TAT urged to put focus on quality tourists to boost revenue

[NamKAheng]

To attract more tourists or "quality tourists" you need to create a buzz with people satisfied with their visit to the Kingdom. When people find a good buzz on the net for their vacation they go there. To do that you need to take very good care of the tourists that you already have, they are the ones who make the buzz. Right now, you only want more tourists or more "quality tourists" but you can't care about the ones you have, that is the buzz on the net right now. Start by doing something about the known problems like taxi (tuk tuk) scams, jet ski scams, and what is generating a big buzz on the net right now, police corruption, lack of respect for the laws everywhere. If you do something about it (not only saving face) the buzz will come back so the tourists.

[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.

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 ...

And again, being articulate and having great repertoire of vocabulary doesn't indicate class, it indicates a better grasp of the English language .

I have always been told I'm articulate and well spoken and have a decent vocabulary, but I'm working class, prior to my current line of work I was low income as in less than £20K a year, I would never class myself as either a snob nor high class, I even failed my English O grade, but I'm quite dapper at holding conversations with academics and professionals alike.

So, sorry but still going to disagree with you that vocabulary tell you a lot about a person, it just tells me they are better at speaking it!!

Just saying " how now brown cow" in a posh accent doesnt make one posh, or classy

I don't have a posh accent, am from East End of London! Quite the in thing to have a London accent these days! Check British TV.

[namdocmai]

Quality tourists like to eat in Michelin star restaurants, where are they Thailand???

Quality tourists want to travel on safe boats/buses where the driver can speak english, where are they Thailand?

Quality tourists only want to walk on wide clean pavements, where are they?

Quality tourists don't like food with formalin or msg...

Quality tourists don't want to be annoyed by dirty street vendors beachhawkers

Quality tourists don't want to be served by Myanmar workers who can't speak english and don't have good manners.

Do you need more tips TAT? Then pay me 4000 baht an hour because that's my hourly rate back in Europe.

[morrobay]

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

I agree the percent of first time tourists returning for 2nd + visits are low for all of the above. Then the question becomes : Is there a never ending supply of " first time" visitors in the world to sustain Thai tourism ? I dont think so as there are now increasing and emerging options to Thailand for first time and returning tourists.

[hawker9000]

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.

"White Trash"?? This is such an openly racist statement, is it even allowed here at Thai Visa?? It's EXTREMELY OFFENSIVE!!

[gerrythepoet]

TAT's definiton of Quality tourist is clearly those that can effectively contribute to TAT reaching its revenue targets- there is no mention at all of the perceived class of the tourists- in effect anyone who has the disposal funds is considered quality all mafia included. Yes top restaurants top hotels they all require payment and no one cares where you got your money from- TAT will bend over backwards grovel at your feet to hit its financial targets.

Posters on here we look at quality from a different perspective- Thailand sees money as the key to freedom nothing else matters at the end of the day it is "quality image" fur coat nay nickers is not a problem.

[Krataiboy]

Now all TAT has to do is find a way of turning Thailand into a quality holiday destination.

[garrya]

Your wallet is welcome. YOU are not.

Spot-on. It's sad, but true.

[garrya]

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.

"White Trash"?? This is such an openly racist statement, is it even allowed here at Thai Visa?? It's EXTREMELY OFFENSIVE!!

"Beautiful country"?? Which country are you talking about?

[garrya]

Now all TAT has to do is find a way of turning Thailand into a quality holiday destination.

Let's call Tom Cruise in as this might prove to be a mission impossible.

[off road pat]

They might think of making this a quality destination first,,!!!

Ask anybody in the world about Thailand ??? the first thing that comes to there mind is sex tourism.....!!!!!

And the only place name they know is Pataya.!!!.....Quality tourists 5555

Quality tourists will not go to places were there likely to be raped and killed on a beach....and the real culprit's not been caught, and let run free to rape and kill more quality tourists.....!!!

Quality tourists 5555 ,....Thaksin tried this to....and created that special quality tourist reduction card that cost +/- a million bath.....guess how many of them soled..???

another flop.....!!! ....just like Crocodiles,...Big mouths and short legs.....

Edited October 31, 2014 by off road pat

[JoeLing]

If Thailand would improve their "Tourism Quality" first,
the quality of tourists would improve all by itself.

Instead of telling tourists what they have to like and do whilst
in Thailand, maybe TAT should listen why tourists come to
Thailand, what they like and what needs to improve in order
to become a "Quality Tourist" destination.

Instead of asking for Income or Profession on the TM card in
order to check for "Quality Tourists",

Thailand should take an example how to improve tourism from
the TM cards of Curaçao - a top "Quality Tourist" destination -
and act on the information provided.

