Thailand Focuses On High Spending Tourists, Not Numbers

[mommysboy]

Stop Press - latest 5 star special deal- buffalo trail followed by hair raising brush with tanks and baying mob, optional extra, get electrocuted FOC in the shower.

[WeeGB]

Before they do anything else, the point of entry problem -immigration control - needs addressing. How many times have you arrived in Thailand to find a huge queue at Immigration, with only one or two desks open? It's not like they don't know when 'planes full of tourists are arriving.

The surly, downright rude "service" by these officers also needs eradicating - totally. One can forgive many tourists for thinking LOS is an abbreviation for "Land Of Scowls", after their first experience with Thai Immigration. These tourists are coming on holiday <deleted>, to spend their hard earned money here.

First impressions are all important, and frankly the impression that most first time visitors leave the airport with is "why did I come here".

[animatic]

Age 20 - Tour Thailand as a broke backpacker, fall in love with the place, accept it's quirks and flaws, while spending $30 a day.

Age 30 - Return for your honeymoon. Spend most of the time in your bungalow, but still manage to spend $150 per day.

Age 35 - Return with the kids. You enjoy the beaches, they get to ride an elephant. Now spending $300 a day.

Age 40 - Second honeymoon, kids at granny's house. After 10 years you spend a lot more time shopping than anything, and spend $400 a day at a prime resort.

Age 50 - You're experience in the country prompts your boss to send you to Bangkok to build business contacts. You spend $500 a day and your boss spends much more importing Thai goods now.

Age 60 - You retire to your favourite holiday spot, contributing several thousand a month to the local economy and investing $60000 in a little condo.

Or......

You show up at 40, less open minded, having never experienced Thailand before, balk at the shoddy sidewalks, dangling electric wires, and luxury hotels that cost the same as they do in countries that are just as warm with much better infrastructure. You spend $400 a day, go home complaining and never come back.

AGREE

ALSO AGREE

And I agree also.

This is a patternt repeated many times to the country's benefit.

Granted I arrived at nearly 50 and decided it was good for me.

But I suspect, no I KNOW I am more adventurous and exploratory

than many people I know.

[Tejas]

It crossed my mind that many backpackers are not as poor as we might all think.

And it would certainly be a mistake to assess their wealth by the way they look.

My guess is that many of them are actually from middle class, upper-middle class, and some rich families.

They come here with friends for an "adventure."

And when they return they tell Mom and Dad about it.

If they have nothing positive to tell Mom and Dad (the ones with the money), maybe Mom and Dad don't come to Thailand to spend money.

Then they tell others........the bad news spreads. Thailand is out money. And not just money from the original backpacker.

So, treating backpackers with respect might actually be a good idea.

This is one reason Thailand needs to stop its "quality tourists" mantra and start encouraging tourism from all income levels.

After all, the tourism industry in Thailand is geared towards all income levels.

Why in the world would govt. policy be designed to punish all but the top sector of the tourism industry?

Makes no sense to me.

[pooket]

You get what you pay for. Thailand is cheap and attracts cheap tourists because the service is horrendous here. If Thailand truly wants higher class people with more money, then they need to eliminate the following: incompetency, complacency, language misunderstandings, dangerous travel, unenforced or non-existent safety laws, fear of telling the truth when there is a problem, unwillingness to admit to problems, being hounded by vendors and touts at places like Patong, blah, blah, blah...ad nauseum.

I've traveled all over Thailand and I'm sick of constant problems. Traveling here is just too dam_n aggravating.

[nakachalet]

have you really travelled all over thailand.... really?

well.... i have also travelled all over thailand MANY MANY TIMES OVER AND OVER....

most local people that i come across have benn polite and civil....

most places are friendly and post no major problem....

i guess it all depends on WHERE you choose to visit....

and WHOM you choose to visit with.... LOL

if you really still have anxiety and problem, try the following places:

ma-hong-sorn, udon, trang, hatyai.... and the list goes on (for me, anyway)....

with the exception of phuket, pattaya, two major tourist attraction centers.... almost all other pleasureable centers are farang friendly....

perhaps, you can tell us exactly--what cities aggravate you so very much?

