Thailand Too Reliant On Mass Tourism

[livinthailandos]

I found this article to be pretty interesting ( i posted just a few things )

http://www.hozpitality.com/news/announcements/thailand-too-reliant-on-mass-tourism

Thailand needs to move beyond its 'Amazing' brand, embrace quality tourism and build iconic mega-attractions instead of more hotel rooms that only end up being discounted.

Political instability, long queues at Suvarnabhumi airport, over-crowding and environmental degradation are also damaging the brand

Thailand has very little 'new' to offer except more amazing sales and discount prices. It's not a sustainable proposition.

[Tonto21]

Them dam farang, why you hate Thailand so much, come, come spend all your money......Blaaaa blaaaa blaa

Prime Minister Abhisit said, “I am increasingly concerned. The oversupply of rooms and seats are among key factors pushing Thailand's brand reputation into a downward spiral. Huge volume, cost-conscious tourists bring the country's brand down, which in turn attracts lower yield tourists.”

He goes on, “Political instability, long queues at Suvarnabhumi airport, over-crowding and environmental degradation are also damaging the brand.” Do you think?

He says more, “My hope is that Thailand will unite to build brand equity. We should move on from the worn out 'Amazing Thailand' mantra to a new era based on higher yield, higher value leisure and business visitors.

I believe the rest of the world is taking what they can get in the way of tourism, not 'Amazing Thailand' there going to show how it should be done….Or more to the point this is not about giving quality, more about raising money spent per tourist and also moving it into the hands of the big Thai companies.

Personally I see nothing wrong with improving and offering up market tourism, but at the cost of short term low yield tourists, this is typical Thailand, notice how Thailand’s not to blame for low tourist numbers, (no I don’t believe the posted fig’s)

Thailand, if you want hi-so tourists so much then get off your whining ass and do something about it!.......Stop blaming everyone else for your failing!

Here’s some ideas; sort out your police force, corruption, scams, racism, duel pricing and when it’s dark………put your head lights on! Maybe some people will visit Thailand a secound time.

[samuibeachcomber]

one of the reasons for lower tourist numbers is(imo) that they are going to other countries instead.Look at Laos,Cambodia,vietnam,they are all packed with tourist/travellers.People tire of the same destination and its catch up time for these other countries.

[dumball]

'samuibeachcomber' timestamp='1299732736' post='4271355']

one of the reasons for lower tourist numbers is(imo) that they are going to other countries instead.Look at Laos,Cambodia,vietnam,they are all packed with tourist/travellers.People tire of the same destination and its catch up time for these other countries.

imo , it has more to do with the shenanagins of Thai in tourism hot spots , why would they continue to put up with multiple scams/rip-offs/confrontation from aggressive

tuk-tuk drivers etc , not to mention the ongoing in fighting between themselves , police who do not give a dam and an army that operates in sync ?

They are going to other countries where the locals are far more friendly , costs are lower for most things , other enhancements being built for ease of walking , and in general the air is less polluted . In other words , tourist are actually welcome .

[Thongkorn]

Maybe if they got rid of the word falang, and made buying land for falang more open then people may invest more in Thailand which in turn would attract more.

[Ulysses G.]

Thailand will never be a destination for more than a smattering of high spending tourists and with the world economy the way it is, they should be thankful for any kind of "mass tourism" at all.

[mstribling]

It's just the effects of the downturn. That and many travelers that can afford to holiday have already done the Thailand thing. I don't know anyone who goes on a holiday to the same place.

The word farang and buying land doesn't even cross a tourists mind. Why would it?

[Thongkorn]

It's just the effects of the downturn. That and many travelers that can afford to holiday have already done the Thailand thing. I don't know anyone who goes on a holiday to the same place.

The word farang and buying land doesn't even cross a tourists mind. Why would it?

How many people who use to live in Thailand have left because of racism and corruption. word of mouth goes along way.Bad publicity is free,

[mstribling]

Few if any. Most leave because they ran out of money.

[tigerfish]

i think both sumuibeachcomber and dumballs posts speak volumes IMHO.

nail on the head and the horse has already bolted the stable !

[chooch7]

if you took out thai girls thailand doesnt offer anything really different then its neighbors.

