Thai tourism ministry unveils plan for sustainable tourism growth

[razer]

Any marketing guru will tell you word of mouth is the best advertising available. However, it is a double edged sword.

Branding can sell anyone one time. The trick is to get customer loyalty and that is done by providing quality and value. In tourism it is the quality and value of a person's experience that matters.

Edited November 28, 2014 by razer

[schbang]

There actually a lot more quality tourist coming to Thailand, I was checking with several hotels to book venues with conference or meeting facilities, to my surprise most of these hotels already have booking until June 2015 with incentives, corporate meeting groups from various countries and they already have 80% occupancy from group bookings. I was calling on behalf of a Singapore based IT company with request for 400 - 500 pax group for several tentative dates but unable to get any rooms until June 2015.

So these are the quality corporate group to Thailand for business meetings staying up to 5 days for each group which most of you guys who make comments about tourist may or may not aware of these quality tourist. So Thailand don't need those bad tourist who give a lot of problems. So quality tourist is coming more and more NOT declining.

How many hotels/venues did you contact?

Did you contact by phone or in person or face-to-face?

I've done this too. Depending on reception who pretends to understand but can't. Plus the lazy reception or events who provide this answer because they think they are overworked. Shame.

I suspects your stats are skewed.

How many hotels/venues did you contact?

[madmitch]

There actually a lot more quality tourist coming to Thailand, I was checking with several hotels to book venues with conference or meeting facilities, to my surprise most of these hotels already have booking until June 2015 with incentives, corporate meeting groups from various countries and they already have 80% occupancy from group bookings. I was calling on behalf of a Singapore based IT company with request for 400 - 500 pax group for several tentative dates but unable to get any rooms until June 2015.

So these are the quality corporate group to Thailand for business meetings staying up to 5 days for each group which most of you guys who make comments about tourist may or may not aware of these quality tourist. So Thailand don't need those bad tourist who give a lot of problems. So quality tourist is coming more and more NOT declining.

Are you sure?

Many of the so-called better hotels are booked out to package groups of Russians and Chinese at bucket-shop prices, not high-flying quality tourists.

[gandalf12]

The intentions are good I know but there is one thing missing and that is a proper understanding of people. Yes you will get people who come just to get drunk but does Thailand really want such people? I doubt it. The reason they have it is because they are looking just in front of their nose and not taking a long term view. The people they want are not the drunks and the scum of the earth which unfortunately make up a large proportion of the visitors.

Thailand want sustained numbers of tourists who will act on behalf of Thailand and extol the virtues of the country. This is something that happens now but in the worst way possible.

You don't have to close the bars but you do have to clean up the bars. Make sure the streets are safe to walk and the beaches are clean. Tourists don't appreciate being hassled everywhere they go. If they are they probably wont come back.

In short a safe environment for families to visit, not over charging because they are not locals. A little bit is fine but not to the extent that is common place.

Finally, treat the visitors as respected guests because if they leave so does their money

[craigt3365]

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[jeffreybangkok]

There actually a lot more quality tourist coming to Thailand, I was checking with several hotels to book venues with conference or meeting facilities, to my surprise most of these hotels already have booking until June 2015 with incentives, corporate meeting groups from various countries and they already have 80% occupancy from group bookings. I was calling on behalf of a Singapore based IT company with request for 400 - 500 pax group for several tentative dates but unable to get any rooms until June 2015.

So these are the quality corporate group to Thailand for business meetings staying up to 5 days for each group which most of you guys who make comments about tourist may or may not aware of these quality tourist. So Thailand don't need those bad tourist who give a lot of problems. So quality tourist is coming more and more NOT declining.

How many hotels/venues did you contact?

Did you contact by phone or in person or face-to-face?

I've done this too. Depending on reception who pretends to understand but can't. Plus the lazy reception or events who provide this answer because they think they are overworked. Shame.

I suspects your stats are skewed.

How many hotels/venues did you contact?

Well, I did called 6 hotels but I do agree does not represent the whole hotel industry. Having said that, the company i called on behalf is urgently needed the ballroom for a group of corporate from various countries wanted to confirm but was decline bcos they were book and paid. I don't talk to reception cod that is not the right people u speak too. I spoke to the director of sales with serious business to business talk not just asking receptionist if there is any room available.

