TAT urged to put focus on quality tourists to boost revenue

BANGKOK, 30 October 2014 (NNT) – The Ministry of Tourism and Sports has advised the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) to bring in more quality tourists in an effort to achieve the tourism income target of 2.2 trillion baht per year.

Tourism and Sports Minister Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul revealed that she has instructed the TAT to look for a strategy to penetrate high-quality markets and increase the number of visitors with high purchasing power.

She said the ministry is targeting to boost tourist spending per head in order for the national income from the tourism sector to reach 2.2 trillion baht in 2015 as planned.

Ms Kobkarn stated that she is scheduled to travel to the northeastern region to listen to local authorities about problems they face in the promotion of tourist attractions in their respective areas.

The minister noted that the Northeast is abundant in natural resources and historical heritage and has unique arts and culture. Moreover, it also serves as the country’s gateway to neighboring Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam.

The minister affirmed all of such outstanding features could be used as selling points for the region. The target markets include ASEAN, Japan, Europe as well as Thailand itself.


-- NNT 2014-10-30

Here we go again.

It must be Thursday.

LOL ok so scrap the longterm ideas lets get creative with the BS NOW

They just won't get it. Poor sods. Perhaps ignorance is the country's biggest problem.

With a new circus ringmaster comes a new..................................

northeastern region to listen to local authorities about problems they face in the promotion of tourist attractions in their respective areas

What tourist attractions ? Dinosaurs and Central shopping centres?

Just don't let anyone board a Thai Airways flight with a backpack as luggage.

Maybe TAT should be urged to just get tourists, any tourists.

Hiso tourists with high spending power will be going to the Caribbean, Bora Bora, St Tropez etc etc....

Thailand is not a typical luxury destination. It is backpacker, modest earning working class types and a sprinkling of middle class.

The hiso jetset don't want to rub shoulders with these types and so go holiday in the high end destinations.

Thailand seems to think it is a lot more than it actually is. It has nothing more to offer than a thousand other places that don't have regular military coups, life under martial law, well known human rights abusers and of course huge amounts of crime and corruption including brutal murders with cover ups to follow.

For a start, people want to go somewhere that they know if they come a cropper, they will at least get justice.

Last thing I heard is that you have to take an IQ test before you're allowed to board a plane heading to Bangkok.

What they really need to do is get these local hiso <deleted> to spend some of their corruption money locally rather than hording it in garbage bags in their living room.

Last thing I heard is that you have to take an IQ test before you're allowed to board a plane heading to Bangkok.

i wonder what a Thai IQ test would consist of ?

Not this drum again!

guess those high net worth Chinese are not coming only the bottom feeder package zombies...............just as they were told

If you want to extract some serious cash from people, you need seriously good products that can earn a premium from which the government takes its bank from via taxation. Show me the world class locations near international airports that are attractive to those to which I think TAT maybe dreaming of.

Could it be the HiSo's idea of wealth and how to spend use it is radically different from the international communities. I see many perceived luxury brands and shopping experiences being pushed in bangkok, none of that is attractive to a traveller when they can obtain it their own countries and usually with a much broader selection of products.

I am still clutching at straws to understand what this quality tourist is, has TAT defined it??

"quality tourists" 55555555

read: people with lots of money to spend.

But people with lots of money have lots of choices! Doh!

Quality Tourists ??? All I see wandering around are Chav type Guys with Bottles of Beer in there hand, or Sex pats, with a Young Thai bird with Tatoos latched on to,them, or Van loads of Chinese following a flag going to a "Ladyboy Cabaret Show"???

It's a big world out there, and as much as I do think there is some luxury resorts, the problem is when you walk out on to the streets, they are dirty and rubbish abound.... , hardly attractive....

Just my two cents worth...

Get rid of the high import taxes, then maybe some big spenders will come?

I liked that they listed one of the attractions of the northeast as access to border crossings out of Thailand.

Never mind "Quality" tourists, Thailand will struggle to hold on to what tourists do come here, there was a time when people came here and came again, Not any more, more hard times coming and they only have themselves to blame ( oh, sorry everyone knows that the blame is with someone else, never a Thai )

Last thing I heard is that you have to take an IQ test before you're allowed to board a plane heading to Bangkok.

i wonder what a Thai IQ test would consist of ?

