Hoteliers push back at Thailand’s shift to target high-end tourists

[newatthis]

46 minutes ago, Jimbo2014 said:

Given that most hotels serve breakfast like this, its easy to understand why they dont think they have a snowflakes chance in Hell of attracting high end tourists.

 

especially with no HP or Lea & Perrins.

[jingjai9]

Seems like there are two dyamics here:

1. Thailand is trying to shed its image as a place to visit for seedy nightlife loaded with prostitutes.

2. Thailand's ecnonoy is too dependent on tourism and there are too many eggs in the tourist economy basket. 

 

This 2020 virus pandemic has revealed countries' vulnerabilities in their policial systems and economies. When everything was put on hold during the lockdown, it enabled governments to pause and undergo self-analysis of country, economy and culture. The success of Thailand's management of the pandemic certainly must serve as a confidence booster. Especially in light of the fact the US, a country Thailand is often forced to venerate and accomodate has handled the pandemic relatively poorly. It will be interesting to see how it all plays out.

[fraggleRock]

I prefer the Maldives if I had more cash as it makes Thailand look like a greasy blocked toilet.... .... this guy is crazy .... put another 10 million people in the bin of unemployment.... I went here... https://www.google.co.uk/travel/hotels/cocoon maldives/entity/CgsI8Kzb7e-h6drPARAB?g2lb=2502548%2C4258168%2C4260007%2C4274032%2C4305595%2C4306835%2C4317915%2C4328159%2C4329288%2C4330862%2C4364503%2C4366684%2C4371335%2C4381263%2C4386665%2C4395397%2C4395590%2C4399106%2C4270859%2C4284970%2C4316256%2C4356900&hl=en&gl=th&un=1&q=cocoon maldives&rp=EPCs2-3voenazwE4AkAASAE&ictx=1&utm_campaign=sharing&utm_medium=link&utm_source=htls&hrf=IgNUSEIqFgoHCOQPEAYYGhIHCOQPEAYYGxgBKAA

[bloodyholly]

1 hour ago, Bob12345 said:

How about this plan: be happy with any tourist that wants to1 come. Give each and every one the best experience possible and hope next year round more want to come.

Behave yourself Bob..... talking common sense like that will get you ba***** (or even worse????)

[Mac98]

He spoke up for the 3-star and 4-star hotels. Now let's hear from the 1-star and 2-star hotel owners. Then the guesthouses, B&Bs, and campgrounds. They all need business to survive.

[fulhamster]

4 hours ago, ezzra said:

When will they learn that Thailand is and have been known as a cheap destination and the bread and butter of tourism in this country have been and still is the low to middle class tourists and not the "high end" that probably only make 10% or so of the total incoming?...

The strength of the baht will ensure the number of low/middle class tourists will be looking elsewhere. Only the wealthy will be able to afford a holiday in Thailand

[Oldie]

Thailand will change if you want it or not. When I think back how lovely Koh Samui and Phuket have been 40 years ago. In my view nothing of this atmosphere is left anymore. Look at Sihanoukville in Cambodia how quickly things can change. 

[fulhamster]

49 minutes ago, AAArdvark said:

What is "high-end"

Anyone who thinks the baht exchange rate is realistic

[Peterphuket]

54 minutes ago, AAArdvark said:

What is "high-end"

My sound equipment at home!

[robertson468]

Selling/leasing my lovely little Resort on the beautiful Koh Samui is getting closer and closer with this incompetant Government in charge who don't know squidge about business, unless it is benefiting them!

Edited June 24, 2020 by robertson468

[Expat Tom]

It's a moot point. What tourists??? There aren't any. The Chinese aren't coming. Ask anyone in China if they are traveling abroad this you. The answer is NO!

