Thailand Aims to Turn Away From Mass Tourism and Target the Wealthy

[rooster59]

Thailand Aims to Turn Away From Mass Tourism and Target the Wealthy

Natnicha Chuwiruch

 

 

(Bloomberg) -- Thailand’s tourism-revival strategy is to target big spenders seeking privacy and social distancing in the Covid-19 era, rather than try to attract a large number of visitors.

 

The pandemic provides an opportunity to reset the sector, which had become reliant on Chinese groups and backpackers. Once the country’s borders are reopened and so-called travel bubbles are agreed upon, marketing efforts will be geared toward wealthier individuals who want holidays with minimal risks, Tourism Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn said in an interview.

 

The government will initially allow a small number of arrivals, such as some business executives and medical tourists. It is also working with the travel industry to identify and invite individuals in target demographics, which will probably include previous visitors to luxury resorts in the islands of Phuket, Samui, Phangan and Phi Phi, the minister said. Phuket is “a prototype” because it has all the needed facilities.

 

Full story: https://www.bloombergquint.com/onweb/thailand-aims-to-turn-away-from-mass-tourism-target-the-wealthy

 

Bloomber Quint: 20-06-20

 

 

 

[petermik]

This chap is in cloud cuckoo land...????

[baansgr]

Although they may spend 5 times the amount of sexpats..it doesn't create 5 times as many jobs which is what's needed most

[Maha Sarakham]

Quote

Phiphat said Thailand sees the crisis as an opportunity to address problems that existed before the pandemic, including over-crowding at some beaches and temples and environmental destruction.

When has the Thai government ever shown any regard for the environment?  They grew a conscience over these past few months have they?  Give me a break.

[mr mr]

23 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

marketing efforts will be geared toward wealthier individuals who want holidays with minimal risks

please do explain how they will get to said destination with *minimal risk* driving on any road in this country ? 

 

wealthy people post wuwu will also be making strategic decisions. 

 

derp derp.

[Logosone]

Mallorca tried this without success. There are just not enough rich people. The plebs are the masses, it's where the real money is. Who do you think finances the millions footballers earn? The plebs. It comes from advertising, ie products bought by the plebs.

 

The plebs have huge financial power but don't know it.

[4MyEgo]

34 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

marketing efforts will be geared toward wealthier individuals who want holidays

Now there I was thinking that anyone in Thailand with money would want to holiday anywhere but Thailand, you know, Thailand being the LOS's for cheap Charlie dirty farangs, who of late are finding out Thailand is not as cheap as it once was and how the Thai establishment really feels about cheap Charlie dirty farangs.

 

These guys are so desperate they have no idea, clutching at straws, as usual...trying to justify their existence in the government departments they work for, I mean sleep at, on the job, you know, then all of a sudden, the dream came to them, in their sleep at work, then they try to put it into reality, I mean just look at Anutin, say no more !

[transam]

10 minutes ago, Logosone said:

Mallorca tried this without success. There are just not enough rich people. The plebs are the masses, it's where the real money is. Who do you think finances the millions footballers earn? The plebs. It comes from advertising, ie products bought by the plebs.

 

The plebs have huge financial power but don't know it.

Are you a "Pleb"...?

[ThailandRyan]

The Tropical 5 Star Island of Phuket will be the crown jewel for their wealthy visitors and only the 5 star all inclusive Hotels will be in Play.  No room at the trough for those normal hotels, shops or restaurants.  I can see where the money is going. Straight into someone's pockets who has invested in the 5 star resorts... 

[BestB]

Up until covid earlier this year it was all about numbers and reaching targets of extra 10% year on year. Now  a uturn????

does that mean no more chinese buses? Or what do they consider wealthy? 

[WhatsNext]

Get wealthy tourists to thailand, ok then :

 

- Make clean beaches, streets, sewage systems that work, no floodings, get rid of air pollution, soi dogs, crazy dangerous traffic, overhead cables, make food safe, supply service on a western level, have flexibility for guests in hotels, increase english knowledge, have sidewalks bigger than 40cm, have clean public parks, boulevards without traffic, classy nightlife, quality all in hotels, and have a street appearance on 1st world level not somewhere between 2nd and 3rd. Put sex industry out of sight and then maybe MAYBE some high class tourists might come. 

 

I live here so for me the reasons to be here are entirely different than for a tourist. If i was an upper class tourist , thailand would not be in my list of goto desitnations.

[mfd101]

Still, if it actually happened, it would be nice for those of us who haven't been to Pattaya for several years or to Phuket ever or the islands ever to be able to make a pleasant journey and stay in cleanliness, quiet & comfort.

 

One can always hope.

[EricTh]

Thailand should close doors to foreign backpackers with a shoestring budget hanging out on Khaosan road.

 

They are targeting rich foreigners who stay at 5 star hotels and dine in expensive restaurants. But how many of these will come to Thailand? Not many I suppose.

 

Most tourists who come from western countries are backpackers. I talked to many and they are all on tight budget.

[GinBoy2]

So Thailand is now destined to become the Monaco of SE Asia?

 

Oh just sit back, break out the popcorn and wait for the Chinese tour buses to reappear!

 

On a serious note though, I really don't think Western tourism will ever recover to anywhere close to previous levels. Maybe the Russians, but the days of Thailand being the exotic destination are over for most. Social media has pretty much put paid to those days

[Thechook]

the wealthy don't Holliday in places like Thailand

[watgate]

So basically screw all the massage shops and restaurants and the other businesses that are dependent on tourism to eke out an existence, The rich and powerful will continue to prosper and add to their wealth while the masses starve to death. A hell of a marketing strategy.

