Focus On Quality Tourists, Not Quantity, Urges PM Abhisit

[rubl]

By the way, where can I get an "Elite" card?

Who wants a card if you can buy the company

Edited March 3, 2011 by rubl

[thaibear1]

Maybe they forget, to get hig quality tourists need also high quality offers, I mean in special less scam and fake tourists eg. Jet Ski scam we read lastly). Urgent is needed clean first in front of own door. Most expensive resort and his parc are hyper clean but as soon you walk around you are in the land of plastic bag's who fly around. Right eg. my town is clean but as soon you travel out of town you see as you travel thorugh a dump. I fixed this in pictures but I am to shy to publish! An other step would be that every thai who is in touch with tourists shall know English, maybe addition Chinese and Russian ! My friends which was spending last then years holidays here mean, most tourist place was coming more dirty, people more aggresive etc. and decided spend his holidays since last year in neighbour countries!!! There are to do many things which take generations before be ready to be an "enclave for rich people only" !!! Don't forget, rich people may are less tolerant then the middle shift ...., they want 1 $ for 1 $ not less.

[Gary A]

Most "quality" tourists are above average as far as intelligence. I'm sure they research their destinations and have a good idea what they will find. They will know that certain areas of Pattaya are designed to attract sex tourists. The bottom line is if you don't like the sex tourists areas, don't go.

How do you determine who is a quality tourist? Is it the amount of money they spend? In my opinion, sex tourists spend more money than the so called quality tourists. Are you so naive to think that bar girls and even many bars report the amount of money that they make from sex tourists?

A difficult thing to understand is why there are so many better than thou board members who hate Pattaya. Bulldoze Pattaya? Drop an atom bomb on it? The only logical reason I can think of for this hate (?) is that the members wives read their posts so they have to condemn Pattaya to make their wives happy. The wives obviously forbid the husbands to visit fun city.

[madmitch]

The article is about attracting quality tourists.

It then goes on to state the TAT will be holding roadshows in Russia.

If you've been to Phuket or Pattaya recently you will understand my point.

[craigj7]

If I assume the PM is more western than Thai, since he was born and educated in the west, it follows that his outlook and thought process are more western. Now, since he is not your average Thai, he is expressing a more focussed aspiration for his country. I can bet there is NOT ONE leader in the West who would be happy with a certain type of tourists that seem to flock to Thailand in droves. Similarly, the PM is aware of a longer term image problem if the entrenched view is that Thailand is a low cost sex tourist destination. So what is wrong with trying to clean up the industry? The success or failure of his stated aspiration is unknown, but as I said can't blame him for stating an aspiration.

Also, the PM is able to recognise white trash when he sees/smells/hears it...unlike the average Thai who may think all farangs are rich and well-educated. So which leader wouldn't want to minimise white trash from arriving and worse still, setlling here and breeding?

[/quot

good post

[bkkdawg]

I'm pretty sure we heard the same drivle this time last year. And, what exactly is the definition of a 'quality tourist' and 'quantity tourists'?

I say bring on the election and get this idiot out. Even Taksin wouldn't have come out with rubbish like this.

Edited March 3, 2011 by bkkdawg

[anon467367354]

"It's been like that for years.....where have you been hiding? Farangs are tolerated because they have money...nothing else."

It is hardly surprising when people are here for sex and booze, that they behave badly, go to any red light district in any part of the world and you won't get genuine friendship towards horny drunks.

France has built it's reputation over very many years and has marinas, casinos and Je ne sais quoi, if you like that sort of thing. Politicians can't change 3rd world Thailand into that, but they could start by getting rid of the corruption that has kept it in the third world and then work towards something appropriate. It also needs foreign investment and with the current restriction on foreign land ownership, this is unlikely. But, if they did open things up we may end up with something much worse.

The problem is that there are two kinds of tourists here, sex tourists and backpackers, backpackers don't spend anything at all, so what are you left with?

