TAT Eyes Leveraging Soft Power to Attract Quality International Tourists

[webfact]

 

by Paul Rujopakarn

    

BANGKOK (NNT) - The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is aiming to leverage Thai soft power in order to attract quality international visitors to the kingdom.

 

TAT Governor Yuthasak Supasorn said the plan came after a discussion with the private sector following the government’s decision to reopen Thailand to the international community this month.

 

The meeting aimed to determine how best to attract between 5 million and 15 million visitors this year. If Thailand sees 160 million total travelers in 2022, tourism revenue could be as high as 1.3 to 1.8 trillion baht.

 

The plan includes the promotion of Thai cultural experiences, or soft power, featuring culinary favorites such as mango sticky rice, along with Thai films and series, fashion and Muay Thai martial arts.

 

Keep up to date with all things Thailand - Join our daily ASEAN NOW Thailand Newsletter - Click to subscribe

 

According to the TAT Governor, about 444,000 international travelers made their way to Thailand over the first three months of this year, generating over 34 billion baht in revenue. Looking ahead to the May-to-September period, the TAT is looking to attract at least 300,000 quality tourists each month, eventually bringing that figure up to 1 million from October through to the rest of 2022.

 

Yuthasak said he expects steep competition with other countries that are also reopening to attract more visitors to help revitalize their economies. The TAT also plans to take the private sector on more roadshows globally, with an emphasis on important markets.

 

-- © Copyright NNT 2022-05-03

 

- Cigna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here.

 

- Follow ASEAN NOW on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

 

[worgeordie]

Mango and sticky rice are going to lure millions of tourists,

so much so I can see a massive shortage of Mangoes and

sticky rice, Go soft power go ...........????

regards Worgeordie

[RafPinto]

Quality mango tourists.
The new TAT slogan.

How do those guys working at TAT get a salary?

[yang123]

I can feel another hub coming on ....

[Excel]

42 minutes ago, worgeordie said:

Mango and sticky rice are going to lure millions of tourists,

so much so I can see a massive shortage of Mangoes and

sticky rice, Go soft power go ...........????

regards Worgeordie

Well with TAT the only soft power is in their heads. Too call them imbecilic delusional morons would be an understatement.

[Chris.B]

Tourists are going to watch Thai movies and Muay Thai? ...... nahhhh! 

 

Most come for the Sun, Sand and Sangria!  ????????

 

 

PS. Sangria = any alcoholic drink!

Edited May 3, 2022 by Chris.B

[Bluespunk]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

The plan includes the promotion of Thai cultural experiences, or soft power, featuring culinary favorites such as mango sticky rice, along with Thai films and series, fashion and Muay Thai martial arts.

So just the same old fecal matter with a bit of rice and mango added to the mix. 
 

TAT-clueless is us. 

[PingRoundTheWorld]

Ohh <deleted>. Nobody cares about mango and sticky rice. Tourists want nightlife that goes on until morning and doesn't get shut down by the fun police at midnight. They want no face masks, no restrictions, and definitely no Thai Pass or insurance requirement.

They're doing the best they can to make tourists' experience bad, and then wonder why they're not coming. I mean come on - it's not rocket science - nightlife has been shut down for over a year - Thailand is a really poor experience now compared to what it was pre-Covid. I think they're still under the illusion that people actually come for the beaches and temples - some do, but many many come for the nightlife and craziness that used to be Thailand - take that away and there's really no reason to come for many.

Thailand's real "soft power" that brings tourists is not mango and sticky rice - it's women and nightlife.

 

 

[Deli]

???? & ???? will do the job

[kevc]

Yep and it took a young girl who they fined to give them the idea, mind they've also learnt a new phrase,soft power.

 

[Tropicalevo]

3 minutes ago, kevc said:

Yep and it took a young girl who they fined to give them the idea, mind they've also learnt a new phrase,soft power.

I think that Prayut still has a court case for slander still pending against the young lady.

