Thailand Focuses On High Spending Tourists, Not Numbers

[Somrak]

>>Younger travellers in developed countries are the target.

Throw enough <deleted> against the wall and maybe .....

This will work ! Sex, drogs an rock and roll.

Be very scared if they let if float to its natural position too. At the moment the TNB does a lot to hold the Bath low.

Without this: 1 Dollar = 28-29 Bath (?), and this will be not good for Thailand.

[salty]

Just a thought, I wonder how many Farang are employed as consultants to TAT... I'll bet the number is zero.

The Thais know best and don't need any farang to tell them what the needs of a Farang are, lol...

Also why is the TAT management comprised of old biddies, totally out of touch with the modern world. There are plenty of people under 40 with high spending power.

They are just a bunch of plonkers, NUFF said...

I am just preparing a CV for job application at TAT.

" I am completely stupid, I cannot think and I do not know what common sense means."

That should do it.

[Jonathanpattaya]

TAT fumbling around in the dark.

Does anyone take any notice?

[grantbkk]

"What we have found is that the characteristics of Thai people and services attract repeat visitors. Thailand is like no other place in the world," said Juthaporn.

She is right about Thailand being like no other place in the world. I imagine her standing up in a meeting full of yes men, women and transvestites announcing, "We are going to try again to put some lipstick on this pig".

[Thai at Heart]

"What we have found is that the characteristics of Thai people and services attract repeat visitors. Thailand is like no other place in the world," said Juthaporn.

She is right about Thailand being like no other place in the world. I imagine her standing up in a meeting full of yes men, women and transvestites announcing, "We are going to try again to put some lipstick on this pig".

I think they need not only to get out and about in their own country a little bit, but also take a few overseas trips just to see how far this statement is away from reality.

To all of you people living in the resorts, maybe we should help them out and start listing what there is to do for "High End" tourists here other than sit in the hotel and drink extortionately priced drinks. I can understand them enjoying a secluded 5* beach bungalow, but what do the towns around the resorts actually offer high end (300 USD+ per night stayer) tourists?

There is only one part of Thailand that I would equate with "high end" in Thailand and it is about 1sq km of shopping real estate in Bangkok, which also has potential traffic jams that last 2 hours at a time, so the high end buyer has to take the train anyway. There is nowhere that gets even close to equating with European or US high end living.

I mean in all honesty, are there even 10x100 USD per head restaraunts in the whole of in any individual resort with a top wine cellar? Let's not go over the fact that a big spender probably doesn't want to fight with a a tuk tuk driver, so lets not worry how they would actually get around the resorts.

TAT really doesn't understand what top end is, in terms of service, quality and reliability of supply.

Edited January 19, 2010 by Thai at Heart

[wetface]

>>Younger travellers in developed countries are the target.

Last I checked, these weren't the high spending quality tourists the TAT is looking for.

Throw enough <deleted> against the wall and maybe one or two of the proposed ideas might work............Maybe.

I think u mean might "stick"

[moetownblues]

Just a thought, I wonder how many Farang are employed as consultants to TAT... I'll bet the number is zero.

The Thais know best and don't need any farang to tell them what the needs of a Farang are, lol...

Also why is the TAT management comprised of old biddies, totally out of touch with the modern world. There are plenty of people under 40 with high spending power.

They are just a bunch of plonkers, NUFF said...

I am just preparing a CV for job application at TAT.

" I am completely stupid, I cannot think and I do not know what common sense means."

That should do it.

Being so honest may hinder your prospects a little corruption is required but on the job training will be provided. When can you start?

[wetface]

So interesting

World tourism to rebound from crisis in 2010: UN

DENHOLM BARNETSON

January 19, 2010 - 3:24AM

The global tourist industry should recover strongly in 2010 after the economic crisis and the swine flu pandemic produced "one of the most difficult years" for the sector, the UN World Tourism Organisation has said.