You get what you pay for. Thailand is cheap and attracts cheap tourists because the service is horrendous here. If Thailand truly wants higher class people with more money, then they need to eliminate the following: incompetency, complacency, language misunderstandings, dangerous travel, unenforced or non-existent safety laws, fear of telling the truth when there is a problem, unwillingness to admit to problems, being hounded by vendors and touts at places like Patong, blah, blah, blah...ad nauseum.

i've traveled all over Thailand and I'm sick of constant problems. Traveling here is just too dam_n aggravating.

[mommysboy]

You show up at 40, less open minded, having never experienced Thailand before, balk at the shoddy sidewalks, dangling electric wires, and luxury hotels that cost the same as they do in countries that are just as warm with much better infrastructure. You spend $400 a day, go home complaining and never come back.

Sounds like this guy at least doesn't have his brains in his backside.

A long life and and dangling electrical wires don't mix IMHO.

And bad over priced service is never acceptable too. unless you get off on being a Patsy.

[svtbg]

Rich people go to Nice, Monaco, Majorka, Bahamas, etc. They don't go to Thailand.

[BarryM]

My own personal experience of Thailand as a 'top' flight destination:

I brought my parents out to Thailand two years ago (TG first class + top drawer hotels). They don't want to come back to Thailand, so last two years I've take them to the Canaries in January. The flight is a separate issue I grant for parents who are active but now in their 70s. Although it's arguable that an overnight in Thai first is more comfortable and far less hassle (especially at the airport) than four hours on Thomsonfly!

A five star hotel in Spain works out half the price of a comparable hotel in Phuket/Samui etc. Drinks around half price too, except wine - which was 60-70% cheaper. Even a massage in the hotel was cheaper in Spain than a '5 star' Thai hotel. Sorry dad, maybe no happy ending, but the masseuse does has a certificate to prove real training beyond folding towels/making over sweetened tea/asking 'it da plessur ok for you sir?'

Compared to the hassle of getting a simple espresso at the pool in an alleged 5 star hotel on the river in Bangkok yesterday (part of a group with its flagship hotel in HK), I'd argue the service is superior in Spain too.

There's no need to labour comparisons regarding service, language abilities, road safety, pedestrian safety, security, cleanliness, hassles, scams etc. Weather was pleasant 24-26C and 8 hrs of sun a day. There's peace of mind too knowing that hospitals care about their patients because they care about patients; not just the $$.

Still, cheap sex has an appeal to many and that's one area where Spain is in second place.

Thailand is a great place to play if you are single, keep your wits about you and don't expect too much. End of.

[BarryM]

have you really travelled all over thailand.... really?

well.... i have also travelled all over thailand MANY MANY TIMES OVER AND OVER....

most local people that i come across have benn polite and civil....

most places are friendly and post no major problem....

i guess it all depends on WHERE you choose to visit....

and WHOM you choose to visit with.... LOL

if you really still have anxiety and problem, try the following places:

ma-hong-sorn, udon, trang, hatyai.... and the list goes on (for me, anyway)....

with the exception of phuket, pattaya, two major tourist attraction centers.... almost all other pleasureable centers are farang friendly....

perhaps, you can tell us exactly--what cities aggravate you so very much?

You get what you pay for. Thailand is cheap and attracts cheap tourists because the service is horrendous here. If Thailand truly wants higher class people with more money, then they need to eliminate the following: incompetency, complacency, language misunderstandings, dangerous travel, unenforced or non-existent safety laws, fear of telling the truth when there is a problem, unwillingness to admit to problems, being hounded by vendors and touts at places like Patong, blah, blah, blah...ad nauseum.

i've traveled all over Thailand and I'm sick of constant problems. Traveling here is just too dam_n aggravating.

In a nutshell! If you want to meet 'friendly locals' or experience a 5 star holiday in Thailand avoid anywhere tourists normally go. Also avoid any locations where they have any facilities whatsoever that might even possibly lay claim to catering to tourists looking for luxury.