TAT launches new campaigns for 2015 in push for Bt2.2 trillion revenue

[webfact]

TAT launches new campaigns for 2015 in push for Bt2.2 trillion revenue
Suchat Sritama
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- In a move to boost the economy, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) yesterday announced campaigns and marketing plans for next year with a revenue target of Bt2.2 trillion from local and international visitors.

TAT governor Thawatchai Arunyik said the authority expected up to 28.9 million foreign visitors next year - increasing this year's projection of about 26 million foreign tourists by 13 per cent - and hoped to boost this year's target of foreign-exchange revenue by 15 per cent to Bt1.4 trillion.

TAT is also hoping to encourage 148 million trips by local travellers next year, which should generate up to Bt800 billion in revenue. Next year's projection is increased by 9.5 per cent from this year's.

TAT has also lined up action plans and strategies for local and international markets under the long-running "Amazing Thailand" campaign. The agency is also preparing new tourism products to attract foreigners, such as "Thainess" and the "Thai way of living", in addition to promoting the country's natural beauty.

Of the Bt1.4 trillion expected to be earned from foreign visitors, Bt747 billion or 53.3 per cent is expected to come from Asia, followed by Bt650 billion or 46.5 per cent from Europe and the rest from other markets, especially the United States.

TAT is also setting up strategies to draw big spenders from second-tier cities in Europe such as Stuttgart and Munich in Germany and smaller cities in France. It is also eyeing alternative countries such as Morocco, Brazil, Chile, Poland, Hungary, Belgium and the Czech Republic.

"TAT will hold roadshows in these countries and will work with airlines and hotels. Our targets are high-spending visitors such as honeymooners and health-conscious tourists," Thawatchai said.

A charter airline will begin operating direct flights between Poland and Krabi in November, while flights from Scandinavia - which have been cut down in number - are expected to rebound this high season.

Anupharp Thirarath, deputy governor for TAT's domestic market department, said the agency had prepared three action plans that will run all year.

The first campaign promotes attractions in new destinations, such as the timelessness of Lampang, the flowers of Phetchabun, Buri Ram's ancient pagodas, the cool weather in Loei, Ratchaburi's art, fruit in Chantaburi and Trang's cuisine.

The second campaign focuses on flowers, encouraging people to visit different provinces in different months. This includes visiting Loei in January to enjoy the Thai sakura (cherry blossoms), going to Udon Thani in February to see the red lotus, dok khoon in Khon Kaen in April, dok po tieng in Songkhla in August and Christmas blossoms in Loei in December.

The third campaign will encourage local people to travel during the low season, and the target groups are families, business owners, seniors, young travellers, first jobbers and health-conscious people.

"TAT has asked celebrities Urassaya 'Yaya' Sperbund and Ananda Everingham to help run the campaigns," Anupharp said.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/business/TAT-launches-new-campaigns-for-2015-in-push-for-Bt-30237937.html


-- The Nation 2014-07-08

[NeverSure]

[Payboy]

The second campaign focuses on flowers, encouraging people to visit different provinces in different months. This includes visiting Loei in January to enjoy the Thai sakura (cherry blossoms), going to Udon Thani in February to see the red lotus, dok khoon in Khon Kaen in April, dok po tieng in Songkhla in August and Christmas blossoms in Loei in December.

How could they forget the nationwide year round tulip promotion?

[NongKhaiKid]

Please don't promote true Thainess or no one will come.

[nottocus]

What will the slogan be?

Amazing Thailand....don't blow it....we'll blow you.

[expat888]

I'm confused.

I thought the Thai government said that tourism was a small percentage of Thailand's income and it was insignificant.

Why the big push?

Edited July 8, 2014 by expat888

[ChrisY1]

And while they're checking out the blossoms in Loei, maybe they could have a visit to the local ecologically managed gold mines.......always a point of interest

[Tatsujin]

I would have thought the LAST thing they should be promoting is "Thainess" or the "Thai way of life" to encourage more visitors . . .

[Tatsujin]

I'm confused.

I thought the Thai government said that tourism was a small percentage of Thailand's income and it was insignificant.

Why the big push?

They always claim "tourism" only amounts to 6-7% of GDP (and this figure rarely changes), but that doesn't make any sense whatsoever given the importance/emphasis they continue to place on tourist numbers and their dollars.

[jaltsc]

"In a move to boost the economy, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) yesterday announced campaigns and marketing plans for next year with a revenue target of Bt2.2 trillion from local and international visitors."

And......If tourists aren't showing up because there is nothing new which interests them, we need to triple the price on everything. That should draw them in and increase our revenues .

[chooka]

agency is also preparing new tourism products to attract foreigners, such as "Thainess" and the "Thai way of living",

How are they going to sell Thainess to visitors. Didn't Yingluk go on trips to promote Thainess to world and encourage Thais abroad to do the same thing? Are they going to start showing violent demonstrations and tanks rolling through the streets, the best scams and the best places to be mugged by a pack of ladyboys? That seems to be Thainess and it is definitely not working.

[TimCM]

I'm confused.

I thought the Thai government said that tourism was a small percentage of Thailand's income and it was insignificant.

Why the big push?