I think it is nice to have Pattaya, you know where not to go to, when you get here.

backpackers don't spend anything? Backpacker eat, sleep and drink just like any other tourist, the difference is the money they spend goes directly to the local people and not to some corporation with offices outside of Thailand. If it's "quality" tourists they are looking for, why are people being judged by how much money they have and not how they behave while in the country? This push for "quality" tourists is aimed at putting money into the pockets of the "quality" Thai people and not the Thai people. Thailand's biggest problem is the separation of classes, and until it grows up, will never amount to much before it crashes. Buddha said the whole is part of the one, and the one is part of the whole, but not here in the "hub of Buddhism"

[luvulongtime]

Remember when Taskin said that he wanted better tourists... "People who wear long trousers"... Hmm

[svenivan]

I wonder how much of the number of tourists coming to Thailand statistics have been affected by that many people have to go out of the country every 14 day instead of once a month?

[rammis35]

I see the American tourist were not even mentioned in this article. Are we not worthy of being considered quality tourist here?

[craigj7]

Most "quality" tourists are above average as far as intelligence. I'm sure they research their destinations and have a good idea what they will find. They will know that certain areas of Pattaya are designed to attract sex tourists. The bottom line is if you don't like the sex tourists areas, don't go.

How do you determine who is a quality tourist? Is it the amount of money they spend? In my opinion, sex tourists spend more money than the so called quality tourists. Are you so naive to think that bar girls and even many bars report the amount of money that they make from sex tourists?

A difficult thing to understand is why there are so many better than thou board members who hate Pattaya. Bulldoze Pattaya? Drop an atom bomb on it? The only logical reason I can think of for this hate (?) is that the members wives read their posts so they have to condemn Pattaya to make their wives happy. The wives obviously forbid the husbands to visit fun city.

no mate not everyone is sick f... like you the very type thailand wants to get rid off

[Danlo]

Yes seems like all the bad news reported on Thailand is getting it on the map.

& Craig, sounds like you have a real problem mate, life's too short.

Edited March 3, 2011 by Danlo

[KKK]

OK - lets have your daughter, sister or mother enter the industry then shall we...seems like you think it is an upstanding equal opportunity employer with tonnes of career prospects.

And tell me your home country...lets shift Pattaya there in all its glory. If it is so good, you can have it.

Oh dear..next you'll be saying that all of Thailand's prositutes are forced into the industry. They do have a choice no matter how small it is. They would have more choices if they had grown a backbone decades ago and stood up for themselves as they are now starting to do.

[Gary A]

Most "quality" tourists are above average as far as intelligence. I'm sure they research their destinations and have a good idea what they will find. They will know that certain areas of Pattaya are designed to attract sex tourists. The bottom line is if you don't like the sex tourists areas, don't go.

How do you determine who is a quality tourist? Is it the amount of money they spend? In my opinion, sex tourists spend more money than the so called quality tourists. Are you so naive to think that bar girls and even many bars report the amount of money that they make from sex tourists?

A difficult thing to understand is why there are so many better than thou board members who hate Pattaya. Bulldoze Pattaya? Drop an atom bomb on it? The only logical reason I can think of for this hate (?) is that the members wives read their posts so they have to condemn Pattaya to make their wives happy. The wives obviously forbid the husbands to visit fun city.

no mate not everyone is sick f... like you the very type thailand wants to get rid off

For your information, I live upcountry and am happily married. My Thai wife would be quite upset if you were able to get rid of me.

I just have a dislike for better than thou hypocrites.

[Horseswild]

Hmmm...Interesting, When I attended the travel fair in BKK in June, I signed up with over 140 resorts, at that time they were practically giving away rooms with an extra day. I am still getting solicitations and upon inquiry I am being told tourism is still way down, according to the article it is up by over 7% this year, but considering the global financial crisis of the past three years, is that 7% on the 23% drop from 2009? I am sure oil futures shooting over $100 a barrel are not helping much.

