Pattaya To Woo Visitors With Free Rooms

[george]

Pattaya to woo visitors with free rooms

BANGKOK: -- Tourism operators in Pattaya plan to offer free hotel rooms from May 1 to Oct 31 to attract local and international tourists during the low season.

Apart from hotels, restaurants and shopping malls will also join the campaign, offering discounts up to 50%. Final details will be decided tomorrow.

The seaside resort city is facing difficult times because of the global economic recession and local political problems, said Chatchawal Supachayanont, president of the Eastern Chapter of the Thai Hotels Association (THA).

"With this campaign, we hope tourists and meeting, incentive, convention and exhibition (Mice) activities will be lured back to Pattaya again and tourism sentiment will improve as well," he said.

Mr Chatchawal said Pattaya's hotels had about 20,000 rooms and that all operators would join the promotion.

"This is the first time we have had co-operation from all parties, aiming to restore Pattaya's tourism image," he said.

"Average occupancy was not so bad at around 30-40% after the Songkran festival. But we are very concerned about reservations from overseas, which are not coming yet."

Pattaya's image took a hit just before Songkran when red-shirted protesters forced the cancellation of the Asean Summit after they stormed the meeting site, the Royal Cliff Beach Hotel.

Operators in Pattaya hope that when Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva goes abroad he will be able to explain the problems in Thailand and how the government intends to solve them, in order to restore confidence among visitors.

-- Bangkok Post 2009-04-22

[Basil B]

And who will benefit?

Suspect our local "Cheap Charlie's"/balloon chasers will soon find a way of milking the system, genuine tourists will not get a look in.

[Chaimai]

Maybe reduced, or free, bar fines would be an even greater inducement

[basjke]

And who will benefit?

Suspect our local "Cheap Charlie's"/balloon chasers will soon find a way of milking the system, genuine tourists will not get a look in.

Please explain how cheap charlies can milk the system.

From the other side this is in my opinion just another case of a lot of talking same as with all other campaigns.Shops in pattaya are advertising 50 % discounts already year round so there will change nothing.Don't expect that the regular hotels will tell you next month that their rate is even 5 % lower then last month.Rather expect an increase in room rate as the tourist numbers go down.The usual thai business logic.

[wileycoyote]

I think this could prejudice those tourists who have booked & paid in advance,surely these guests are those that the hotels wish to secure,the return market is the key to success.

[prakhonchai nick]

Maybe the police will also join the scheme, reducing normal no receipt fines by 50% for those who do not break any laws!

[webfact]

It would not be surprise me if the brilliant promotion is valid for Thai nationals only...

[nikster]

Maybe reduced, or free, bar fines would be an even greater inducement

Come to think of it, maybe it's actually part of the 50% off scheme... that would be hilarious....

Edited April 22, 2009 by nikster

[njpski]

Go online now and check the prices of your favourite hotels - print them off.

Come back in a few weeks and check if there really has been a real reduction.

BTW, if they charge nothing how will they pay staff (a thought, guests will have to pay tips and the hotel will charge the room staff to work at the hotel), electricity (maybe, they will introduce meters in the rooms), the "free" included breakfast will be charged for.

Another technique would to say stay 5 nights pay for 3 or 4 - they can then say they are offering free rooms but still getting some money!

[AsiaMB]

Welcome to Thailand..... I am sure that the events over the past months with yellow and red shirts are far from over, with Thailand having 4 PMs opver past 12 months this country is far from stable... The real tragedy is that no one seems to understand that this impacts on the average Thai person, you can give away free rooms, however, only People IN Thailand will come, you wont attract any new international customers, because no one will compromise their safety, and people no view Thailand as an UNSAFE destination, all travel advisories from most Foreign countries has advised against travel to Thailand...

either way, I wish you the best, I may come from Bangkok, never knock back a free room....

[aglae4]

I also would like to know how the government intends to solve the problems.......

[Rainmon]

And who will benefit?

Suspect our local "Cheap Charlie's"/balloon chasers will soon find a way of milking the system, genuine tourists will not get a look in.