[GM1955]

It's just the effects of the downturn. That and many travelers that can afford to holiday have already done the Thailand thing. I don't know anyone who goes on a holiday to the same place.

The word farang and buying land doesn't even cross a tourists mind. Why would it?

How many people who use to live in Thailand have left because of racism and corruption. word of mouth goes along way.Bad publicity is free,

I don't know any that left because of racism or corruption, I know plenty that left because they ran out of money and had no choice.

Edited March 11, 2011 by GM1955

[007]

Them dam farang, why you hate Thailand so much, come, come spend all your money......Blaaaa blaaaa blaa

Prime Minister Abhisit said, "I am increasingly concerned. The oversupply of rooms and seats are among key factors pushing Thailand's brand reputation into a downward spiral. Huge volume, cost-conscious tourists bring the country's brand down, which in turn attracts lower yield tourists."

Mr. Abhisit, if the TAT more and more promotes Thailand aggressively (and successfully) in places like Africa, Eastern Europe, India, Bangladesh, China, etc., then one shouldn't be surprised if tourists spend less time and money in Thailand. That's because most people in Albania, Bangladesh and China have less cash for holidays and/or much shorter holidays.. If, at the same time, Thailand p***es off long-stay tourists with ample money to spend, then Thailand will only attract "lower yield tourists". (Someone who has studied at Eton and Oxford should know that, shouldn't he, Mr. Abhisit?)

Edited March 11, 2011 by 007

[JurgenG]

Why would "hi-so" tourists spend their holidays in Thailand ? The Grand Palace and Sukhotai are nice places to visit and there a couple of nice hotels too but beside that the country hasn't much to offer in term of attraction. Pukhet and Chiang Mai are lousy places, Pattaya has a bit more to offer but the huge meat market there is so repulsive that I wouldn't recommend the place to anybody.

Even a place like Singapore asks foreign investors with expertise to help them. Before Thailand attracts the high roller, it will have some serious soul searching to do. With my gf, we were talking how the service industry in Asia, from Seoul to Singapore, had much improved during the pas 10 years while Thailand is slipping behind. Just look a Thai Airways, while most airline now offers Video on Demand, they don't even have PTV in most economy flights.

Ok, they have "Thainess", whatever it means, but beside Thais, who cares ?

Edited March 11, 2011 by JurgenG

[Ulysses G.]

I don't know any that left because of racism or corruption, I know plenty that left because they ran out of money and had no choice.

Hear, hear!!!

[Thongkorn]

I don't know any that left because of racism or corruption, I know plenty that left because they ran out of money and had no choice.

Hear, hear!!!

Shows where you live and what you live for, Also Why go to a country just for girls, shows where your brains are, Maybe try some Thai culture learn Thai, Who knows you may discover the real Thailand not just go and abuse poor Thai in a Sh.t hole that Most good Thais would not be seen dead in.

[remiss]

Why would "hi-so" tourists spend their holidays in Thailand ? The Grand Palace and Sukhotai are nice places to visit and there a couple of nice hotels too but beside that the country hasn't much to offer in term of attraction. Pukhet and Chiang Mai are lousy places, Pattaya has a bit more to offer but the huge meat market there is so repulsive that I wouldn't recommend the place to anybody.

Even a place like Singapore asks foreign investors with expertise to help them. Before Thailand attracts the high roller, it will have some serious soul searching to do. With my gf, we were talking how the service industry in Asia, from Seoul to Singapore, had much improved during the pas 10 years while Thailand is slipping behind. Just look a Thai Airways, while most airline now offers Video on Demand, they don't even have PTV in most economy flights.

Ok, they have "Thainess", whatever it means, but beside Thais, who cares ?

I agree. Though, I don't know what Programmable Temperature Vaporization has to do with anything (if it's the tv-channel ur talking about who cares about that on a flight and they do have vod..)

But both the country and country-side is to my liking, but hi-so tourists might not like toilets with manually applied water..

[glomp]

I doubt any "hi-so" tourists left because of the tuk tuk drivers and police, they woild never travel with tuk tuk and their fixer guides would never allow them to be caught by the bib.

the scams though, even rich idiots fall for them.