TAT plans 'Thainess Year'

[webfact]

TAT plans 'Thainess Year'
SUCHAT SRITAMA
THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- THE Tourism Authority of Thailand yesterday finalised its 2015 international campaign themed "Thainess Year", which is expected to help lure 29 million tourists who will generate revenue of Bt2.2 trillion.

TAT governor Thawatchai Arunyik said the campaign would be launched at this year's World Travel Mart, which is scheduled to take place in London from November 3-6.

The agency will introduce the campaign and reveal highlights to travel agents and alliances from all over the world.

TAT will promote new gimmicks focused on creative tourism and community-based tourism, as well as promoting seven product clusters such as shopping, health, and natural beauty.

Sugree Sithivanich, deputy governor for marketing communications at TAT, said some highlights of the 2015 campaign would be linked to months of the year. January marks "Hello Thailand", the Thai-Chinese Celebration and Jazz Festival are in February, there is a World Thai Boxing event in March, the Songkran Festival is in April, and there will be a big fun activity called "Tour de Thailand" in May. More activities are set for the second half of next year.

TAT targets 29 million international visitors next year, up 12.9 per cent from this year's target, with revenue expected at Bt2.2 trillion (Bt1.4 trillion from the international market and Bt800 billion from the domestic market). The agency hopes revenue from the international market alone will increase by 15.5 per cent from this year's projection.

This year, TAT lowered its arrival target from 28 million to 25.7 million because of the political problems, while revenue from tourists is expected to end up at Bt1.2 trillion. Domestically, TAT aimed at 135 million trips and income of Bt700 billion.

The Ministry of Tourism and Sports has been granted a budget of Bt6 billion for the 2015 fiscal year, a 6-per-cent increase from the 2014 budget. The ministry had earlier proposed Bt8 billion. However, it can ask for extra funding if faces an unforeseen crisis.

The budget will be used at several key organisations: TAT, the Sports Authority of Thailand, and the ministry itself.

According to TAT's marketing department, East Asia will remain the biggest source of tourists next year with 17 million visitors, followed by Europe with about 6.9 million, South Asia with 1.3 million, the Americas with 1.2 million, Oceania 1 million, the Middle East 721,400, and Africa with 195,000 visitors.

Last year, China was the biggest source for Thai tourism with 4.6 million arrivals (a 66.4-per-cent jump from 2012), followed by Malaysia with 3.04 million (up 19.05 per cent), Russia with just under 2 million, Japan with 1.53 million (an 11.84-per-cent increase), South Korea with 1.29 million (up 11.32 per cent), and India with 1.05 million (a 3.71-per-cent increase).

The authority will be running events and activities parallel with major theme of Thainess for the domestic market throughout 2015.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/business/TAT-plans-Thainess-Year-30241930.html


-- The Nation 2014-08-28

[terryp]

that should be interesting ..a year of u-turns, jealousy, inactive posts and stupidity...with many people fleeing the scene possibly

[thesetat2013]

TAT is always spouting numbers they can not clarify and never seem to happen. I call it WISHFUL THINKING. This article does however show their attitude to attitude to getting more tourist... GIMMICKS!!!

[HiSoLowSoNoSo]

"Thainess Year", which is expected to help lure 29 million tourists

Why do you have to "lure" tourists to come here? If "Thainess" is such a great thing wouldn't the tourist come without beeing "lured" to come here?

[daveAustin]

Don't use 'Thainess', you'll scare folks away. Then again I guess the rest of the world don't know what it means.

[Ricardo]

"TAT will promote new gimmicks"

Forget things like eliminating scams, or offering tourists better value-for-money, let's have more gimmicks instead !

[chooka]

It is Thainess that is keeping people away you TAT fools. Constant coups, demonstrations, scams, violence and raw sewage flowing onto the beaches. Drop the Thainess and think of something else.

[chooka]

"TAT will promote new gimmicks"

Forget things like eliminating scams, or offering tourists better value-for-money, let's have more gimmicks instead !

Gimmick/scam same dog different leg action.

gimmick

ˈgɪmɪk/

noun

noun: gimmick; plural noun: gimmicks

1. a trick or device intended to attract attention, publicity, or trade.

   "it is not so much a programme to improve services as a gimmick to gain votes"

   synonyms: publicity device, stunt, contrivance, eye-catching novelty, scheme, trick, dodge, ploy, stratagem; More

   loss-leader;

   informalshtick

   "a quality newspaper shouldn't

[NongKhaiKid]

"TAT will promote new gimmicks"

Forget things like eliminating scams, or offering tourists better value-for-money, let's have more gimmicks instead !

BUT gimmicks are part of Thainess, forget substance.

[NongKhaiKid]

Don't use 'Thainess', you'll scare folks away. Then again I guess the rest of the world don't know what it means.

They'll pick up quickly when they meet the double / triple pricing and scams.

[shirtless]

Gimmicks dont work, I cant believe these figures,

[kalbo123]

Thailand is in the top 10 of best visited tourist destinations world wide, besides 9 other countries there are not many countries who can say that.