[craigj7]

I see the American tourist were not even mentioned in this article. Are we not worthy of being considered quality tourist here?

you got it

[geezer553]

16.8 mill tourists_and i thought you where a smart boy abhisit-when you studied at university maths clearly wasnt your strongest subject-because your maths is clearly mis quoted

the sums dont work out,.i have been visiting thailand for many years now and can say without predjuidice thailand is suffering under the currant regime.

the roads have improved throughout thailand which is great!! yet poverty is at an all time high-oil prices continue to cripple the economy-tour ism in thailand is at a all time low

the baht is crippling the foreign visiter-farrang!! and your talking about bringing in quality tourists!! so the people who visit 2/3 times and previous been butterfly but now have thai partners-suppose we dont matter when we spend thousands we are just the common traveller who continue to support your economy--when i first started going to thailand i received 72 baht to pound today us farrang struggle to find 48-50 baht to pound..... tourism is at a all time low investment continues somehow because everywhere i go new hotels are being built daily,yet they are empty--if thailand continue to build like this within 18 months property prices will collapse throughout thailand leaving the thai people with even less!!!

[Jimi007]

Okay, if Thailand wants more tourists then perhaps the mildy anti - foreigner attitude needs to be buttoned up & put away by a lot of Thais. One gains the impression that many see tourists as "walking wallets" or as I heard one young group of farang call themselves "ATM's".

The land of smiles is fast becoming the land where one gains the impression that the inhabitants would be happier if we all just arrived on a plane emptied all our available money into a waiting bin and then got back on a plane leaving.

Nothing new here... I called myself a walking ATM many years ago, not now. "The Land of Smiles is fast becoming?" I guess you haven't been here very long, it's been that way for many years...

This type of announcement seems to be almost an annual event here

I agree with LivinLOS, it's a two way street. If the Thai government wants a better class of tourist then they need to come to the party to ensure a better class of tourist experience ... not just approving a few more 5 star hotels, not just more money spent on promotion in glossy mags, but addressing the well-known and long-running problems in the tourist industry here .... including but not limited to:

1. Environmental problems (litter, air pollution, or just plain ugliness, etc) due to inadequate laws or non-enforcement of existing laws

2. Law and order issues ... jetski scams, airport hustlers, gem scams, theft of luggage/belongings in airports, buses, hotels and sundry other cheating by tourist service

3. Lack of coordination by government agencies concerning planning and management of tourism. You can't even get staff of the one gov't agency here to read from the same page .... quality tourism demands a coordinated whole-of-government approach

4. Better (more accessible, more accurate, etc) tourist information ... more staff with advanced English-language skills

5. A more customer-service focussed approach by the entire industry ... web sites that work, emails that get answered, customer feedback that is sought and responded to

6. and on it goes

Tourists reports these problems week in and week out but are lucky to even get a response to their letter/email. What demonstrable progress has the Thai government made with any of these issues? What is proposed? When?

Your first sentence is correct. Last year TAT announced the same thing. See link: TAT focuses on spending, not numbers from January 18, 2010.

Same stupid crap, different person saying it. And I never thought I'd agree with LivinLOS, but I do. He makes some very valid points...

[Tiffer]

Historically, backpackers have been seen as "pathfinders" responsible for opening new areas for tourism although many are "pathfollowers"

The typical demographic of the "backpacker" means they are recognised as tomorrows quality tourist and shuold be courted as such.

Backpackers, like all niche markets, are serviced by elements of the industry that would otherwise not exist.

Sex tourism is a minor component of the entire tourism industry

Cohen, E. (1996). Thai Tourism: Hill Tribes, Islands and Open-Ended Prostitution. White Lotus, Bangkok.

Cohen, E. (1993).Open-ended prostitution as a skilful game of luck: opportunities, risk and security among touristoriented prostitutes in a Bangkok soi. In M. Hitchcock, V. T. King & M. J. G. Parnwell, Tourism in South-East Asia, pp. 155–178, Routledge, London.

A good discussion regarding the use of sex tourism as a marketing tool is presented in "Exotic or Erotic – Contrasting Images for Defining Destinations" Bruce Prideaux, Jerome Agrusa, Jon G. Donlon and Chris Curran Asia Pacific Journal of Tourism Research, Vol. 9, No. 1, March 2004

Enjoy

[Macmundi]

The first thing to do might be to define what a quality tourist is. I would assume that one of the key factors is how much is spent and, according to a poll on another site catering specifically for pattaya more than 50% of members are spending more than 5k baht a day and this figure rises to over 75% if you look at spends of over 4k baht a day.