[jeffreybangkok]

There actually a lot more quality tourist coming to Thailand, I was checking with several hotels to book venues with conference or meeting facilities, to my surprise most of these hotels already have booking until June 2015 with incentives, corporate meeting groups from various countries and they already have 80% occupancy from group bookings. I was calling on behalf of a Singapore based IT company with request for 400 - 500 pax group for several tentative dates but unable to get any rooms until June 2015.

So these are the quality corporate group to Thailand for business meetings staying up to 5 days for each group which most of you guys who make comments about tourist may or may not aware of these quality tourist. So Thailand don't need those bad tourist who give a lot of problems. So quality tourist is coming more and more NOT declining.

Are you sure?

Many of the so-called better hotels are booked out to package groups of Russians and Chinese at bucket-shop prices, not high-flying quality tourists.

I m 1000% sure bcos I m in this kind of business and i speaking directly to the director of sales. Those Russian and chinese i m not sure bcos I don't deal to them.

[DLock]

There actually a lot more quality tourist coming to Thailand, I was checking with several hotels to book venues with conference or meeting facilities, to my surprise most of these hotels already have booking until June 2015 with incentives, corporate meeting groups from various countries and they already have 80% occupancy from group bookings. I was calling on behalf of a Singapore based IT company with request for 400 - 500 pax group for several tentative dates but unable to get any rooms until June 2015.

So these are the quality corporate group to Thailand for business meetings staying up to 5 days for each group which most of you guys who make comments about tourist may or may not aware of these quality tourist. So Thailand don't need those bad tourist who give a lot of problems. So quality tourist is coming more and more NOT declining.

Are you sure?

Many of the so-called better hotels are booked out to package groups of Russians and Chinese at bucket-shop prices, not high-flying quality tourists.

I m 1000% sure bcos I m in this kind of business and i speaking directly to the director of sales. Those Russian and chinese i m not sure bcos I don't deal to them.

How many hotels can take a group of 400-500 people anyway?

Which Singapore IT company has 400-500 employees that would be eligible for a conference in Thailand?

You drinking again?

[DM07]

Uuuuuuuuuuuuuuh, I can't wait....I just can't wait......

[jeffreybangkok]

There actually a lot more quality tourist coming to Thailand, I was checking with several hotels to book venues with conference or meeting facilities, to my surprise most of these hotels already have booking until June 2015 with incentives, corporate meeting groups from various countries and they already have 80% occupancy from group bookings. I was calling on behalf of a Singapore based IT company with request for 400 - 500 pax group for several tentative dates but unable to get any rooms until June 2015.

So these are the quality corporate group to Thailand for business meetings staying up to 5 days for each group which most of you guys who make comments about tourist may or may not aware of these quality tourist. So Thailand don't need those bad tourist who give a lot of problems. So quality tourist is coming more and more NOT declining.

How many hotels/venues did you contact?

Did you contact by phone or in person or face-to-face?

I've done this too. Depending on reception who pretends to understand but can't. Plus the lazy reception or events who provide this answer because they think they are overworked. Shame.

I suspects your stats are skewed.

How many hotels/venues did you contact?

This is just one of the email example received. I have several similar emails

[Squeegee]

Why is jeffreybangkok copy/pasting the same post into different topics?

[konying]

There actually a lot more quality tourist coming to Thailand, I was checking with several hotels to book venues with conference or meeting facilities, to my surprise most of these hotels already have booking until June 2015 with incentives, corporate meeting groups from various countries and they already have 80% occupancy from group bookings. I was calling on behalf of a Singapore based IT company with request for 400 - 500 pax group for several tentative dates but unable to get any rooms until June 2015.

So these are the quality corporate group to Thailand for business meetings staying up to 5 days for each group which most of you guys who make comments about tourist may or may not aware of these quality tourist. So Thailand don't need those bad tourist who give a lot of problems. So quality tourist is coming more and more NOT declining.

Yep, hence the reason for Hiton 50% off sale because they all booked out

Have u called them?? But I know I did. All ballroom is fully book for groups. They allocated certain room for 50% discount which is normal even on high season any where in the world.

Really ???hilton sells rooms at 50% discount in high season is normal??

They must be running some very special marketing program to loose 50% on the rooms when they fully booked

[konying]

Why is jeffreybangkok copy/pasting the same post into different topics?