International tourist arrivals fell by an estimated 4.0 percent in 2009 but should rebound to grow by 3.0 to 4.0 percent in 2010, it said in its annual World Tourism Barometer.

It said growth in the sector returned in the last quarter of 2009 contributing to better than expected full-year results, led by the Asia-

Pacific and Middle East regions.

Add to that an ever increasing, dizzing maze of new visa restrictions, (border runs, Ed visa complexities) work permits etc... yeah attract the tourist with one hand and slap him in the face with the other. Why the hel_l don't they make up their minds... If they want us here spending the baht, remove some of these ridiculous roadblocks....

"Still, 2009 is considered to be one of the most difficult years that tourism has seen" for a long time, UNWTO Secretary General Taleb Rifai told a news conference.

He said last year was "probably one of the toughest in the last two decades, even more difficult that in many years where September 11 and likes and other economic downturns have occurred."

He cited the global economic crisis "aggravated by the uncertainty around the A(H1N1) pandemic."

But he said "the trend is bottoming out."

"The results of recent months suggest that recovery is underway, and even somewhat earlier and at a stronger pace than initially expected," although 2010 will still be a demanding year, said Rifai.

"Many countries were quick in reacting to the crisis and actively implemented measures to mitigate its impact and stimulate recovery.

"Although we expect growth to return in 2010, a premature withdrawal of these stimulus measures and the temptation to impose extra taxes may jeopardise the pace of rebound in tourism," he said.

The reports said tourism receipts were down 6.0 percent in 2009, but noted that this compares with a 12 percent slum in overall exports as a result of the global crisis.

Rifai noted "significant growth" in domestic tourism, particularly in some large countries such as China, Brazil and Spain, as a result of the crisis.

He said the tourist industry was "not quite over" the effects of the swine flu pandemic.

"The international community was able to deal with the crisis in a rather successful manner. but the possibility of a re-occurrence is always there."

On a regional basis, he said, "Europe and North America are lagging, Asia and the Middle East are pushing ahead."

The Asia-Pacific region, where tourism was down 2.0 percent, "showed an extraordinary rebound" that is expected to continue in 2010, the UNWTO report said.

While arrivals in that region declined by 7.0 percent between January and June, the second half of 2009 saw 3.0 percent growth "reflecting regional economic results and prospects."

Arrivals were down 6.0 percent in the Middle East. But the region, "though still far from the growth levels of previous years, had a positive second half."

It said Africa had "bucked the trend" with growth of 5.0 percent.

Europe ended 2009 down 6.0 percent "after a very complicated first half, with destinations in central, eastern and northern Europe particularly badly hit," the report said.

In the Americas, where arrivals were down 5.0 percent, the Caribbean returned to growth in the last four months of 2009.

"The performance was more sluggish in the other sub-regions (of the Americas), with the A(H1N1) influenza outbreak exacerbating the impact of the economic crisis," the report found.

© 2010 AFP

[nakachalet]

every time that i read some high ranking officers from the tourist dept said something like that ...TO ATTRACT HIGH SPENDING TOURISTS....

it almost made my two big toes laugh.... LOL

i would almost like to surmise that those high ranking tourisism officials really do not know much about tourist business at all..... absolutely and practically zippo.... LOL

since the 70's, drawing from my personal experiences in owning and operating apartments and houses in excess of 100 units for rent .... in order to induce people to spend more money, you must....

MAKE YOUR PLACE MORE DESIRABLE FROM CLIENTS' POINT OF VIEW;

PROVIDE MORE PERSONAL VALUES AND SERVICES AND;

MOST IMPORTANTLY, DEVELOP A MUTUALLY BENEFITIAL RELATIONSHIPS WITH CLIENTS OF ALL LEVELS, NOT JUST THE TOP ESCHELON....