I am not sure how this would compare to how much other types of tourist are spending and in other areas but it this income is not something that can be ignored.

I think it also has something to do with where the money is spent (or, more specifically who the recipients of said money are). The members of the Thai Hotels Association would probably like a cut of the money that the members of the aforementioned Pattaya-targeted website are spending on... who knows what.

I too am curious about how they define a "quality tourist," and wonder what category they consider me to be in!

Thats the shallow way of thinking. Those foreign criminals operating some organised scams here in Thailand are also quality tourists? Bet you they're spending more than 5K a day. As for me, I'd think quality tourists should only include tourists that come to thailand and want an experience of Thai culture. Choice of accomodation ranges from cheap all the way to outrageous is a personal preference. They can be backpackers, group tourists, or families. Given some good experience, after they go back, they'd spread the word, or might want to share the experience again with some other friends or groups.

[TimTang]

"Last year Thailand received 15.8 million international tourists, generating income of Bt585 million, he said."

That averages out at a tad over 37 Baht per international visitor. Is the quoted line a typo, or are the PM's advisors/scriptwriters slacking a bit?

Anyway, sad to say that Thailand (in common with just about every other country trying to entice tourists) can't be too picky at the moment.

So true, it makes you wonder if they know what the fuc_k they're actually talking about.

I'm thinking it may be a typo, perhaps it was supposed to be Billion instead of million, which would make it 3,700 Baht. Even then, I would think even a low budget backpacker would spend more than that in one week.

Who ever is doing these statistics is incompetent in fundamental mathematics, and they are supposed to be experts in ADVANCED mathematics. If TAT is looking for new employees: I can add, subtract, multiply, and on a good day, even do long division; Pleas give me a call, I'll even bring my own calculator.

Edited March 3, 2011 by TimTang

[asdecas]

A good start might be taking a bulldozer through places like Pattaya. Round up all the bargirls on the streets. Quality tourists don't flock to Thailand for ladyboys and the sex industry.

I do, regularly.

[ETatBKK]

quoted

tourism had been currently a major source of income generating 585 billion baht to the country last year, or 7% of the GDP. In 2010 up to 15.8 million foreign tourists visited Thailand despite the political crisis.

end quoted

then, what is the opportunity lost in 2010 ? how many million tourists not coming ?

hmm . . . not a complete story :-)

cheers

[monspencer]

Yet another thread brings out the Pattaya knockers. While I know this may be off topic, I can not let certain comments go without commenting myself.

The opposite to 'quality tourists' is 'low quality tourists', and I therefore take great exception to the Pattaya knockers here, e.g softgeorge and samran, though there are no doubt others who agree with them, like craigj7, for saying that Pattaya should be bulldozed down or that an atomic bomb should be dropped on it.

Shame on you all.

In making such stupid comments, and in agreeing with them, you are insinuating that I and my many friends who live here are low quality human beings, and likewise all those who come out to visit us must be as well, I and my friends who live here were tourists once, before we decided to retire and live here in Pattaya.

p.s I see that craigj7 is knocking the Americans as well now. Jeez, what is wrong with you? I am British and know many really decent Americans here in Pattaya. Grow up will you, please.

Edited March 3, 2011 by monspencer

[KKK]

"Last year Thailand received 15.8 million international tourists, generating income of Bt585 million, he said."

That averages out at a tad over 37 Baht per international visitor. Is the quoted line a typo, or are the PM's advisors/scriptwriters slacking a bit?

Anyway, sad to say that Thailand (in common with just about every other country trying to entice tourists) can't be too picky at the moment.

So true, it makes you wonder if they know what the fuc_k they're actually talking about.

I'm thinking it may be a typo, perhaps it was supposed to be Billion instead of million, which would make it 3,700 Baht. Even then, I would think even a low budget backpacker would spend more than that in one week.

Who ever is doing these statistics is incompetent in fundamental mathematic, and they are supposed to be experts in ADVANCED mathematics. If TAT is looking for new employees: I can add, subtract, multiply, and on a good day, even do long division; Pleas give me a call, I'll even bring my own calculator.

If the 15.8 million includes all non-thai arrivals into the country at any border then it would include all the day trippers from Thailand's neigbouring countries. That might explain the 3,700/head.