In 10 Years time tourism inThailand has doubled, they must do something good...

[Songhua]

March: Nationwide bribery displays

April: Buy one get one free baby promotion

May: Ladyboy month.

June: Experience a minivan tour at 40 km/h over the speed limit.

[Thailand]

Thailand is in the top 10 of best visited tourist destinations world wide, besides 9 other countries there are not many countries who can say that.

In 10 Years time tourism inThailand has doubled, they must do something good...

You do know what has happened here in the last few months do you?

[Paulzed]

"TAT will promote new gimmicks"

Instead of thinking up new "gimmicks" which is a nice way of saying - scam, sham, con, cheat, rip off, which is nothing more than glorifying the dodgy jet ski operators, taxi mafia, seedy sex and drug tourism, the list goes on in dodgy seedy places like e.g. Pattaya, Samui, Patong, Patpong etc...

Why can't they focus on genuine tourism like advertising their beaches, national parks, museums, history etc... with out the need for the gimmicks of dodgy and seedy hangers on looking to rip you off.

Just my opinion

[kalbo123]

Thailand is in the top 10 of best visited tourist destinations world wide, besides 9 other countries there are not many countries who can say that.

In 10 Years time tourism inThailand has doubled, they must do something good...

You do know what has happened here in the last few months do you?

Sure I know and I have been here long enough to know that we are up for a very busy high season...

Watch and see...

No matter what happens.. the tourists will come.

[Roadman]

Thailand is in the top 10 of best visited tourist destinations world wide, besides 9 other countries there are not many countries who can say that.

In 10 Years time tourism inThailand has doubled, they must do something good...

You do know what has happened here in the last few months do you?

Sure I know and I have been here long enough to know that we are up for a very busy high season...

Watch and see...

No matter what happens.. the tourists will come.

Jeez...don't be positive kalbo. The TV board members cannot handle it.

And sure enough even within posting the post above appears to confirm.

Edited August 28, 2014 by Roadman

[Bung]

Every time I see that title "Thainess Year" I am going to have a little chuckle to myself.

Amazing Thailand! TiT.

[nong38]

Is Thainess another name for fleecing/scamming foreign tourists?

It is a lot easier to take care of your regular customers than to try and find new ones.

[alant]

Shocked at the lack of faith! We all know that these figures will be achieved and more likely than not exceeded. It is a good job plans are afoot to increase Bangkok's airports to capacities of close to 150,000,000 pa.

[citizen33]

A 'meeting global standards' year would be a good alternative.

[wxpwzrd]

LOL I will stay away from an extended comment about Thailand and Thainess. I am sure there are plenty others that will just about cover it.

[CiaranO]

hmmmmmm TAT seem to be living in another world these days.

They want to attract tourists - better chat with the Junta first because i think their plan is the opposite.

Juntas plan for tourism

Remove all beach beds and umbrellas from beaches

Remove all facilities from beaches

Allow jet Skis to continue ripping tourists off.

Ban all happy hours in bars etc

Enforce the 12 midnight ban on alcohol

The plan for tourism looks set. Good Luck

[Prbkk]

These people appear to have an unlimited capacity for the generation of BS.

[laurentbkk]

I am wondering who at the TAT offices comes up with so bright ideas everytime ........ While I see the very good campaign done by Malaysia ..... Thainess means nothing .... and how can you predict following thisd campaign that 29 millions tourists will visit ???? from the hocus pocus spirits ?

[Banzai99]

Don't use 'Thainess', you'll scare folks away. Then again I guess the rest of the world don't know what it means.

You know what it means, did it scare you and the rest of Thai Bashers away ?

[Always18]

Don't use 'Thainess', you'll scare folks away. Then again I guess the rest of the world don't know what it means.

Absolutely right - how exactly does one put a positive spin on xenophobia, racism, false pride and total self-centredness?

[Misterwhisper]

Here are a few ideas TAT might consider implementing to get all these "lured" tourists into the "Thainess" spirit:

- Present every foreign visitor arriving at the airport with a dozen plastic bags that they then can throw away one by one at their pleasure while in the countryside or on the beach. Make it clear (perhaps through a leaflet) that this is a time-honored local custom.

- Print a nicely printed little card that is presented to each foreign tourist after they have shelled out the exorbitant entry fees to national parks and other attractions: "Thank you very much for your purchase. You have just been subjected to Thainess. Enjoy your stay!"

- Force every jet ski operator to clearly post their fees: "Thainess fee at renting jet ski: 500 Baht per hour / Thainess fee after returning jet ski: 50,000 Baht / You're welcome!".

With these and other adjustments tourists will appreciate Thainess much more, no doubt.

Edited August 28, 2014 by Misterwhisper

[Banzai99]

It is Thainess that is keeping people away you TAT fools. [ /quote]

Has Thainess kept you away then ?

[Showbags]

So a short shallow year then....