TAT to rejig promotional strategy
Narumon Kasemsuk
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The Tourism Authority of Thailand plans to revamp its promotional strategy after seeing increasing signs of sluggish income this year due to the ongoing political unrest.

TAT governor Thawatchai Arunyik yesterday said the political situation and street protests in Bangkok had already affected the number of visitors, mainly from Asian markets.

Foreign tourists have expressed their concern over the prolonged unrest, and many potential visitors asked about the political situation during their visit to the TAT pavilion at the "Asean Tourism Forum 2014" fair, which was held in Malaysia over the past week.

Many of them were confused as to whether the government's enforcement of the emergency decree would include a curfew, he said.

"We have prepared an urgent meeting for our Asia and South Pacific marketing staff. We will, however, wait to see the market reaction [to the decree] during the Chinese New Year festival, so that we can then put in place a strategy in line with the current situation in Thailand, and the travel behaviour of tourists coming from particular markets at different periods of time - such as those from Australia and the Middle East, who travel to the Kingdom during the lower season in June and July," said Thawatchai.

"We will accelerate [our efforts] to promote confidence among our target customers, especially those who are repeat visitors to Thailand, which account for about 60 per cent of total clients. This repeat group knows Thailand well and has a good understanding about the political situation," he added.

"We will also release a testimonial ad to be produced by well-known bloggers with the use of online media, to promote our tourism sector. We will assign our marketing staff to seek 'new' markets, such as Singapore, where there is good demand to visit Thailand but also worry about the political unrest in Bangkok. However, there are some students from Singapore who have proposed organising an educational trip to Chiang Mai," said the governor.

Thawatchai also said that there were, however, some markets in Asia where there was no significant concern about the political unrest. He cited India, and especially the wedding-couples segment, which still viewed the Kingdom favourably as a destination to host nuptial ceremonies.

The TAT also plans to promote other potential destinations that have not affected by the political unrest, such as Hua Hin, Cha-am, Pattaya, the provinces along with Andaman Sea coast, and the northern provinces.


-- The Nation 2014-01-25

New theme song "QUIET RIOT - COME ON FEEL THE NOISE"

BANGKOK: -- The Tourism Authority of Thailand plans to revamp its promotional strategy after seeing increasing signs of sluggish income this year due to the ongoing political unrest

3 weeks into the new year? This must be serious.

"...there are some students from Singapore who have proposed organising an educational trip to Chiang Mai..."

If that is the only lead they got at a tourism fair then I think they should probably focus on the "Thailand 2015 - It should be over by then" promotion.

Another contender for the Thailand Travel theme Song is: Welcome to the Jungle by Guns and Roses

I'd love to type something but it's just too much

We will assign our marketing staff to seek 'new' markets, such as Singapore.........

What a great discovery! Only need a state sponsored study trip to evaluate the new market. Marina Bay Sands, here we come.

Note that this urgent plan was hatched on a Friday.....

dont worry thailand, the expats that you so often beat up that live here will help prop up your country with their dollars

You don't mean to say the wonderful ideas they have had before, like putting crappy rice in airports for people to take home and putting the picture of a Siamese cat on a carrier bag haven't worked? I for 1 cannot believe that these pure genius marketing strategies have not paid dividend and people haven't been flocking to get here, political troubles or not.

Visitors want to see ping pong balls spat into the crowd, not thrown.

I guess they will achieve new record number of visitors by the end of the year tho

Edited January 25, 201412 yr by chooka

" Amazing Thailand. Grenades and gucci within walking distance"

I'd love to type something but it's just too much

I was going to post on this but now you have cracked me up.

You don't mean to say the wonderful ideas they have had before, like putting crappy rice in airports for people to take home and putting the picture of a Siamese cat on a carrier bag haven't worked? I for 1 cannot believe that these pure genius marketing strategies have not paid dividend and people haven't been flocking to get here, political troubles or not.

Do not forget if you spend 800$ on a flight to come here, you can get up to 75% off famous brands in shopping malls. I remember this stupid advert---and come to Thailand for OTOP.

I particularly like the bit about repeat visitors understanding the political situation..... Understanding the situation most like the reason they are not coming back and cancelling their visits ie people get rather miffed if they stuck in airports or can't get back home to work etc

" Amazing Thailand. Grenades and gucci within walking distance"

They should import some of those gold plated AK-47's from Iraq, the last hi-so fashion accessory must have...

TAT to rejig promotional strategy

Ideas include:

1) Daily guided heritage walks through downtown Bangkok with kindly Uncle Suthep ( please note that grenade attacks cannot be guaranteed and there will be no refunds in the event of disappointment).

