TAT urged to put focus on quality tourists to boost revenue

[Grindting]

Thailand is simply old hat. Obviously TAT doesn't realise that for most westerners (and japs/Koreans equally) that generally when they've been to a far flung exotic destination, should they be inclined to go, will not return no matter how good the experience was. Variety is the spice of life for them and if they are going to spend another 10+hrs on a flight they will want to see something new for their money. My parents went to Thailand about 15 years ago, 3 days BKK 7 days Cape panwar in Phuket. They had a lovely time and in general only have nice things to say. But they will never return, as 'they've already been there'. They're not going to spend £thousands on an experience they've already had. Following that trip a few years later they went to goa, my mother hated the place. This year they did morroco. And it'll keep on going like that

If you speak to someone in your office about going to thailand, they won't be impressed, it's not an exotic location anymore with anyone even remotely well travelled. It's the Spain of South East Asia for western Europeans. I'm sure for Americans it's different but let's face it the bulk of 'high spending' tourists are from Western Europe (or were) and jap/korea. If you told someone in your office you were going to vietnam or Laos then their eyes would light up and you'd get that 'wow, that sounds nice'

For me personally, my wife and I spent time in Thailand because I live and work in the region, and very much a case of better the devil you know

[Mudcrab]

A few years ago, Thaksin made a similar edict: the only tourists that are welcome will check-in, empty their wallets at Immigration , then take the next flight out without ever troubling to set foot on Thai soil.

The million smiles are on the faces of those whose hands are deep in a tourist's wallet.

And that is what every country that attracts tourists strives for. Jobs for the locals, foreign cash etc..it is blatantly obvious where I come from ..Oz.

Why should Thailand or any other country be different. The US certainly isn't, nor is the UK or any EU country..they are all chasing the tourist dollar/quid.

Come and spend your money.

Edited October 30, 2014 by Mudcrab

[Fat Haggis]

Kobakarn needs to give Jordan Belfort a call !!

[buhi]

First they need to define what they think a "quality" tourist is . . . and from what I've seen over the years, their definition just doesn't exist out there.

I am British and often point out to Thai that their concept of rich/quality is based on their concept of appearance.

Go to a British bar and spot the rich/ (quality) person by appearance. Very difficult when all are dressed casually.. Check their vocabulary, a big clue!

How so? just by speaking?

Plenty of poor snobs in Britain.

Apparently Michael Caine always got a "larf" about being a cockney millionaire from the snobby Brits.

I said vocabulary not accent, Michael Caine is very articulate!

[bkkstooge]

This whole "high Quality" tourist crap has been going on for years. The 80s "visit Bangkok the Venice of the East" Yeah Right!, the 90s "Amazing Thailand" They actually did get that one right! and my favourite "The Elite Card" Thaksin's little gem of an idea and if I'm not mistaken this is the 3rd time this year with had the same verbal diarrhea from TAT. Out of all the institutions this country has TAT is probably the most innocuous however it is by far the most deluded and the least aware of what Thailand is and how Thailand is perceived by the outside world. They truly make me laugh and I look forward to more announcements be they ankle bracelets, Martial Law tourism etc.... While they hopelessly and eternally look forward to tourism numbers increasing.

Edited October 30, 2014 by bkkstooge

[crazydrummerpauly]

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.

"Thailand seems to think it is a lot more than it actually is. It has nothing more to offer than a thousand other places..." Ah well, that's not true is it. It has one of the most sophisticated and extensive sub-cultures around prostitution the world has ever seen. Pretty hard to forget or ignore ?

[JoeLing]

What I see is White Trash who seem to think they are the masters of the universe and have a given privilege to mess up a beautiful country.

Maybe you should stop looking in the mirror?

But otherwise, the perfect answer ..... if you want a job with TAT

[Tatsujin]

First they need to define what they think a "quality" tourist is . . . and from what I've seen over the years, their definition just doesn't exist out there.

I am British and often point out to Thai that their concept of rich/quality is based on their concept of appearance.

Go to a British bar and spot the rich/ (quality) person by appearance. Very difficult when all are dressed casually.. Check their vocabulary, a big clue!

How so? just by speaking?

Plenty of poor snobs in Britain.

Apparently Michael Caine always got a "larf" about being a cockney millionaire from the snobby Brits.

The way someone "speaks" isn't necessarily a way to judge whether someone has money or not, but it can often determine whether they have "class".

Pure <deleted> mate there's plenty of Scottish and Geordie millionaires that sound like broken bottles and then you have slag chicks from Windsor who sound like Posh Totty and they aren't !!

Snobs and eloquent people don't always have shit loads of cash and rough and ready can have it !!

Quite simply unless you spend any amount if time in someone's company you have no idea if they are quality or not, Joe Bloggs with the Mercedes S series and a 6 figure income 500 quid Armani suits and is a CEO of an IT company might sound like quality, but if he's a domestic abuser and treats his staff like shit, nothing quality in him at all is there?

