Thailand to target ‘quality’ and first time visitors

[brianthainess]

19 hours ago, Thailand said:

This is discrimiation against cowboys!

Well as the builders sign said in England ''You've tried the Cowboys, now try the Indians''

[Crok]

The TAT officials seem that they would not be able to organise a dog fight. They surely do not understand what attracts tourists to a country. Let me give them a few clues:

Ease of entry

No discriminatory  pricing

Taxis using meters set to hours of operation

Pleasant officials

Restaurants with great food

Evening entertainment

A police force to help tourists and not see them as a source of easy money.

I am sure other readers can add more to the list to help TAT prepare Thailand for tourists. 

Vietnam and Cambodia have taken many people who might have once visited Thailand.

[Pravda]

5 hours ago, visarunner said:

I guess it never crossed your mind that the Indian national (may be an agent) might have a case against the Thai woman. 

 

No, it did not. Should it? I didn't care, I just found it funny.

[newnative]

19 hours ago, HiSoLowSoNoSo said:

Thailand to target ‘quality’ tourists and first timers.

So they expect that the tourists will only come one time to Thailand than?

     Many genuine tourists only visit a place once.  That's perfectly normal.  My partner and I visited Switzerland--once.  Enjoyed it.  We likely will not go a second time.  Ditto for Singapore and other places we have visited as tourists.  There are too many other places we haven't been to and want to see.  We've lost almost 2 years of international travel with covid, still have a long list of places to visit, so that makes it even more likely that some places will get just 1 visit.  

[newnative]

16 hours ago, Eric Loh said:

Have you attended or even invited for a Indian wedding? I was invited to attend the wedding of the daughter of the owner of a steel mill in Delhi held in a 5 stars Hotel in downtown Bangkok. It was typical Indian wedding that will spend money to ensure a wedding that will be remembered forever. The immediate family booked at least 20 rooms and close friends and business associates came along too and stayed for next 5 days. Talking to the father, I was told it's common for Indians to come to Bangkok and hold weddings because  of its proximity to India, unparallelled hospitality and value for money. 

     And, in Pattaya they were being held, not on Walking Street, but at hotels like the relatively new Mytt, which has the Vertical Ballroom that can hold 1000 people.  Or at Grande Centre Point.  Or Dusit, or one of the other big, nice hotels in north Pattaya or Wong Amat--about as far from Walking Street as you can get.  Business must have been good--the lavish Grande Centre Point 2 is going up just down the street from GCP 1--with another new, large hotel going up across the street.  

[Sydebolle]

Another idiot is having his 15 minutes of fame. 

No, do not focus on repeaters (as they might know the script); go for rich first comers as the taking is easier .......

Good luck with your ideas and yeah ....... keep on dreaming! 

[newnative]

     Nothing wrong with efforts to attract quality and first time tourists.  But, don't forget everyone else.  Ideally, Thailand should be hoping for a wide mix of tourists from many areas.  A strategy of quality alone is a no-go when most of your tourist areas are geared for quantity.  Variety is the spice of life--shoot for that.  And, make the whole experience easy, not difficult.  

[crazykopite]

These clowns live in dreamland ????????????

[RocketDog]

22 hours ago, Thailand said:

This is discrimiation against cowboys!

To the contrary, they seem to be on the Cowboy's side.

 

"Indian tourists, not only from India but from Indian communities living around the world, would be targeted".

 

I think 'targeted' makes that pretty clear.

[starky]

Here we go again lol..look it's a fine goal but for the most part, like most of Asia Thailand has, is and for the foreseeable future will be a fairly low rent joint (think Bali, Phillos, Cambodia et al.). As many have stated in the past the amount of money that would have to be spent on infrastructure alone to make this a destination to the truly rich is staggering. Of course wealthy people do come to Thailand but if they are expecting a high volume of elite travellers they have a massive amount of work to do.

 If on the other handing they are thinking about just <deleted> off the bar flys and other associated riff raff it's probably well overdue.

Edited November 11, 2021 by starky

[RocketDog]

21 hours ago, BritManToo said:

India (and China) have always been known for their quality high-spending tourists.

"We'd like a coke and four straws please!"

My Lady has a sister in Phuket who owns a restaurant. She can verify this and add "one bowl of rice and five pairs of chopsticks please, and also bring some extra chairs for our spectator friends to watch us eat".

[Speedhump]

Utterly ridiculous. To believe that Thailand can be like, say, the Maldives and keep out (most of) the riff-raff is fantasy. Thai people need a vibrant tourist economy ACROSS THE BOARD. As a retiree it's been a lovely quiet two years, but what this government has done to Thailand's poor makes me furious, I want to see tourism booming again, and that means a government which understands both economics and civic responsibility. Get this lot out. 

[Robin]

Every day a new idea for more Tourists.  Is there any thought or planning for these schemes?

of course Thailand wants tourism back to pre-Covid levels, so why not go back to pre-Covid entry requirements.

The world will soon be wanting to travel again, but will want easy to visi destinations, not a Thailand Pass or whatever will be in force then,

[teeyai]

Talk about Trying to fix something that weren't broke in the first place !

 

[onthedarkside]

A post has been removed for violating the forum's "fair use" quoting rules for third-party content.

 

"You will not post any copyrighted material except as fair use laws apply (as in the case of news articles). Please only post a link, the headline and the first three sentences."

