Thai Tourism Sector Targets 14.5m Visitors

[webfact]

Tourism Sector Targets 14.5 Mln Visitors

BANGKOK: -- The Tourism Authority of Thailand admits to being tired by the Kingdom's political situation, but affirms that it will forge ahead with stimulus activities and is targeting to attract 14.5 million visitors this year.

Tourism Authority of Thailand, or TAT, Governor Surapol Sawetseranee announced today that overall, the travel industry has recovered well and reported that travel through Suvarnabhumi International Airport in August was up 6 percent compared to the same time last year.

The TAT is confident that it will reach its target of 14.5 million visitors coming to Thailand this year, adjusted up from the originally predicted 14 million.

Achieving the targeted number of visitors would result in 560 billion baht in revenue circulating in the country. These positive figures have prompted the TAT to try to attract 15.5 million visitors to Thailand in 2011.

Surapol, nonetheless, said that factors such as the world economy and the fluctuating Thai baht would play a role in the sector's success.

The TAT has revamped its www.tourismthailand.org website to provide one-stop services for travelers and is also using interactive social media like Facebook and Twitter in hope of creating excitement about tourism in the Kingdom.

President of the Association of Domestic Travel, or ADT, Maiyarat Pirayakoses, qualified the TAT's confidence, saying that although tourism is regaining ground, its performance is still lacking.

She stated that most travelers in the country are Thai and that hotel bookings are still at less than 50 percent occupancy despite it being the high season.

The ADT president said that the extension of the state of emergency in Bangkok has caused worry among tourists and has also stunted insurance coverage for impacted businesses. She bid the government to lift the decree as soon as possible.

Kasikorn Bank Assistant Board Manager Silawat Santiwisat, disclosed that the bank and its partners have made efforts to aid the nation's tourism sector.

The bank has set up a program of credit card privileges to promote travel spending. The bank expects credit card usage to jump from last year's 98 billion baht to 114 billion baht this year.

The TAT, ADT and Kasikorn Bank are currently holding a campaign entitled “Thai Travel, Easy on the Wallet 2” which will run from September 23 to 26 at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center.

The event will introduce tourism business operators to consumers and is expected to generate 20 million baht in circulation.

-- Tan Network 2010-09-09

[rubl]

Already high season, who tells the rain?

Some keep telling me it's down, down, down. Since I don't follow in Mr. Trink's footsteps I don't visit all nice places, but even just wandering about I can see it's not high season. With bombs exploding or only found every week the incentive isn't too high either (for BKK). Outside BKK, from others forums I gather it's only more of the same.

Keep in mind that Europe and the USA are still barely starting to recover from a global economical crisis, which also brought their currencies down.

Tourists from S-E Asia region mostly travel on tours, spent less. Lots of people from Arabia, don't know their spending pattern.

14.5M visitors? In counting start to include the birds flying over the border

Edited September 9, 2010 by rubl

[wyynduff]

Don't Bad mouth the TAT, it is only the birds that land in Thailand, they will count, they don't cheat.

The TAT does promote and maintain the real culture in Thailand, with it main goal being selling rich peoples resorts and other tourist invented activities. This newly found marketing niche to promote the banks and credit card services, to get more high interest debt for Thai people, who can not afford to pay cash, for their travel is an inspirational idea.. any company stores would be proud of it.

I guess the TAT has learned to judge themselves by quality marketing, and the amount of real GDP it can help raise, not just by foreign currencies it can bring to Thailand, but heads in beds, and loans on credit cards. It is good to see what was once, a sadly run "authority", clean up its act after the shame of some nasty foreign government high officials, dare to be accused Thai government officials, of accepting bribes and how dear their foreign owned company suggest good Thai people would demand a bribe., The Thai officials and her family only offered assistance, should ones daughter be paid for the work she does. The nerve expecting poor Thai people to work for free.

Now the TAT has learned it lesson, they call it "partnering" and only do it with respectable Thai companies, like financial institutions. No fear that of foreign countries governments, whistle blowing on them, is there? It does really help the travel industry long term! It means the Thai owned companies have customers in their beds and more creditors on their books. Thai banks and bank owners do own resorts, do they not? What is the TAT suppose to do if it is not to help Thai companies sell their services, it is travel related debt and interest, is it not. . By the way check out "Cascades" the resort in Mae Rim, Chiang Mai if you out that way, truly beautiful and perhaps you might get some sound financial Thai advise while there. I had the honour to meet the owner, one very early morning. But pity about their full sized billboard on the scenic Mae Rim valley road. But its true "world best" marketing isn't it!

[cloghead]

What the hel_l is your point?

[MaiThaiMai]

“Thai Travel, Easy on the Wallet 2”?

Can someone please 'splain what “Thai Travel, Easy on the Wallet 1” was/wasn't? and/or why it did/didn't work?

Any related link(s) would be fine ...

TIA

MaiThaiMai

:jap:

[dru2]

What the hel_l is your point?