Please explain how cheap charlies can milk the system.

agreed, how will cheap charlies benefit? and what are balloon chasers anyway?

story is vague, where do I sign up for my free room? waiting for more details...

[Prudent_rabbit]

And who will benefit?

Suspect our local "Cheap Charlie's"/balloon chasers will soon find a way of milking the system, genuine tourists will not get a look in.

Please explain how cheap charlies can milk the system.

agreed, how will cheap charlies benefit? and what are balloon chasers anyway?

story is vague, where do I sign up for my free room? waiting for more details...

Surely it will be the stay 14 pay 7 or free accommodation but you must pay for Breakfast & Dinner, or something along those lines

[a_classic_cigar]

Even if they offer "free" or "comp" rooms, the properties need to cover the tax & service charge of the occupied room....(Means out of their pocket or finding a way to gt it out of the guest through other revenue.)

Edited April 22, 2009 by a_classic_cigar

[AsiaMB]

This is an email i found on the THA website........

wow the govt is "concerned" about the problems in Thailand, look at their feeble attempt to try and rectify things....... maybe they should try to stop them happening in the first place..... DOH !!!!

TW. 073/2008-2010 1 March 2009

To : General Manager / Managing Director

Subject : Invitation to participate in the project “Blue Smile Hotels”

The Government is very concerned about the economic situation and in its policy has assigned the Ministry of Commerce to play an active role in the recovery of the business during the economic recession and with this purpose has joined Thai Hotels Association to promote Thai products and Thai tourism under the project “Blue Smile Hotels”

This project is organized with the aims to assist and promote activities of tourism industry and hotels business in Thailand as well as to assist the entrepreneurs to recover their business soonest. At the same time it will stimulate Thai people to pay more attention in the domestic travel. To proceed on this project we would like to request cooperation from participating hotels as follows :

● Serve seasonal Thai fruits to your guests in the hotel

● Highlight your menu by using Thai products in the market for your food in the

hotel, such as buffet

● Put up OTOP Corner in the hotel so that your guests can select the products by

themselves

● Promote Thai beverages “Siam Sunray” (Signal drink) as Thai national drink.

Free demonstration on this issue will be arranged for participating hotels

● Request five complimentary prize coupons for accommodation or food

effective from 1 April- 30 November 2009

Publication of all the activities of participating hotels for sales promotion of this Project are

as follows :

1. In the “Hotel Mega Sale 2009” which will be held from 26-29 March 2009 from 10.00-20.30 hrs at the Discovery Shopping Center. This special hotel accommodation package including tourism spots in boutique style will be offered to different target groups.

2. Business negotiation in the Ministry of Commerce, and will invite government unit to discuss about their seminars on 1 April 2009.

3. Overseas marketing with the Ministry’s Export Department in various places with special rates

4. Sales promotion activities with the Ministry of Commerce at Muang Thong Thani from 3-10 April 2009

In order to keep this project consistently and accomplish success, THA would like to invite you to participate in this Blue Smile Hotels project. Please fill in your information on the Reply Form and return it to THA Office, Fax No. 02 281 4188. Your prompt attention is very much appreciated.

Yours sincerely,

Prakit Chinamourphong

President

[HOOD Robin]

It would not be surprise me if the brilliant promotion is valid for Thai nationals only...

That's a POINT !!!! i can 1000% agree with you ! They will never give FREE rooms to Farangs, never ! And about the bargirls, really sad, most of them are without a job now ! But at the other hand most of them still have a monthly income from several boyfriends oversea......

Another point : This is again a typical example that in Thailand they first ACT and later on they THINK, mostly when it's too late ! They will NEVER learn !! Somnamnaa

[captbob]

Good idea from chaimai ....reduced, or free, bar fines will be a good start for local economie

[Tonyzill]

How are they going to implement this. They will be all sorts of prerequisits I would imagine.

In country should be quite easy having to book through legitimate travel companies and will attract conference type and group type bookings. I cant imagine you will be able to walk in off the street and book in free (excluding the balloon chasers).

International tourists will either already have booked and payed or they will be booking inclusive deals with airlines etc and I dont see how they will apply free rooms to these.

