road accidents all in one solution

With amulets on arrival i mean

[Lingba]

2 hours ago, elliss said:

 

 Thailand and trust, just not compatible ..

 

 

Exactly my thoughts..Trust and Thailand just doesn't go together...I cringe looking at it...will never happen

[Tounge Thaied]

This is the end of the end of the great Thai experience. Everything must be sanitized in a New World Order... Everyone must comply with the "New Normal"... A dark time in history. Globally we are being further enslaved... so very sad for our children's future. 

[Blumpie]

4 hours ago, Brunolem said:

Right!

 

Anyway they have suspended most of international flights until October at the earliest.

I honestly don't know why people are parroting this ridiculous nonsense from the Thai government.  They are obviously cushioning the blow that all Thais will understand sooner or later.  

When there is a viable treatment for this disease or a vaccine then tourism will return.  Or if it goes away completely from the world.  Until then there is literally no hope at all of Chinese, north americans, bolivians, Indians, anyone on earth being allowed to go on any kind holiday outside their home countries.  

[Blumpie]

2 hours ago, Tounge Thaied said:

This is the end of the end of the great Thai experience. Everything must be sanitized in a New World Order... Everyone must comply with the "New Normal"... A dark time in history. Globally we are being further enslaved... so very sad for our children's future. 

Oh pahlease... 

[torturedsole]

2 hours ago, talahtnut said:

How about pics in the glossy brochures of

the poor in the free food ques.

Maybe that's it.  Come on holiday and volunteer to feed the millions of starving Thais.   

 

Seriously, what a mess.  

[reallyaffiliated]

3 hours ago, kingofallasians said:

I'm excited to go this year and have bought cheaper than usual flight tickets.

I thought so too, until my flight got cancelled this morning

 

[Tounge Thaied]

27 minutes ago, Blumpie said:

When there is a viable treatment for this disease or a vaccine then tourism will return.  Or if it goes away completely from the world.

It's not going away mate. These organisms were here long before we were and will be here long after us. Secondly, a vaccine is not necessary, go take a look at how effective the Influenza A and B vaccines are and, last but not least, take a look how the common cold virus, or the influenza virus, or the AIDS virus, etc., etc. are treated. Do they have "viable" treaments? How many trillions have been spent on AIDS research?There will be no "viable" treatment. Not in our lifetimes... This latest iteration of biological life forms is just one of many other constantly evolving organisms. What we have witnessed in the last 6 months has nothing to do with our safety, our health, our well-being. This COVID event, when you seriously take the time to look into it outside of the bought and paid for, controlled media, you come real(eyes) that we have all been duped. In other words... this entire lockdown is all contrived for nefarious ulterior motives... and it ain't good mate. 

[sammieuk1]

Industry officials can also blow smoke rings out of their trusted ahole ????

[Tounge Thaied]

New (novel) virus, New Normal, New World... Order. ????

[tribalfusion001]

34 minutes ago, Tounge Thaied said:

New (novel) virus, New Normal, New World... Order. ????

Never heard of those bands, New Order are better.

[daveAustin]

I knew it! Totally predictable. Misreport deaths (lots would have died of 'pneumonia' well before the first wave in Europe - Thais are not special), do the lock-down thing to show willing, throttle numbers down steadily, tout 'SAFE HAVEN' to kick off tourism. Gotta hand it to em.

[Tounge Thaied]

47 minutes ago, tribalfusion001 said:

Never heard of those bands, New Order are better.

Here's a band for ya. This of course what John's song, but they all got back together, absent john, and did an overdub acoustic version... it's fantastic. 

Free as a bird
It's the next best thing to be
Free as a bird

Home, home and dry
Like a homing bird I'll fly
As a bird on wings

Whatever happened to
The life that we once knew?
Can we really live without each other?

Where did we lose the touch
That seemed to mean so much?
It always made me feel so...

Free as a bird
Like the next best thing to be
Free as a bird

Home, home and dry
Like a homing bird I'll fly
As a bird on wings

Whatever happened to
The life that we once knew?
Always made me feel so free

Ah...
Ah...
Ah...

Free as a bird
It's the next best thing to be
Free as a bird
Free as a bird
Free as a bird
Oooooo

Free...

[bodga]

Headline , NO CHANGE IN THAI TOURIST  POLICY,  would  have been easier/simpler.

[bodga]

3 hours ago, Tounge Thaied said:

There will be no "viable" treatment

Your'e  simply  guessing there, Im sure in 1869 they said people  will  never  fly and 100 yrs  later they were on the moon.