THIS IS THE GREATEST MISTAKE THAT MOST THAIS MAKE.... catering to the generals but forgetting the troops who is in much greater number and need.... LOL

it is their culture to cater to the top but completely forget to also take care of those below the top.... who are much more in quantity and supply.... IT IS A PITY.... INDEED....[/b]

i could say much more to criticise and to help.... but i do not wish to be blacklisted.... LOL

Edited January 19, 2010 by nakachalet

[flyfrog]

>>Younger travellers in developed countries are the target.

Last I checked, these weren't the high spending quality tourists the TAT is looking for.

Throw enough <deleted> against the wall and maybe one or two of the proposed ideas might work............Maybe.

In my restaurant all customers are welcome, rich, middle class or poor, a customer who comes every day and spend 100 baht is a good customer! But hey, I am a farang, what do I know!

[Tejas]

I am just preparing a CV for job application at TAT.

" I am completely stupid, I cannot think and I do not know what common sense means."

That should do it.

I have no doubt that you will get the position, listen carefully to idiots, and implement policies that will all but destroy the tourism industry, except for a few hotels that cater to the ultra-rich. It is obvious from your comments that you are the perfect candidate for the job. Clearly you fully grasp the situation and meet the requirments for the job. Good luck!

[nakachalet]

flyfrog

WANNA run for the post....?

i'll vote for you....

with you in charge.....at least we have some ray of hope.... LOL

----------

>>Younger travellers in developed countries are the target.

Last I checked, these weren't the high spending quality tourists the TAT is looking for.

Throw enough <deleted> against the wall and maybe one or two of the proposed ideas might work............Maybe.

In my restaurant all customers are welcome, rich, middle class or poor, a customer who comes every day and spend 100 baht is a good customer! But hey, I am a farang, what do I know!

[hhiser]

If TAT want to encourage money people here will the be looking at closing Pattaya and all the bars in Bangkok , Phuket, Samui etc ?

Because these are aimed at the lower money people or will they tell the bar girls to raise their prices so they get a better class of pimp here

What about this idea: Legalize Gambling, Prostitution, and Drugs and make Thailand into a Macau/Amsterdam fusion!

[jontom]

Thailand has natural beauty, its culture and the brand image going for it.

- Natural beauty is equal in other places, such as Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar, Cambodia & Malaysia - the key is how it is preserved in future!

- Thai culture is interesting but again, is there really a big advantage over other SE nations? Nothing/little has been done to show Thai culture to visitors, e.g. a network of B&Bs

- The Thai 'brand' is still strong. People think that they will have a more luxurious, more friendly/tastier(!), higher quality holiday in Thailand than the other SE countries, but that is changing. One thing that's keeping it high in Europe is the increase in Thai food awareness (though usually Malaysian or other SE owners), but try finding Thai in the US or middle east!

A lot of my friends who have returned to Thailand on holiday, have not been pleased with the developments. More expensive, less quality, less friendly are the opinions I have heard.

I certainly don't feel that Thailand is improving it's levels of service. The prices have gone up, but with no real justification.

TAT should enforce the quality to protect the brand and that should cover all areas of Thai 'attractions'. People are prepared to spend money if they get value

An example of a good idea that failed was the sticker with 'We speak English'. Every Taxi had the sticker but virtually none spoke English.

A simple Gold, Silver & Bronze scheme which enabled businesses to register with TAT and be given higher status based on recommendation & meeting quality guidelines, would go a long way to maintaining/re-establishing the Thai brand. Of course, the Thais would stick up Gold stickers in every business, but if there was a call center that allowed you to check 'instantly' if it was a valid gold business, then it would quickly die out.

The Thai paradox is places like Pattaya, which they don't want to accept, because it is against Thai values, but in the end it makes a lot of money. It might be worth them considering turning it into a special zone, where foreigners are allowed to buy land, own businesses, and laws are different, e.g. legalise gambling/prostitution/late night drinking etc.