As for 50% reductions in the stores dream on!! They advertise in all the big Malls in Pattaya upto 80% of now, but when you compare prices from outside you are still paying top prices.

[moo9]

Never ever had anything really free here.

And I agree, who could rent out something for FREE...it makes no sense.

And 50 % discount in shopping malls? Remains to be seen for what!

[davethailand]

And who will benefit?

Suspect our local "Cheap Charlie's"/balloon chasers will soon find a way of milking the system, genuine tourists will not get a look in.

My thoughts exactly.

[engineer]

It would not be surprise me if the brilliant promotion is valid for Thai nationals only...

Hold on a sec here. Falang already pay twice the going rate for everything so by offering 50% off they will be paying the regular price.

I suggest having a " buy one + get one free " promotion for some of the working ladies or some scheme like a frequent flier membership for regular customers who actually are not only supporting the girl but her family, their water buffalo and the local Wat as well

It wont be long before these girls are having ' Closing up sales '

[AsiaMB]

It would not be surprise me if the brilliant promotion is valid for Thai nationals only...

That's a POINT !!!! i can 1000% agree with you ! They will never give FREE rooms to Farangs, never ! And about the bargirls, really sad, most of them are without a job now ! But at the other hand most of them still have a monthly income from several boyfriends oversea......

Another point : This is again a typical example that in Thailand they first ACT and later on they THINK, mostly when it's too late ! They will NEVER learn !! Somnamnaa

well said !!!

[markokang]

You probably have all noticed this before but 50% off just means they wil increase the retail price by 50% before giving the 50% off bargain! There are no consumer enforced laws in Thailand for such scams and so I see it all the time. There are really never any decent bargains, I found that cheap shoes are even cheaper back home in New Zealand! And the person who wrote about the Thai business trend of "increasing" prices is dead right. I have given up a few of my luxuries because of this! Anyone have a serious answer as to why they do this?

[webfact]

And who will benefit?

Suspect our local "Cheap Charlie's"/balloon chasers will soon find a way of milking the system, genuine tourists will not get a look in.

My thoughts exactly.

amongst these "balloon chasers" you can find quite a bunch of financially well stuffed folks... who can buy the entire "balloon premises" easily without even thinking about their bank balance.. I've met a few!

/additions made webfact

Edited April 22, 2009 by webfact

[zepplin]

SO NOW THEY ARE LOOSING MONEY AND NEXT THEY WILL GIVE ROOMS AWAY FOR FREE? WHAT A LOAD OF BULL SH-T ,YEAH RIGHT ASK YOUR THAI OWNED HOTEL FOR A FREE 2000-4000 BHT ROOM AND WAIT FOR THE RESPONSE HAHA ,GOOD IDEA =NOT.ITS AN AWFUL PLACE ANYWAY ONLY DESPARATE SEXPATS GO THERE,WISH IT WILL DECLINE EVEN MORE

Edited April 22, 2009 by george
Fixed quote formatting.

[hardy1943]

Forgot to mention the RUSSIAN MAFIA in the article

[Igor]

Sorry.

What's a "balloon chaser"?

God, I feel so naive...

[Darkling]

They could make walking street a National park. That would bring in Couple of hundred baht a farang. That would alleviate some of the losses they a making.

My friend was telling me he drank 3 bottles of beer at the same bar every night and he lives in Pattaya. He was always charged 80 baht a bottle (heiniken). then one night he was charged 85 baht a bottle. When he pointed out the price increase. He was told it was because we have not got many customers, so we need to put the price up.

They have got even less customers now as he doesn't go there any more.

[imaneggspurt]

Mmm,this will be interesting, buy one at full money and get one free more like me thinks,remember there is no office of fair trading in thailand so get ready for the small print,.

[taxin]

Does anyone know any hotels yet that are offering the free room nights ?

It will certainly be something along the lines of stay 7 pay for 5... Stay 14 pay for 9... Phuket did it after the Tsunami.

It actually amuses me to think that there are cheap charlies reading this thread now rubbing there hands, thinking they can stay in Pattaya for nothing !