[Albert Zweistein]

11 hours ago, Sticky Rice Balls said:

Hence the 4 questions Im asked daily for over a decade in LOS-- #2

1 where u from (so I can decide if youre rich)

2 How long u stay thailand (so I know if you know the scams)

3 do you speak thais (before I gossip about you)

4 do you have thai lady (even if you say no they think yes)

 

rinse lather repeat....

5 First time you come Thailand ( to see if you know the tricks and scams )

[thaibeachlovers]

On 11/10/2021 at 6:19 PM, webfact said:

Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) governor Yuthasak Supasorn, said in order for Thailand’s tourism sector to be sustainable in the future, the country should aim to attract high value travellers.

Unfortunately, given the state of the country, REAL "quality" tourists would be IMO in short supply at the entry gates. REAL "quality" tourists go places where it's a "quality" destination.

I loved Thailand, but I was aware that it was a <deleted><deleted>, and was prepared to put up with the <deleted> for what I enjoyed about the place.

I think most of us are aware that he actually means "rich" tourists that will spend a lot.

[KhunLA]

Lots of negative replies ... but what country doesn't want quality & 1st time visitors ?

 

Never heard a promo 'please send us your bottom of the barrel citizens repeatedly'

????????

Edited November 11, 2021 by KhunLA

[dunroaming]

21 hours ago, peter zwart said:

Poor Bargirls. Deflation ahead as Indians like to share a girl with the 5 of them for the price of 1.

It's actually worse than you fear.  Most of the Indians coming are young professionals with their wives and children coming for a family holiday.  Not interested in the bar girls at all.  But fear not, there will still be the beer bellied baldies from the west, falling for the girls and making fools of themselves.  That should keep the Viagra sales buoyant once they return ????

[Mavideol]

On 11/10/2021 at 12:19 PM, webfact said:

Thailand is hoping to tap into the 600 million strong younger generation, which also includes families and Indians wanting to get married overseas. 

but they are looking for quality over quantity.... what did I miss? ohhh yes sorry,  the RICH Indians  555

[Mavideol]

On 11/10/2021 at 1:35 PM, BritManToo said:

India (and China) have always been known for their quality high-spending tourists.

"We'd like a coke and four straws please!"

and a bowl of cold nooddles with 4 pairs of chopsticks  555

[dunroaming]

7 hours ago, newnative said:

     And, in Pattaya they were being held, not on Walking Street, but at hotels like the relatively new Mytt, which has the Vertical Ballroom that can hold 1000 people.  Or at Grande Centre Point.  Or Dusit, or one of the other big, nice hotels in north Pattaya or Wong Amat--about as far from Walking Street as you can get.  Business must have been good--the lavish Grande Centre Point 2 is going up just down the street from GCP 1--with another new, large hotel going up across the street.  

Been to a couple of Indian weddings and they were amazing. The first in the UK and held at The Four Seasons on Park Lane in London.  Many of the guests flew in from Delhi four the occasion.  Second one was in Delhi and just as impressive.  Apparently some weddings are over three years in the planning.

[jacko45k]

14 hours ago, dunroaming said:

It's actually worse than you fear.  Most of the Indians coming are young professionals with their wives and children coming for a family holiday.  Not interested in the bar girls at all.  But fear not, there will still be the beer bellied baldies from the west, falling for the girls and making fools of themselves.  That should keep the Viagra sales buoyant once they return ????

There were quite a few in the GGBs that I recall... maybe left their fat wives at the hotel. 

[elgenon]

So come, give us your money, leave, don't come back. I like the thinking! They should have people at the airport to hold the tourists upside down in order to shake any change out the pockets of tourists leaving.  555

[tomacht8]

How do Thailand's state tourism officials get their ideas?

 

Very easy: They are VIPs themselves and are used to staying in high-end hotels. There they meet the owners and general managers of the fine 5 star hotel chains. Then the question arises: How can we revive Thailand's tourism? Then the dream of the 5 star hotelier is planted in the brain of the TAT VIPs. "A hotel that is fully occupied for weeks with an Indian wedding party who were throwing around with money."

 

The new tourism concept is then born.

 

Conclusion: Thailand's 5% elite have completely lost contact with 95% of the normal Thai population.

[Will B Good]

1 minute ago, tomacht8 said:

How do Thailand's state tourism officials get their ideas?

 

Very easy: They are VIPs themselves and are used to staying in high-end hotels. There they meet the owners and general managers of the fine 5 star hotel chains. Then the question arises: How can we revive Thailand's tourism? Then the dream of the 5 star hotelier is planted in the brain of the TAT VIPs. "A hotel that is fully occupied for weeks with an Indian wedding party who were throwing around with money."

 

The new tourism concept is then born.

 

Conclusion: Thailand's 5% elite have completely lost contact with 95% of the normal Thai population.

Sounds more plausible than my idea.......I thought they used the Thai equivalent of a lucky 8 ball.

[Stargeezr]

Well since I am not a quality ( Rich) tourist, and I have been to Thailand many times, I am not

part of the future tourists the Thai government and TAT want.

  Good thing I am waiting until next November before making any plans to go to 

Thailand for my next vacation.  I will be going to somewhere in the UK or Europe first.

  Geezer

[rudi49jr]

The only ‘quality’ Thailand are looking for in visitors is money. Doesn’t matter if they’re loud, obnoxious, boorish or knuckle-dragging Neanderthals; they are more than welcome as long as they have very deep pockets and spend all their money here.