Which planet are you on? Thai values: anti gambling? anti prostitution? anti late night drinking? Take a walk around the Thai areas in Bangkok look at the gambling on anything... the Premiership results and chicken fighting for example, Prostitution take a walk down Petburi road and observe the plethora of soapies all for the Thai clientelle and late night drinking walk around the streets at night and look at the Koyote and Karoke clubs. The view you were putting accross is how Thais pretend their society is not the reality of it.

[MaiDong]

Sometimes, I just can't figure out some peoples logic - surely it's plain to see, by everybody, that if you start at the bottom and work your way up then things will turn out better than if you try to dress mutton up as lamb??

Why start a campaign to focus on high end tourist and potentially dissuade lower end tourist coming, thinking they're not welcome??

I have a million things to say and I could digress hugely, it's all a really big mess isn't it!

Why doesn't TAT focus on, just, tourism???? The country has taken a knock over the last year or so, as have many other countries, but I still believe that Thailand core values could make it a winner in the tourism industry - it doesn't need TAT, it needs the warm hearts and friendly places it once had!

[Jingthing]

I feel the best national tourism campaigns focus on the local populations.

-- It is patriotic to be hospitable to tourists

-- It is patriotic to try hard not to run over foreigners crossing the road

-- It is patrioitic to really smile at tourists, instead of calling them baa farang or farang kee neow

-- It is patriotic to treat foreigners fairly and not cheat them

-- It is patriotic to go out of your way to help foreigners in trouble

-- It is patriotic to clean up public trash and eyesores

The reason is these happy foreigners will grow to love your country and its people and then go home and tell their friends and family about it, and also return themselves.

That or just rely on sex tourism, which TAT won't mention, but still remains the backbone of the repeat tourism here.

[alyx]

Am I the only one to understand it that way?

I still do not understand the confusion some of us make by referring to "High-end tourists" or "high spending tourists" as in the article on this thread it is only about stimulating the tourism in order to have the tourists spend more. The translation would be "No matter how long you stay we wil make it as good as it can get and you won't mind paying for the service and ask for more" which is the motto of any good enterprises. Of course quality doesn't come cheap and one has to make sure that the standards are accordingly high but that is another matter

I am not saying that this the correct approach, I would not know how to start a business (if tourism is one that is) even less running it, but I feel that many of the posts are slightly off topic

Edited January 19, 2010 by alyx

[MaiDong]

I feel the best national tourism campaigns focus on the local populations.

-- It is patriotic to be hospitable to tourists

-- It is patriotic to try hard not to run over foreigners crossing the road

-- It is patrioitic to really smile at tourists, instead of calling them baa farang or farang kee neow

-- It is patriotic to treat foreigners fairly and not cheat them

-- It is patriotic to go out of your way to help foreigners in trouble

-- It is patriotic to clean up public trash and eyesores

The reason is these happy foreigners will grow to love your country and its people and then go home and tell their friends and family about it, and also return themselves.

That or just rely on sex tourism, which TAT won't mention, but still remains the backbone of the repeat tourism here.

This is exactly why it's best to start from the bottom and work your way up - in TAT's case, they need to educate toursim workers in English language(and possibly other languages too! ), customer care, they need to teach tuk-tuk drivers not to bug people, not to spit in the path of foreigners, not to cheat with their prices, hotel workers not to pick their noses whilst sitting in the restaurant etc etc, there's so many things wrong with 'tourism' in Thailand, I could go on, showing photos of nice mini buses then hearding tourists into a shabby old piece of scrap metal(happened many times to me) whilst still claiming it IS the bus in the pics... stopping at over-priced food stops in the middle of nowhere on route to most destinations by bus, close the ridiculous gem shops that are in arse-end areas of bkk - the shops paying the tuk-tuk drivers to coerce newbie tourists to go there for B10 etc etc, I REALLY could go on...

I would like to add the airport problems mentioned earlier in this thread!

[moe666]

Manjara, sorry but there are plenty of thai places in the states. One of the largest populations of Thais outside of Thailand is in LA. I leave in a city of around 500,000 and we must have at least 10 or 12 thai restrurants but only 2 or 3 any good. Do some reserch before you speak, O, I forgot we are on Thaivisa open mouth put in foot.