I believe he's on acid.

[sirchai]

What the hel_l is your point?

I believe he's on acid.

The TAT has revamped its www.tourismthailand.org website to provide one-stop services for travelers and is also using interactive social media like Facebook and Twitter in hope of creating excitement about tourism in the Kingdom.

A one stop service like in Isan hospitals would be fine.:jap:

[asiawatcher]

"... She stated that most travelers in the country are Thai and that hotel bookings are still at less than 50 percent occupancy despite it being the high season."

So 14.5million means 7.25m Thais are filling hotels to 50% occupancy maximum? Where do they get this garbage?

[MAJIC]

Targets are just hopeful,dreamers figures,

reality is another thing,which Tourists will decide!

[jackr]

Tourism Sector Targets 14.5 Mln Visitors

... with two-tier pricing and bad service.

[moe666]

Tourism Sector Targets 14.5 Mln Visitors

... with two-tier pricing and bad service.

Staying for one or two weeks most people don't care and the majority have no plans to return. Stop flogging a dead horse.

[Pria]

What the hel_l is your point?

I think he must have found some little mushrooms while stomping through the countryside. The "revamped" TAT website is a disgrace from both a usability and design stand-point - narrow gutted design built for 12-inch monitors, tiny menus, and when people try to find festivals and events scheduled for the months ahead there is often nothing except commercial events listed. As an example, I've searched through the TAT festival of events and can find no mention of the annual Bangkok red-shirts rally in cojunction with Songkran 2011, or the annual Bangkok military deployment festival.

Seriously though the TAT website in English is a disgrace.

I'm also amused by this claim of "high season" in September and can only think some TAT people must have been on the same mushroom hunting trip. I've never seen the beaches, bars, restaurants and clubs of Pattaya and the surrounding areas so empty and can only presume that when the TAT count people passing through the airport they are counting flight crews, taxi drivers and airport employees.

[Beetlejuice]

Good news for the TAT.

My uncle Hymie is coming over for a visit from New York next week. Now they only need to target 14,499,999 tourists.

Edited September 10, 2010 by Beetlejuice

[dumball]

moe666' timestamp='1284077936' post='3873524']

jackr' timestamp='1284077592' post='3873514']

]Tourism Sector Targets 14.5 Mln Visitors

... with two-tier pricing and bad service.

Staying for one or two weeks most people don't care and the majority have no plans to return. Stop flogging a dead horse.

Are you refering to jackrs post or the the TATs wishfull thinking ?

[jayjay0]

Here we are in the middle of October and still looking for tourists here in Chiang Mai. the night bazaar here is almost empty. When does TAT plan on bringing in these tourists?

Edited October 13, 2010 by Rooo
Removed deleted post in quote.

[dumball]

'jayjay0' timestamp='1286996732' post='3952615']

Here we are in the middle of October and still looking for tourists here in Chiang Mai. the night bazaar here is almost empty. When does TAT plan on bringing in these tourists?

Please do not forget the blatant statement made by DSI , that has promoted Chaing Mai to the status of 'Trained terrorists' harbour , hel_l bent on bringing down the government , surely this will bring in tourists by the thousand to witness this fracas first hand , good thinking TAT ???????

[rubl]

Here we are in the middle of October and still looking for tourists here in Chiang Mai. the night bazaar here is almost empty. When does TAT plan on bringing in these tourists?

Please do not forget the blatant statement made by DSI , that has promoted Chaing Mai to the status of 'Trained terrorists' harbour , hel_l bent on bringing down the government , surely this will bring in tourists by the thousand to witness this fracas first hand , good thinking TAT ???????

You're right, dear Sir. The DSI should have shot and buried them without saying anything to anyone. The police finding three RPGs and ammo in a Bangkok room should also be condemned. Furthermore a few more websites and newspapers should be warned only to publish pictures of ostriches with their heads in the sand

Edited October 14, 2010 by rubl

[mommysboy]

Good news for the TAT.

My uncle Hymie is coming over for a visit from New York next week. Now they only need to target 14,499,999 tourists.

Hope Uncle Hymie isn't subjected to Kiddy fiddler porn on Sukhumvit. One giant leap back for mankind Thai style!

When I was a youngster, My Uncle Bert told me Auntie Doris had grown a pair of BoXXXXX. I didn't believe him. I don't believe this report either.

[chantorn]

More bomb more arrivals.

[dumball]

'dumball' timestamp='1284089415' post='3873879']

moe666' timestamp='1284077936' post='3873524']

jackr' timestamp='1284077592' post='3873514']

]Tourism Sector Targets 14.5 Mln Visitors

... with two-tier pricing and bad service.

Staying for one or two weeks most people don't care and the majority have no plans to return. Stop flogging a dead horse.

Are you refering to jackrs post or the the TATs wishfull thinking ?

How did this post appear under my name ? I made none of these comments !!!!!!!!!!!!1