Read that last post once more, slowly ...

[namdocmai]

The main problem is that the Thai have never been tourists themselves. They don't dare to go out of Thailand and sure not out of Asia.

The ones you see in Paris all have a yellow hat and have to follow their leader. They sit in a coach all day and visit 5 country's in 3 days and then go home with 10.000 pictures. Very hi-so

They are still lucky that we don't charge them double prices though

[atsiii]

I think this 'quality tourist' myth is all about increasing revenues for industrialized tourism. TAT's idea of quality tourists ride only in tour buses, stay only in big resorts, and do little to nothing for all the 'mom & pop' vendors around Thailand. Industrialized tourism benefits primarily the big corporations and operators; the top 1% to 10%.

It's actually the backpacker style tourists who eat Thai street food (some of the best in the world!), wander off the beaten trail to find small, remote guesthouses and cafes, discover hidden little small islands, etc. These are the tourists who actually benefit the other 90%.

[doccalamity]

Does anyone know where I can get a tee-shirt that says "quality tourist" on it?

[khrab]

Tourism and Sports Minister Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul

She could be girl from my rural Northern village. No brain, negative IQ, absolutely nothing to say but talking, talking, talking.....

[jakobvarming]

TAT goes to new levels of utter lack of brain power. If they want to attract "quality" tourists, they must supply "quality" attractions...

And we all know "quality" places like Pattaya, Phuket and Patpong, so that's exactly what they get... That kind of "quality" tourists...

Should I ever be in need of a brain transplant, I hope I can get one from one of the esteemed TAT members (of course AFTER their demise..., before would be rude, but probably not do much difference...); as it has never been used and must be as good as new!

[jakobvarming]

What I see is White Trash who seem to think they are the masters of the universe and have a given privilege to mess up a beautiful country.

The Thais are doing a pretty good job of messing up their own country. They don't need the "White Trash" as you so eloquent call a lot of people, myself included - to help them; they seem more than capable to do the messing up all on their own. In fact a lot of the "White Trash" is helping out on a professional scale to cope with the mess made by the Thais, as they can't do that on their own devices, they need foreign help.

Your remark reeks of total lack of seeing the real picture. Please get a reality check!

[kurnell]

I'm quality. Get in my belly!

[RickvanHeijningen]

From time to time I start to get really pissed off with being treated differently as a farang living here. Especially when I have to pay double ( or more) than my Thai friends , to do the same thing, This is discrmination.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.

[Jonmarleesco]

Talk about putting the horse before the cart. The first priority, in pursuit of so-called quality tourists, should be quality providers and quality pricing.

Edited October 30, 2014 by Jonmarleesco

[Dogmatix]

There is no need to try to tempt high quality foreign tourists when they have their own top quality tourists in droves. These are the Thai tourists that are unwelcome in Japan because they are considered noisy and rude, loudly use mobile phones in trains and buses and bring their own food into hotels and restaurants. The TAT only needs to promote domestic tourism and let these tourist know that their nasty habits are most welcome at tourist resorts at home and in fact will not even be noticed. Japan will probably provide the Thai government with some soft loans in exchange for keeping these tourists at home.

[MaiChai]

Hum, Khon Kaen or Monte Carlo? While the high end tourists are visiting the NE they could sample some dog meat?

[canuckistaner]

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

Quality Tourist: High paying job back home, can afford expensive tours, stays in 3, 4, 5 star hotels, tips everyone, buys name brands in expensive malls, eats in expensive restaurants with overpriced menus, shuns street food, has a short two week holiday then back home to work. Visits only the "in" places and never carries a backpack. Spends money like there is no tomorrow.

Non-Quality Tourist: no particular tour agenda, except to wander around and see the sights and sounds on their own. Avoids expensive malls and restaurants, stays in small guesthouses or cheap hotels, loves a bargain, loves cheap eateries and street food. Minimizes daily expenses by walking, biking, taking non-aircon buses, bargains hard with tuk tuk drivers. Loves hanging around unusual places and getting to know the culture and people. Can travel for weeks, months, years and will often work overseas to help finance their travels. No hurry to go back home. Oh yeah, almost forgot the backpack!

Quality is based upon Dollars spent on a daily basis. Same as back home.........go to a restaurant and order the most expensive menu item and leave a big tip....smiles and smiles and considered to be a quality customer.....they remember your name and smile when you return. Quality is all about the Money and its the same everywhere. Businesses welcome big spenders, govm welcomes high rollers in their casinos...........the thrifty, poor, penniless are Un-welcome practically everywhere.

Every country dreams of Quality tourists.....................everyone wants the top 10% who have tons of money to spend. The trouble is, the rising greed levels eventually destroy the fragile feel good atmosphere that most foreigners are seeking and when it costs over a hundred bucks a day for room, food, transport just to lie on some beach........its time to begin the search for "paradise" all over again.

Remember, our parents used to tell us that "Money does not grow on trees?" Well, its True, it doesn't! Someone should tell that to the TAT.