[alfbondi]

And the thais try to tell you tourism is only worth 6 - 8% of the national economy. their getting desperate.

[MaiDong]

I just explained to my partner what was being discussed and she said 'is that bad?' And I thought 'No, it's not that bad' so now I'm going to get on with my daily duties and stop thinking about this pathetic mess, could we change anything if we tried? Is anything TAT is doing going to make a change?(doubt it, prob just a ploy to make ms. J at TAT look busy) will tourism change because of this silly policy? Prob not, travelers will still pass through, wealthy tourists will still come, ex-pats will sit around discussing it, but will anthing actually change? It's not for us to say, it's almost not our problem! The people at the bottom of the 'business chain' might/will come out of this worse-off - is that our problem? Maybe Thailand needs to learn from it's own mistakes if that is possible? Have they made these mkistakes before? Have we got any true indication of figures? If Thailand's toursim figures are untrue is there anywhere to see the real figures?

I'm tempted to give up thinknig for them, they think they can do a better job? Let's sit back and see.

[khunwes]

Why is it that bureaucrats in Thailand think of only of ripping off and scamming tourists? They would do better to put more effort into educating themselves as to what the world is really like.

[hammered]

>>Younger travellers in developed countries are the target.

Last I checked, these weren't the high spending quality tourists the TAT is looking for.

Throw enough <deleted> against the wall and maybe one or two of the proposed ideas might work............Maybe.

This actually does look like the group they are targetting with the free visas. The young travellers who may spend a lot longer in the country than a more traditional tourist and although spend less per day actually spend more in total and are hence high spending tourists. It is an important group for Thailand and shows a departure form aiming purely at very wealthy tourists. Thailand is a center for travellers too and maybe the TAT are actually recognizing that concentrating on what they are already good at attracting is a start. The other stuff such as medical tourism is a growth market and Thailand does have potential there especially more with middle income groups as with concentrating on other Asian tourists. The plan looks a lot better than the previous ignore travellers, concentrate on the tiny group of wealthy tourists and those from traditional destinations. It looks like they are going for their strengths and some areas that offer good growth opportunity. Guess the sex tourists will also be there as well but TAT gets it right by not mentioning that group.

[Lancelot]

thai economy revolves around 3 things - Sex, - Rice and tourism. You take out one of these and thailand would crumble in a matter of minutes.

Rough figures:

Tourism - 6% of GDP

Prostitution - 3%

Rice - don't know, but it isn't the remaining 91%

True tourisim is a relatively small part of the Thai GDP, but its also the largest earner of foreing currency.

[dom samui]

We visit Phuket quite often. At least 3 times a year. We've also spent peak season there this year (Christmas & New Year). I may sound like resorts & hotels a are full but believe me they are not! We booked rooms at Sugar Palms resort where regulary rooms can be fetched for 999 THB/night off season. For high season they started with prices at 6.000 THB / night. Once they progressed closer to the dates the prices were gradually coming down. On Latestays.com we booked rooms for about 2.800 THB just two days before we arrived. They offered 300 THB for a breakfast/day - which we rejected - Starbucks is cheaper! Got significant discount. And they were not full! I also refused to pay their rate of 20.000 THB or more for New Years night so we moved to a guest house. Super-nice hotel style guesthouse newly opened for 1.000. Great deal.

I could also see many people arrived on 24th and left on Monday 4th. For example Wine Connection Resuatrant on Patong was not as busy before and after the holidays. I assume many BKK expats who came to Phuket to spend their short holidays.

We had no problem getting great deals, from car rentals, accommodation, boat trips, elephant rides etc. When I tried to book in several months ago nobody would accept a deal. Their excuse was always "expecting peak season". But once peak season arrived deals could be made easily.