[Expat Tom]

If the government officials had any common sense they would focus on making those people currently living in Thailand who have overseas incomes, often many times that of the average Thai, feel wanted, appreciated and happy. The Thai government should make them ( expats like me and most of the readers of this blog) part of the solution rather than continually trying to make us into the problem. I live here and have for a long time. I contribute at least 100,000 baht per month in the Thai economy. Many people spend less and many spend more. I am here now. Encourage me and those like me to enjoy Thailand and spend more.  

[mran66]

... Wonder if the next step govt takes in their industry upgrade strategy is to shift the country from mass manufacturing export to exporting thai management, engineering and other work demanding serious brain capability... Even sending thai electricians to work in developed countries to generate foreign currency... 

 

Would be equally feasible as focus to high end tourists, so you never know... ????

[herfiehandbag]

7 minutes ago, mran66 said:

... Wonder if the next step govt takes in their industry upgrade strategy is to shift the country from mass manufacturing export to exporting thai management, engineering and other work demanding serious brain capability... Even sending thai electricians to work in developed countries to generate foreign currency... 

 

Would be equally feasible as focus to high end tourists, so you never know... ????

?

[Raphus]

Well this is a good article.

Firstly I cannot understand why travel bubbles will not be ready, when most diplomats are already in talks with the Government and eager to sign bilateral agreements to create a bubble from Europe to Asia.

 

Second, the Government needs to look at today's global tourism market. 80% of all vacations are made by the family or individual themselves. This has nothing to do with the high end traveller. It is to do with creating personal itineraries, choosing where to stay and how long, methods of transportation around the vacation country and more importantly within an acceptable budget. Even 50, 60 and 70 year olds are now backpacking and is fast becomming a new type of tourism globally. Thinking they can change the current global tourism market is a sure sign their heads are in the clouds.

 

Finally, when you look at the economies of all the countries around the globe affected by covid and the immense number of jobs lost. It is evident that households have either a person on lower wages or extended holiday, or in worse cases a member out of work. In the UK alone 800,000 people signed onto unemployment just in the month of April. So where does the government think these tourists are going to come from with pocket filled with money? Last but not least. In times of worry and uncertainty, everybody around the world does not spend and hoards cash.. So if people are in a position to take a vacation, it is clear they will not spend a penny more than necessary, and will create the cheapest vacation possible.

[baansgr]

It takes a bit more than a few luxury resorts to acquire the attention of the upmarket traveller. Thailand will never cut it...its reputation is tarnished worldwide.

[Xaos]

low budget and middle budget hotels will go out of business, they already on the edge. And come on, Thailand is not for rich and famous, they go other places.

[b2bme]

Didn't read every post, but how do they define high end. What is the criteria. Must stay at only 4 or 5 star hotels, or must have business class boarding pass, must prove wealth in some way. Maybe something like the Thai elite card of the past. Just wondering how they expect people to qualify as high end.

[CNXexpat]

6 hours ago, Grumpy John said:

Just savour the fact that there are no Chinese by the bus load at the moment.  But, by Christmas they will be back...maybe in lower overall numbers but still by the bus load!  

Nearly no Chinese in buses in Northern Thailand. 80% are individual travelers and spend a lot of money.

[CNXexpat]

56 minutes ago, Expat Tom said:

It's a moot point. What tourists??? There aren't any. The Chinese aren't coming. Ask anyone in China if they are traveling abroad this you. The answer is NO!

How many Chinese in China did you ask? The last poll I saw some weeks ago said that Chinese are very willing to travel and Thailand is one of their favorite places.

[Muzzique]

10 minutes ago, b2bme said:

Didn't read every post, but how do they define high end. What is the criteria. Must stay at only 4 or 5 star hotels, or must have business class boarding pass, must prove wealth in some way. Maybe something like the Thai elite card of the past. Just wondering how they expect people to qualify as high end.

Rich people don't like being asked how much money they have. (Or where it comes from). Ask the tax authorities. They are also unlikely to hang around seedy Gogo bars.

 

Problem is Thailand's tourist industry is not built around such people so 80% of the bars and hotels would not find customers.