[Shaunduhpostman]

I think she got in trouble with the radio transmitter wristbands for all tourists idea and then a few weeks later it was the Pattaya as an international sporting tourism destination whatever that was meant to be about. She has to say something, so it's probably safer if she just repeats the standard formula: "We want quality tourists!"

A statement like that is going to put quality tourists off. It suggests there will be some kind of scrutiny process you will be up against at some point as to whether you are a quality tourist or not, or even worse it will be sort of ongoing throughout your holiday, the hotel clerks will be checking if indeed you are quality, the restaurant staff, the umbrella rental lady down at the beach, even the Thais walking down the street, perhaps they too have been indoctrinated and are checking you out to see if you are quality or not. You will be judged everywhere you go! How refreshing and relaxing and so very interesting Thailand sounds! They want quality tourists,and i think that's you and I dear! Lets go!

[geoffP]

Your wallet is welcome. YOU are not.

[Thai at Heart]

I was discussing this topic with my wife, Thai. Guess she has been with me too long as she wholly understood.

If you want a decent , good , hotel, at a reasonable price, then Thailand is excellent. That is for us normal middle class mortals, not high end.

Then you also have to put up with the filth outside the compound and the scams.

Great for us expats who know the ropes and can deal with the problems before they arise.

Good for back packers, but they are in constant danger due to their young naivete.

At least Pattaya makes no pretense, in your face; just as the night spots in Bangkok are.

Island paradise? In Thailand?

High end?

Well only if you never venture out.

We once, only once, spent a week at a highish end resort on Samui, hated it.

Too far from the action, too "nice", just unreal, not Thai. And the foreigners there thought they were in Thailand. My wife hated it more than me and we spent most of our time driving around and only slept there, a total waste of money.

Quite humorous really.

By definition a Thai experience, can't be high end. It needs noodle vans, street dogs and neon to be the real Thailand

[bendejo]

Quality tourist: goes to Patpong, lady drinks, bar fine etc. Total amount spent by sunrise well over 6,000 baht. Thai Rak Farang!

Non-quality tourist: quick service at certain such establishment, Total spent less than 1,000b. Him no good!

[chooka]

Do you have to be stupid to work for TAT or do you become stupid after working there for a while?

It was the P.M who first called for quality tourists. This is his brainchild.

[chooka]

What I see is White Trash who seem to think they are the masters of the universe and have a given privilege to mess up a beautiful country.

OMG are you serious? If someone said "Black Trash" people would be screaming the house down. To refer to people as trash based one the tone of thier skin is racist of the highest order.

You my friend should hold your head in shame. Racism is a two way street, refering to whites as trash is no more acceptable as refering to black fellas as trash. Yes I am of aboriginal decent.

[Fred Flinstone]

Hum, Khon Kaen or Monte Carlo? While the high end tourists are visiting the NE they could sample some dog meat?

Quality dog meat (don't forget)

[jcisco]

What I see is White Trash who seem to think they are the masters of the universe and have a given privilege to mess up a beautiful country.

OMG are you serious? If someone said "Black Trash" people would be screaming the house down. To refer to people as trash based one the tone of thier skin is racist of the highest order.

You my friend should hold your head in shame. Racism is a two way street, refering to whites as trash is no more acceptable as refering to black fellas as trash. Yes I am of aboriginal decent.

Chooka, Thank you, and you managed to not be an a$$ about it.

As for Mimis comments.... what % of this trash is present in the average population of ferang visitors. Cause I really do not come accross much of these types, belligerent, egocentric and self involved yes, are common, but they have that attitude no matter where they go.

Or is there some places i should be visiting to obtain the proper farang of farang experience"?

[JLCrab]

Woody Allen on farang view of life in Thailand (from Annie Hall 1977):

Two elderly women are at a Catskill mountain resort, and one of 'em says, "Boy, the food at this place is really terrible." The other one says, "Yeah, I know; and such small portions."

Edited October 30, 2014 by JLCrab

[TheWizardofRnR]

TAT pulls out the Quality Tourist Promotion....again.....when will they learn.....if you want Thailand to see tourism return ,

simply put an end to all the corruption that affects Tourists......Let ther be partying till 5 AM close til * 8AM opening , legalize you know what for Medicinal or recreational use too , far less hurtful then Lao Kao or Booze in general !

Put legalized Gambling Casinos in the big Tourist resorts , you need apply to be a Thai citizen who wishes to gamble , or Show ur Passport if not Thai for entry......Last , put on a special Concert , the biggest the World has seen over a 2 week period , like New Orleans does with Jazz Fest or Montreaux....but make it specially for Restaurant & Bar people from Tourist areas when its their off-season ! Speciall Ticket prices for groups....tie in with Thai Airways too!

​Just have to do something real , and forget this silly focus on Quality Tourists and go for Quantity Qualified , just weed out the trouble makers from the start , not after they get here ! With Computers its allot easier ....ya think ???

Edited October 30, 2014 by metisdead
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