Regular Prices offered to tourists:

Car Rent - 1.200 THB / day or more (We got for 850 THB)

Elephant ride - 800 THB/person/30 mins (We got 600 for two!)

Snorcheling trip - 1.200 THB/person/half day (We got own one engine speed boat for 3.500 THB / 4 hours)

Phuket is not a cheap place to visit especially when you don't know the right places. Tourist traps and very expensive and really if tourists are not aware they can spend big bucks. I saw many Russians this year but people really don't spend. And why should they - in land of rip-offs. We are still walking ATM machines for them. And this will stay like that for at least a generation.

With such Strategy how can they do ?

[thaihome]

..., but its also the largest earner of foreing currency.

I have always loved this one. Pretty typical of responses in this thread.

Anyway,

Please explain how in today's world of currency exchange markets (which includes the THB) this statement makes any sense.

Note that Thailand currently holds something like 140 billion USD in foreign currency reserves. I suspect the biggest contributor to this from the profit the BOT makes on the contracts it buys attempting to keep the THB in the 32-33 USD range.

TH

[Thai at Heart]

thai economy revolves around 3 things - Sex, - Rice and tourism. You take out one of these and thailand would crumble in a matter of minutes.

Rough figures:

Tourism - 6% of GDP

Prostitution - 3%

Rice - don't know, but it isn't the remaining 91%

True tourisim is a relatively small part of the Thai GDP, but its also the largest earner of foreing currency.

Tourism 6%? I would like to know how they measure that, because it does seem somewhat low. Then add on the fact that it is very labour intensive and supports many secondary industries, no matter what anyone says, it is important to the country. Large percentage cash business so large multiplier effect.

Prostitution as a measure, 3% maybe, maybe not, but it puts cash in the hands of thousands that helps to feed 100's of thousands. Some would say it also provides earnings well beyond qualifications, but obviously on the job experience counts. Pure black economy so massive multiplier effect.

Pure and simple, tourism and prostitution provide the earnings to feed hundreds of thousands of unskilled to semi skilled labour and their extended families in this country. Of course a percentage are skilled, but in reality, a waitress earning 10k in most parts of the world is generally considered unskilled. What other industries can come up quickly to absorb quite this amount of people?

I am not sure where Thailand goes from here for its tourism growth, but it really does need to massively and I mean massively improve the tourist experience. From the moment they get off the plane to the moment they leave, everything needs to be a massive improvement. We have debated the issues, but when the TAT can't even organise taxis at the airport correctly it shows how far the industry needs to go to regain its postion. Whores, cheap booze, and thinking Farang Kee Nok are not a plan for long term success.

Edited January 19, 2010 by Thai at Heart

[Tejas]

thai economy revolves around 3 things - Sex, - Rice and tourism. You take out one of these and thailand would crumble in a matter of minutes.

Rough figures:

Tourism - 6% of GDP

Prostitution - 3%

Rice - don't know, but it isn't the remaining 91%

True tourisim is a relatively small part of the Thai GDP, but its also the largest earner of foreing currency.

It has been stated so many times already, but here it goes again.

The figures are misleading!

For starters, take the prostitution figure and triple it to at least 9%. Then add it to the tourism figure. Now you are up to 14%. Now add everything else they leave out: hotel supplies, taxis, restaurants that cater to foreigners, etc. and you are likely up to 20%. Now figure in the lack of income reporting and you are now up to 25% or more of the economy. Tourism is a huge component of Thailand's economy. All you need to do is walk around with your eyes open and you will see it all over the country.

[brianw]

We can go on and on and on On this subject is there any one out there who could print out this whole forum subject and send it to the right authorities so some one with a bit of sense might think about acting on it. or taking note. Or is there an email address that we could all send our views

[thaihome]

.... you are now up to 25% or more of the economy. Tourism is a huge component of Thailand's economy. All you need to do is walk around with your eyes open and you will see it all over the country.

25%

Sometimes you people crack me up. I agree, all you need to do is walk around, but it is not where you think.

TH