 

Another un-thought out plan that is destined to fail.

[malibukid]

most high end tourist will head for Bali

[fondue zoo]

38 minutes ago, b2bme said:

Just wondering how they expect people to qualify as high end.

A photo of you and the wife/mistress/concubine standing out front of your mansion. A hand drawn map to your mansion. A letter from your rich neighbour stating that you do indeed own and live in said mansion.

[newnative]

    What a total idiot.  No, it is not 'great', as he says, to turn away from mass tourism.  A country like Thailand that depends on tourism for possibly 20% of its income needs mass tourism. I don't know of any large country that is equally dependent on tourism being able to sustain its tourism industry solely on wealthy travelers--and, certainly Thailand can't.  Thailand must have a wide variety of tourists to sustain the wide variety of tourist businesses it has.  This is not brain surgery, guy.  That doesn't mean that mass tourism can't be managed better--it can and should be.  By the way, if you really want to 'push back', start by pushing back on the illegal daily condo rentals that are stealing your hotel business.  

[mran66]

1 hour ago, herfiehandbag said:

?

 

Normally really try not to be bothered, or even hear the numerous moronic 'plans' or statements senior people in this country make, esp in various levels of government. If stop and think about those like now, make me feel like trying to understand some very complicated mathematical theory that goes beyond my comprehension. Trying to understand the incomprehensible. 

 

Guess the only thing worth trying to understand is how come so many people in this country in responsible positions are like they are. Or better than even that is try not to hear or bother of any of these idiotic 'plans' and focus on ones' own life - that regardless of all that <deleted> is pretty good here, esp if can keep eyes and ears closd for the <deleted>.

 

Amazing Thailand. 

Edited June 24, 2020 by mran66

[herfiehandbag]

Because they are employed and/or promoted by a combination of patronage, and the amount of "influence" they demonstrate when applying for the post.

[skorp13]

The only people that do not see the stupidity in this new agenda are the ones that created it. the rest of the nation is smarter than that and is fighting back which is good to see

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

In my years here, I've seen and read a multitude of government/TAT announcements relating to which country/countries they were going to appeal to for tourism... The list is long and illustrious.

 

Can't ever remember them saying they were going to appeal to Americans, Brits, Aussies, etc.... But other than those, almost everyone under the sun -- Chinese, Japanese and Koreans, SE Asians, Russians, countries from the former Soviet Union, Indians, etc etc...

 

I think, they'll go pretty much wherever they think there's money and a market to be found -- except for white westerners... That market is pretty much off-limits, so it would seem.

 

But in the end, all of their pronouncements never seemed to amount to much or make any big difference in how things go here -- except for the continuing and growing Chinese influence in the country.

 

[Thomas J]

8 hours ago, webfact said:

Hoteliers push back at Thailand’s shift to target high-end tourists

High end tourists go to places like Hawaii and Monaco.  They don't come to visit Pattaya or Chiang Mai.  While some well heeled tourists might visit it certainly won't be an every year experience and in no way could it make up for the unused hotel, restaurant, and tourist attractions that need large numbers of people to run a profitable business.  

[Saint Nick]

Well...Thailand has a bunch of excellent 5star- hotels in all destinations and when those hotels take care of "their" beaches, going on holiday there is a nice and absolutely "High class" experience!

But that is not the point!

Typically, "hi- so"- tourists check into their hotel and that IS IT!

They dine in the his so- hotel restaurants, make "his so"- hotel arranged trips and relax in the "hi so"- hotel owned spas!

 

The "low so" or middle class tourists are the ones, who are bringing money to the local restaurants or streetfood vendors, they book with the "normal" tour agents and they take a massage on the beach!

They may not be "luxury" and "high class", but they are the backbone of tourism!

Working for a tourism company, OF COURSE I would love to sell to luxury- tourists.

But I tend not to only think about myself, but also about the people in the country, I work and live in!

Something, the Thai- government is obviously not doing!