[Tiffer]

"Last year Thailand received 15.8 million international tourists, generating income of Bt585 million, he said."

That averages out at a tad over 37 Baht per international visitor. Is the quoted line a typo, or are the PM's advisors/scriptwriters slacking a bit?

Anyway, sad to say that Thailand (in common with just about every other country trying to entice tourists) can't be too picky at the moment.

So true, it makes you wonder if they know what the fuc_k they're actually talking about.

I'm thinking it may be a typo, perhaps it was supposed to be Billion instead of million, which would make it 3,700 Baht. Even then, I would think even a low budget backpacker would spend more than that in one week.

Who ever is doing these statistics is incompetent in fundamental mathematic, and they are supposed to be experts in ADVANCED mathematics. If TAT is looking for new employees: I can add, subtract, multiply, and on a good day, even do long division; Pleas give me a call, I'll even bring my own calculator.

Oho! Typos is it? Well Mr TimTang don't forget your spell checker and gammar checker too

[Emster23]

And where does the money spent by "quality" (read: wealthy) tourists go? To the corporations and rich friends of you know who, not your average mom and pop guest house or food joint. As has been said since time began, Thailand needs to clean up all the corruption, scams, lack of the rule of law, etc etc.... they are killing off the goose and it's golden eggs.

[KKK]

Yet another thread brings out the Pattaya knockers. While I know this may be off topic, I can not let certain comments go without commenting myself.

The opposite to 'quality tourists' is 'low quality tourists', and I therefore take great exception to the Pattaya knockers here, e.g softgeorge and samran, though there are no doubt others who agree with them, like craigj7, for saying that Pattaya should be bulldozed down or that an atomic bomb should be dropped on it.

Shame on you all.

In making such stupid comments, and in agreeing with them, you are insinuating that I and my many friends who live here are low quality human beings, and likewise all those who come out to visit us must be as well, I and my friends who live here were tourists once, before we decided to retire and live here in Pattaya.

p.s I see that craigj7 is knocking the Americans as well now. Jeez, what is wrong with you? I am British and know many really decent Americans here in Pattaya. Grow up will you, please.

I would suggest the main reason for those who knock Pattaya is:

JEALOUSNESS

knock something you can't have is a common human trait.

[Businessman]

I guess it all depends what "quality tourists" are. I do not think that low budget is low quality. I generally think that "low quality" tourist would be those of low morals, low respect and low humanity. These simply erode away at the thai culture, demeaning the locals and not contributing anything more that dirty money to thailand. 5 stars billionaires are not likely to enrich the thai culture either, lazing in poolside lounge chairs. You'd think that Back Packers, familiies and the budget consious traveller would be a good target for Thailand.

The issue is that Thailand fails as a quality destination. Public tranportation is horrific and at times dangerous. There are pockets of quality, but one has to wade through vast cesspools to get to them. Service is poor in most places save the 5 star resorts. Finally the overall reception of tourists here is not one of mutual benefit (aka quality) but extortion (take any money you can get an run, dam_n the consequences or long term effects).

Steps to the PM's goal:

• target quality tourists (meaning those who seek good value, and are repectful to the locals)
  
• offer a quality experience.
  
• clean up the beaches, and transportation
  
• treat tourist with respect that they choose to spend thier hard earned holiday budgets in Thailand rather than walking wallets processed though an turnstyle.
  

Edited March 3, 2011 by Businessman

[Awohalitsiktoli]

A good start might be taking a bulldozer through places like Pattaya. Round up all the bargirls on the streets. Quality tourists don't flock to Thailand for ladyboys and the sex industry.

Thailand should not look a gift horse in the mouth. Very few "Quality" tourists are likely to bother with Thailand at all. The South of France is so much more inviting.

Excellent point! I think rich people, contrary to popular myth, have never flocked to Thailand. And given that rich people are small in number compared to the non-rich, it seems STUPID to focus on so called "quality tourists." Hasn't the govt. already tried to do this and failed? Call me a stupid Native American Indian, but it seems wiser to focus on both rich and non-rich tourists. Is there a law in Thailand that says TAT cannot focus on both income categories?