[NamKAheng]

Forgot to say that tourists and "quality tourists"love the beaches, but he majority doesn't like polluted beaches so do something about it!

[FrankOff]

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

you forgot about the suitcase of Mamma-Noodles!

[thailiketoo]

Tourism and Sports Minister Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul went to the same school as Hillary Clinton. I don't know if they were classmates. Just thought I'd warn you all.

[NovaBlue05]

Why would a "quality" tourist with a wide range of "quality" vacation choices select to go to a 3rd world country with such a primitive mentality?

[Mooner]

Quality tourists demand quality experiences.

Can Thailand offer this?

[Time Traveller]

This is such a freakin joke how the Thai Government ministers can label people quality or not quality when their own department said the problem is with the country, not the tourists....

In fact, not even one month ago Sugree Sithivanich, the deputy governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), had this to say:.

Quote

“Thailand’s tourism trade will remain a leader in the region for now but the future is quite doubtful. The key reason is that the quality and morality of Thais these days are terrible,” he claims.

Repeat: The problem is the quality of THAIs, not the quality of tourists.

Edited November 1, 2014 by Time Traveller

[GOLDBUGGY]

So is that Russian or Chinese?

[JoeLing]

So is that Russian or Chinese?

Chinese Quality Tourists prefer France, USA, Singapore, Switzerland but sure not Thailand.

[MJP]

So is that Russian or Chinese?

Chinese Quality Tourists prefer France, USA, Singapore, Switzerland but sure not Thailand.

When I was doing a 6 month job at RAF Upper Heyford I used to go into Bicester a lot.

There's this strange row of shops called Bicester Village. All expensive handbags and wotnot. It was next to Tesco. Anyways, coach loads of Chinese people would arrive and I just couldn't figure it out. I mean thousands of Chinese people.

Turns out it was some sort of shopping mecca for the Chinese, who would fly into London and then head for this oddball row shops in Oxfordshire. Absolutely bizarre!

[Fab5BKK]

Bicester Village is a outlet centre nr M40. I used to go to BV to buy Churchs, Burberrys, Samsonite and Ralph Lauren items. Value for money was good :-)

Edited November 2, 2014 by Fab5BKK

[MJP]

Bicester Village is an outlet centre. I used to go to BV to buy Churchs, Burberrys and Ralph Lauren items :-)

Yeah, expensive handbags and wotnot.

It's got fairy lights.

[Fab5BKK]

You just need to define what you mean by expensive...

[MJP]

You just need to define what you mean by expensive...

More than a score for a pair of clogs.

Ten quid socks.

[namdocmai]

So is that Russian or Chinese?

Chinese Quality Tourists prefer France, USA, Singapore, Switzerland but sure not Thailand.

Yes but let's face the facts, what great buildings did the Thai build in Thailand? Only some temples which are not impressive at all.

The only things Thailand is famous about is the cheap sex and corruption. I even don't tell my collegues in Europe that i have a Thai wife, i know the answers allready.

[thailiketoo]

So is that Russian or Chinese?

Chinese Quality Tourists prefer France, USA, Singapore, Switzerland but sure not Thailand.

Yes but let's face the facts, what great buildings did the Thai build in Thailand? Only some temples which are not impressive at all.

The only things Thailand is famous about is the cheap sex and corruption. I even don't tell my collegues in Europe that i have a Thai wife, i know the answers allready.

That is incorrect. Thailand is famous for Thai silk, Thai food, Thai massage, Beautiful women and penis reattachment surgery. I think your post represents a deep seated inferiority complex much more than what Thailand is famous for.

[The Deerhunter]

Does this mean less tourists from Russian client states with suitcases full of ATM skimmers? Note, I am NOT "Russian Bashing" here. Russians usually have money. if they choose to spend it Tourists from some of the ex-USSR states (Bulgarian, Rumanian etc etc) seem to figure prominently in fraud & scam news headlines.

[mercman24]

THAILAND "famous for penis re-attachmeny surgery" wow sends shivers down my spine, So is this common in Thailand ? sounds like, some angry bird lops yer dick off, sleeping with my pants on in future, so that gives me a head start, maybe i might trade it in for a bigger one, he he, too painful to even contemplate.

[harryfrompattaya]

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.

I agree, if i was not living in Thailand and was looking for a place to take the family on holiday, Thailand wouldn't even make the top 5, like Rustbuket says to much crime, corruption, ripping off the tourist and the 'come back tommorow' attitude from anyone in authority..

Not to mention the reason why people came to thailand was more bang for your buck, now its on par with America in cost

It cheaper to live Las Vegas and Florida to name a few places

But most come here for younger woman

Even Harry 85 has a old associate 42 With a great brought body