2) Mr."Dirty Cambodian Mercenary 2014". ( Special prize for spotting which one of the contestants is actually Cambodian and not a member of the Thai special forces).

3) Thailand's 1st Table Tennis Championship. But watch out folks! Some of those ping pongs contain a little "surprise"!

4) Where's Waldo, I mean Yingluk? Where is she today when the country is facing possible civil war? Opening an OTOP fair in Loei? Inspecting a somtam weaving class for disabled midgets in P'lock? Can you guess?

5) Mr. "Straight Face Bangkok". Various government ministers, protest leaders and members of the police and armed forces give a press conference featuring the most gobsmackingly amazing statements regarding the current crisis while attempting not to burst out laughing at their own audacity and the people's willingness to swallow everything they say.

6) Full Moon Ranting Rave Party featuring MC "Sugar Daddy" Seri with his Number One smash " I'm as mad as a box of frogs on ketamine."

7) Asoke Traffic Jam Block Party. Sit in the jam from Petchaburi to Asoke for 1 and a half bloody hours and marvel at the shops you'd never noticed before. Consider slitting your wrists.

Edited January 25, 201412 yr by mca

BANGKOK: -- The Tourism Authority of Thailand plans to revamp its promotional strategy after seeing increasing signs of sluggish income this year due to the ongoing political unrest

3 weeks into the new year? This must be serious.

Yes, they believe that they can "slogan" their way out of it.

What is the prize for getting "where' s YK" correct ? 100 ton of Thailand's finest rotting jasmine rice for you to take home ?

Many of them were confused as to whether the government's enforcement of the emergency decree would include a curfew, he said.

Let's get this straight here: The problem is the confusion of potential tourists and not the confusion within the government?

...strategy.....???

...come up with an infantile slogan once a year....and fictitious accolades....

....how many billions do they go through each year.....or is it trillions......

....(AOT gets a 10-month salary bonus each year...for every employee...how much is it for TAT ???)....and the directors are in another dimension. surely...

.......Well known bloggers.........

ABLAZIN' TOYLAND

A Thai funeral wat a wai to go

One bright jingle that came out of TAT a few years back was "Every Hour in Thailand is Happy Hour"!

When I saw that I asked my boss if she knew what a Happy Hour was. I guess that she, and a few other clued-in individuals, got back to TAT with my explanation, because that particular jingle died a fairly quick death!

Wonder what their strategy will be in the event of a civil war?

During this tough time, TAT needs to sit on its hands and IMMEDIATELY stop making

statements. Their moronic plans to increase tourism with jingles and bags of rice look pretty silly

during regular times, and look downright crazy now.

Rather than pie in the sky schemes to tap into new markets, I suggest they spend some time

to discover why people come here now, and to improve that experience. The very first thing I

would do would be to poll tourists either at the airport or on the street. To sweeten the pie,

pay the tourist 100 baht for their time in filling out the poll. This would enable them to focus

their marketing efforts, instead of their bizarre style of throwing stuff against the wall and see

what sticks......

Other posters here will say for TAT to help stamp out crime and ripoffs against tourists. But since

that would break the rice bowls of different groups here in Thailand ( mafia and police) that will

never happen.

Edited January 25, 201412 yr by EyesWideOpen

they could give discount vouchers for the jet ski's at patong and pattaya!

tat.....there not protesters its a daily parade we do for you lovely tourists..we go that extra mile you know...

Personally I don't believe the rumour, that caretaker Labour minister Chalerm will shortly be appointed, to direct the TAT in solving the shortage-of-tourists within 90-days, but I might be wrong about that ?

Wouldn't the Thai tourist industry save a considerable amount of money by simply doing without the TAT altogether?

On the other hand they are a dependable source of entertainment for us.....

I have a new motto for TAT

Bonkers in Bangkok

Come and join the Biggest street carnival and market in the world

Get FREE food

Enjoy traffic FREE streets

Shop for bargains

Enjoy FREE entertainment at one of our 7 locations with songs from has been Thai performers

Budget accommodation can be arranged in tents at all our sites

FREE guided walks of Bangkok with the PIED PIPER

See all your favorite LOONEY TUNE characters on stage everyday

Lots of room now available but standing room only shaded areas are for Grandma and Grandad

Blow a whistle as loud as you want and no one will object as they are all now DEAF

THERE WILL BE MORE TO COME

Now if that does not attract tourists then i will give up my job at the local asylum

by the way we have lots of beds free here as well