[IamNoone88]

160 million total travelers in 2022? where did that extraordinary number come from?  

 

Most they ever got was 39 million in 2019.

 

More insane numbers or poor reporting.

[TheFishman1]

If you want to increase the tours here get rid of the thia pass Which includes an insurance scam TIT

[warrima]

I fear the soft power of mango sticky rice may already be on the wane. How are Lalisa's balls she likes to chew on doing?

[Willy Wombat]

Thailands new buzz words .

‘Soft Power’

[wensiensheng]

Muay Thai isn’t really soft power. Quite the opposite really. And why the fascination with mango sticky rice? Surely Thai food in general has far more depth to it from a marketing perspective, than one simple dish.

 

at least tat seems to acknowledge they are up against some stiff competition for tourists. Indeed they are.

[Pedrogaz]

I'm so stupid that I didn't realise that sticky rice with mango was soft power. That girl Milli did raise Thailand's soft power base. I still wonder how that 160 million (which his 4 x the peak year) fits in with the soft power plan.

 

[blazes]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

Yuthasak said he expects steep competition with other countries

I would have thought that "stiff" competition would be the appropriate way to deal with anything concerning "soft" power....

[Isaan sailor]

Ain’t happenin’

[Bluespunk]

1 hour ago, IamNoone88 said:

160 million total travelers in 2022? where did that extraordinary number come from?  

 

Most they ever got was 39 million in 2019.

 

More insane numbers or poor reporting.

With TAT it’s generally both. 

[ftpjtm]

32 minutes ago, Pedrogaz said:

I'm so stupid that I didn't realise that sticky rice with mango was soft power. That girl Milli did raise Thailand's soft power base. I still wonder how that 160 million (which his 4 x the peak year) fits in with the soft power plan.

 

Maybe now that the Chinese are locked at home, others will come?

[welshguy]

Ah here we go again!

 

Honestly, one of life's great mysteries is 

 

How in the name of all that's holy, does T.A.T. come up with such ridiculous claims and numbers?

 

Actually perhaps the greater mystery is...do they expect anybody (outside of T.A.T. that is!) in the world to believe such garbage?

 

Absolutely hilarious...the folk at T.A.T. would have been better employed as script writers for Benny Hill!

[Sydebolle]

2 hours ago, RafPinto said:

Quality mango tourists.
The new TAT slogan.

How do those guys working at TAT get a salary?

They are paid in ........ mangoes - quite simple ???? 

[orang37]

"Soft Power" ? ...  why not,  Hot Air doesn't seem to be working.

 

~o:37;

[eastendanto]

8 minutes ago, welshguy said:

Ah here we go again!

 

Honestly, one of life's great mysteries is 

 

How in the name of all that's holy, does T.A.T. come up with such ridiculous claims and numbers?

 

Actually perhaps the greater mystery is...do they expect anybody (outside of T.A.T. that is!) in the world to believe such garbage?

 

Absolutely hilarious...the folk at T.A.T. would have been better employed as script writers for Benny Hill!

they're playing the numbers game i.e. lottery, hoping that one day one of their predictions actually comes true and boy will they have some party when it does

[hotchilli]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is aiming to leverage Thai soft power in order to attract quality international visitors to the kingdom.

It just never stops.

[hotchilli]

2 hours ago, worgeordie said:

Mango and sticky rice are going to lure millions of tourists,

so much so I can see a massive shortage of Mangoes and

sticky rice, Go soft power go ...........????

regards Worgeordie

Add Durian to the mix and there onto a winner.

[sammieuk1]

Try something new and initiative like sticky mangos ????  

[newnative]

    Had to click on the article 'cause I had no idea what in the World 'leveraging soft power' was and couldn't imagine how it could possibly relate to tourism.  I needn't have bothered.  What a load of useless drivel. 

[hotchilli]

1 hour ago, warrima said:

I fear the soft power of mango sticky rice may already be on the wane. How are Lalisa's balls she likes to chew on doing?

Still trying to swallow I hear.