If this were to pass, tourists would ultimately need to rate lowly in an IQ test in order to preserve the welfare of the local tourist scammers.

Thailand has had its day as a premium tourist destination, now you need real jobs .

If you want to extract some serious cash from people, you need seriously good products that can earn a premium from which the government takes its bank from via taxation. Show me the world class locations near international airports that are attractive to those to which I think TAT maybe dreaming of.

Could it be the HiSo's idea of wealth and how to spend use it is radically different from the international communities. I see many perceived luxury brands and shopping experiences being pushed in bangkok, none of that is attractive to a traveller when they can obtain it their own countries and usually with a much broader selection of products.

I am still clutching at straws to understand what this quality tourist is, has TAT defined it??

We have to wonder if TAT actually know what they consider a quality tourist is or is it just an impressive sounding phrase they've picked up and will throw around to sound good ?

Another poster pointed out there are so many destinations around the world that attract the real quality tourists and there's no way LoS can compete with them but don't tell TAT that. They probably wouldn't believe it anyway as it doesn't fit their little dreamworld.

The tourists who come here are the mainstay of the industry but rather than improve things and enourage more to come plus prevent regulars from deciding to go elsewhere TAT does little to make them feel welcome with this ' quality ' pitch.

If you want to extract some serious cash from people, you need seriously good products that can earn a premium from which the government takes its bank from via taxation. Show me the world class locations near international airports that are attractive to those to which I think TAT maybe dreaming of.

Could it be the HiSo's idea of wealth and how to spend use it is radically different from the international communities. I see many perceived luxury brands and shopping experiences being pushed in bangkok, none of that is attractive to a traveller when they can obtain it their own countries and usually with a much broader selection of products.

I am still clutching at straws to understand what this quality tourist is, has TAT defined it??

Tourism and Sports Minister Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul revealed that she has instructed the TAT to look for a strategy to penetrate high-quality markets and increase the number of visitors with high purchasing power.

Does that answer your question?

The problem is that there are too many negatives to come here anymore. Thailand has the same as most tourist destinations except for the pretty young ladies but for a visitor with "high purchasing power" the ladies are in every country.

So what does Thailand have to offer the "quality high purchasing powered tourist? Nothing! Dirty seas and Beaches... Overpriced attractions and Misguided Thais who over-charge foreigners. Corruption on every level. Immigration crackdowns and harassment at the borders. The places that do have quality things for a sale usually charge too much and then there is the taxes for buying it.

The TAT has high hopes to get their 2.2 trillion for the year but that will never happen the way things are now. They will be lucky to hit 2 trillion.

Someone tell TAT they can wish in one hand and crap in the other...see which one fills up first.

Last thing I heard is that you have to take an IQ test before you're allowed to board a plane heading to Bangkok.

That is why Thai Airways are flying empty out of Heathrow!!

(Sorry, couldn't resist it)

Last thing I heard is that you have to take an IQ test before you're allowed to board a plane heading to Bangkok.

i wonder what a Thai IQ test would consist of ?

Thai IQ test (100 Points).

Please choose one of the following answers:

Q1. How are you?

A. I'm fine.

B. I'm fine.

C. I'm fine.

D. All of the above.

End of test.

The minister noted that the Northeast is abundant in natural resources and historical heritage and has unique arts and culture. Moreover, it also serves as the country’s gateway to neighboring Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam"

So the best about the Northeast is the fact that you can leave it!!

Pure genius!!

Thailand has passed it's hayday. Same as in Europe: Popular tourist destinations were first Italy, then Spain, Greece, Turkey...Whichever offered the most for the smallest amount of money, respectively.

Thai don' t seem to understand that it is equally easy for a European to holiday anywhere else in the world. And once you've been in Thailand, once or twice, and the victim of various ripoffs (starting with taxis), the lack of languageskills, the general dishonesty, many people might well like to go elsewhere.

I unfortunately am forced to live here, but I always recommend people I know to better go somewhere else.

Last thing I heard is that you have to take an IQ test before you're allowed to board a plane heading to Bangkok.

i wonder what a Thai IQ test would consist of ?

Thai IQ test (100 Points).

Please choose one of the following answers:

Q1. How are you?

A. I'm fine.

B. I'm fine.

C. I'm fine.

D. All of the above.

End of test.

Oh Ajarn it seems very difficult.

How much does it cost to get an A ?