[Saddic]

he said. “This is an opportunity to reset the entire tourism system.”
 

 

 

Dirty farang out; rich Chinese in..

 

 

[ChakaKhan]

5 minutes ago, Saddic said:

he said. “This is an opportunity to reset the entire tourism system.”
 

 

 

Dirty farang out; rich Chinese in..

 

 

Im a dirty farang---I'll go into a soapy massage and come out a Freshy Farang!!!!   Done and Done! Taxi!

[bodga]

People  with  money expect  good  service  , good  infrastructure,  real law enforcement, consumer protection, lack of  corruption etc etc, tell us  Thailand  which of those do you have?

[bodga]

1 hour ago, rooster59 said:

who want holidays with minimal risks,

Try some of the  more upmarket islands in the carribean then. British Virgin Islands etc

[bodga]

1 hour ago, petermik said:

This chap is in cloud cuckoo land...????

as  long as they upmarket clouds it  will be no  pompem

[ezzra]

Did some one said "Pipe dreams" this ship of pulling in the so called rich tourists have sailed away long, long time ago, just like you can't put a lipstick on old woman and call her beautiful,  because Thailand was never perceived to be the affluent and the rich play grounds, more like sex and bargains and Thai food kind of place, and in some places it still is...

[englishoak]

Thailand has nothing special or unique to offer the wealthy, Angelina Jolie might have thought it cool to get a few tattoos and a few footballers et al but its got nothing to offer the real wealthy. 

 

True Wealthy arnt interested in second quality only the best. Thailands not got top class much of anything from what I could tell that isnt beaten hands down by dozens of other locations around the world for pretty much everything... Dont get me wrong i love Thailand but its not a place id bother with if totally loaded for tourism. 

[Tonyt00]

 

 

This is so easy, just find the wealthy people that enjoy swimming in sewage, hanging out in the traffic, falling into holes in the sidewalk, garbage filled beaches, checking the time, when they can buy a beer. Just take your pick, Monaco or Pattaya!

[1FinickyOne]

55 minutes ago, Logosone said:

The plebs have huge financial power but don't know it.

my guess is that they are pretty tapped out after supporting local teams... their first priority... then food and housing and taxes... own a vehicle and it is all gone... 

[Henryford]

So they are going to ban the Chinese! Great.

[Curt1591]

Package tourism is a way of life in Thailand. Quality tourists can't fill an entire venue with one reservation.

For every one person employed by the 5* resorts, there's 100 supported by the lower to midrange sector. Plus, little traffic from the high end resorts will spill over into the local economy. 

They will possibly give it a couple months of "quality" before the flood gates open once again. 

 

[spiekerjozef]

49 minutes ago, EricTh said:

Thailand should close doors to foreign backpackers with a shoestring budget hanging out on Khaosan road.

 

They are targeting rich foreigners who stay at 5 star hotels and dine in expensive restaurants. But how many of these will come to Thailand? Not many I suppose.

 

Most tourists who come from western countries are backpackers. I talked to many and they are all on tight budget.

All backpackers have more money then you think. Do you know how much it costs to travel around the world?. They just wanna stretch their time and spendings enjoying life before eventually go back to work.

[LomSak27]

Just now, EricTh said:

Most tourists who come from western countries are backpackers. I talked to many and they are all on tight budget.

Sure you did.  

 

Backpackers always get a lot of guff, truth is they are an endangered species. They are dying out. Or in rest homes. BTW Lonely Planet closed down their forum. It was the place, the alternative to Thaivisa, for a decade and a half. In fact one of the first TV mods, became the "doyen" of all things Thai, on the LP forum for well over a decade. He's gone, it's all gone now. 

 

Today young people are shedding backpacks, adopting a new uniform; spinner suitcase guided in left hand, Iphone in their right. This all in the last decade. Armed with a fistful of ATM cards,  bank apps on phone, tablets, 4k-6k video cameras. They are the new army.  They might be going broke, but they certainly have money to burn.

 

And we haven't even touched the older euro package holiday brigade which was Thailand's original golden goose and still around.

 

 

[ThailandRyan]

28 minutes ago, englishoak said:

Thailand has nothing special or unique to offer the wealthy, Angelina Jolie might have thought it cool to get a few tattoos and a few footballers et al but its got nothing to offer the real wealthy. 

 

True Wealthy arnt interested in second quality only the best. Thailands not got top class much of anything from what I could tell that isnt beaten hands down by dozens of other locations around the world for pretty much everything... Dont get me wrong i love Thailand but its not a place id bother with if totally loaded for tourism. 

I chose Thailand to live in based upon, well at the time, the inexpensiveness by almost 1/4th of the cost of living in the US, the weather, and its proximity to other locales with inexpensive flights.  I would never vacation in Thailand as the prices at the types of resorts i would usually stay at were very similar in price.  I did not base my choice on anything other than what I have said.  As others have said there are plenty of other destinations that I would travel to for tourism if I lived back whence I came from.  In fact I would choose to head to Europe, The US, and a few other locales.  Plenty to see, and plenty to do with true 5 star accommodations.  Living here allows me to bank a large chunk and, well until Covid, allowed for travel to destinations outside.