They always claim "tourism" only amounts to 6-7% of GDP (and this figure rarely changes), but that doesn't make any sense whatsoever given the importance/emphasis they continue to place on tourist numbers and their dollars.

That is because a lot of the money that comes into the country through tourism does not get declared for income and hence is not in official GDP figures. For export industries such as automotive, the figures are inflated due to favorable tax treatment causing offshore profit shifting. The real figures for tourism (inclusive of long term stayers and the sex industry) would be around 20%.

Of coarse TAT figures are all just made up to look good at a press conference. Does anyone at TAT actually do any work or do they just write press releases

[kuiburi]

Does promoting "Thainess and Thai way of life" include littering ?

[casindonet]

Right on que.....

Sent from my C6833 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[Oziex1]

Honeyteering yep it's true got it in my inbox the other day from the TAT. Know what it is? spend your honeymoon volunteering to do something in LOS.

Would like to have some clever worthwhile comment, but just have to laugh.

[Oziex1]

"In a move to boost the economy, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) yesterday announced campaigns and marketing plans for next year with a revenue target of Bt2.2 trillion from local and international visitors."

And......If tourists aren't showing up because there is nothing new which interests them, we need to triple the price on everything. That should draw them in and increase our revenues .

Yep, just looking for easy money.

[PhilipCook]

New destinations for tourists is a good idea. But its the kind of idea that requires proper planning. When you attempt to lure tourists to these new destinations, you have to make sure that the hotels are providing the right level of quality accommodation. As a local. I expect lower quality levels when visting less popular destinations, but overseas tourists may not be so tolerant.

[madmitch]

New destinations for tourists is a good idea. But its the kind of idea that requires proper planning. When you attempt to lure tourists to these new destinations, you have to make sure that the hotels are providing the right level of quality accommodation. As a local. I expect lower quality levels when visting less popular destinations, but overseas tourists may not be so tolerant.

These campaigns are aimed at Thais, not foreigners.

I really have no idea how the spending of domestic tourists can be assessed. Would they have spent the money anyway if they stayed at home? Or is it just a convenient way to boost the figures with no real ability for anyone to check?

[catweazle]

PhilipCook: "When you attempt to lure tourists to these new destinations"

Yepp, and there is the "lure" word again that the Thais love so much. Everyone has to be lured in, because the subconscious aversion of Thai people towards everyone non-Thai shines through more and more, with that smiling facade crumbling down constantly, year by year.

If the majority of Thai people would have it their way, tourists would only be allowed to fly in, throw cash and valuables onto the runway take a selfie of themselves with airplane and beach in the background as proof they have been in Thailand, before buggering off home until next year. And this is the impression more and more Thailand visitors get - due to my job I talk to tourists and also possible investors on a daily basis and their smile in the land of smiles is fading as well due to the "let's see how much we can squeeze out of them" Thai way of running a tourist destination.

The TAT could save a lot of money that could better be invested in schools, proper education systems, hospitals, road, boat and tourist activity safety campaigns and education, along with laws that allow possible investors to truly and legally own what they invest in and retirees to legally own the land and house they buy, non-racist laws for foreign male / Thai wife couples, etc. but the Thais would never listen to us anyway, because we're just stupid white ATM machines that deserve to be maxed out, right?

Edited July 8, 2014 by catweazle

[catweazle]

Does promoting "Thainess and Thai way of life" include littering ?

Yupp, there will be courses on how the leftovers of a typical Thai family's 7Eleven snacks shopping spree have to be distributed correctly to cover the possibly widest area of a national park or beach within the shortest possible time.

Courses will be split into four categories:

1) Trashing from a driving local bus at approx 40km/h

2) Trashing from a driving motorcycle at approx 60km/h

3) Trashing from a driving car at approx 100km/h

4) Trashing at zero speed while sitting on a bamboo mat near a waterfall or beach (master class)

[GAZZPA]

Does promoting "Thainess and Thai way of life" include littering ?

It should,, and muggings, robbery, drugs, prostitution, slums, mafia gangs, rip off tourist prices, poor quality hotels, no real service anywhere and don't forget death by minibus and the worst death rates in the world on the roads,,, phew,,,

[keestha]

Quoting the opening post:" big spenders from second-tier cities in Europe such as Stuttgart and Munich in Germany and smaller cities in France. It is also eyeing alternative countries such as Morocco, Brazil, Chile, Poland, Hungary, Belgium and the Czech Republic.
"TAT will hold roadshows in these countries and will work with airlines and hotels. Our targets are high-spending visitors"

TAT employees, please stop repeating the tired old "big spenders/quality tourists" mantra. Try to think out of the box......these big spenders will spend big indeed, but most of their spending will go towards the foreign hotel chains where they went on a package deal. Backpackers and individually travelling tourists on the other hand, stay longer and spend all the money locally.

Why not have some communication with colleagues working for organisations similar to TAT in countries like Australia and Canada, where this is well understood?

[PhilipCook]

Allow me to dream a little here but I would love to see a Thai version of the KOA Kampground experience found in the US and Canada. Maybe 5 teepee premium level, 3 teepee family value level and 1 teepee xgames level. When it becomes easy to cross borders with your own vehicle, this kind of destination stuff in neighboring countries will be a blast.

[belg]

everybody happy

everybody rich

everybody a few brain cells

everybody happy