Talented TAT employee ? lol

Or a really good businessman who can not book empty hotels

Edited November 28, 2014 by konying

[DLock]

There actually a lot more quality tourist coming to Thailand, I was checking with several hotels to book venues with conference or meeting facilities, to my surprise most of these hotels already have booking until June 2015 with incentives, corporate meeting groups from various countries and they already have 80% occupancy from group bookings. I was calling on behalf of a Singapore based IT company with request for 400 - 500 pax group for several tentative dates but unable to get any rooms until June 2015.

So these are the quality corporate group to Thailand for business meetings staying up to 5 days for each group which most of you guys who make comments about tourist may or may not aware of these quality tourist. So Thailand don't need those bad tourist who give a lot of problems. So quality tourist is coming more and more NOT declining.

How many hotels/venues did you contact?

Did you contact by phone or in person or face-to-face?

I've done this too. Depending on reception who pretends to understand but can't. Plus the lazy reception or events who provide this answer because they think they are overworked. Shame.

I suspects your stats are skewed.

How many hotels/venues did you contact?

ImageUploadedByThaivisa Connect Thailand1417143800.814798.jpg

This is just one of the email example received. I have several similar emails

Given that you are only inquiring, your dates are not set in stone.

They gave you availability 1 week either side of your preferred dates.

What's the problem?

That's a hotel with 400-500 room available still in the "high season". Book it.

You realize your mail backfired right?

[kriswillems]

I believe the fallback in tourism is the result of the bad news about Thailand.

More and more news about Thailand is negative news:

- The martial law

- People jailed for lese majeste
- Lack of freedom of expression
- Tourist being killed, scapegoats arrested

- large scale scams

- violence on the streets of BKK

- airports being closed

- stricter visa rules

Some Malaysian use the expression : " don't Thai me" - meaning don't cheat or scam me - it has come that far.

The reality is that normal Thai people are very honest, certainly if you take into account they are not rich.

There is also very little violence in the country, if you take into account Thai people are not rich (compare to South-America).

The ones responsible for the bad news are the leaders of the country: politicians, police and army.
They are involved in all the corruption - they are the real reason for the political unrest and lack of respect for human rights.
As long as the attitude of the leaders doesn't change, tourists will not come back.

Edited November 28, 2014 by kriswillems

[slipperx]

Sustainable tourism is simple to achieve. Take care of your tourists and treat them as the hand that feeds you. Provide proper security and a police force that is not involved in the scams to police those scams. Treat foreigners with respect instead of the constant national racism that pervades everything. For the Thai love Thai brigade why not take care of your country and stop chucking you crap everywhere instead of mouthing off your national pride because it is a way to feel good but defies your corrupt deeds.

Take care to stamp out dual pricing and control rip offs. Presto! Sustainable tourism!

[kriswillems]

One tip for TAT. This clip that you funded has exactly the opposite effect of what you aimed for - it's so fake, everyone will look at it as a trick to hide the truth:

[jeffreybangkok]

There actually a lot more quality tourist coming to Thailand, I was checking with several hotels to book venues with conference or meeting facilities, to my surprise most of these hotels already have booking until June 2015 with incentives, corporate meeting groups from various countries and they already have 80% occupancy from group bookings. I was calling on behalf of a Singapore based IT company with request for 400 - 500 pax group for several tentative dates but unable to get any rooms until June 2015.

So these are the quality corporate group to Thailand for business meetings staying up to 5 days for each group which most of you guys who make comments about tourist may or may not aware of these quality tourist. So Thailand don't need those bad tourist who give a lot of problems. So quality tourist is coming more and more NOT declining.

How many hotels/venues did you contact?

Did you contact by phone or in person or face-to-face?

I've done this too. Depending on reception who pretends to understand but can't. Plus the lazy reception or events who provide this answer because they think they are overworked. Shame.

I suspects your stats are skewed.

How many hotels/venues did you contact?

ImageUploadedByThaivisa Connect Thailand1417143800.814798.jpg

This is just one of the email example received. I have several similar emails

Given that you are only inquiring, your dates are not set in stone.

They gave you availability 1 week either side of your preferred dates.

What's the problem?

That's a hotel with 400-500 room available still in the "high season". Book it.

You realize your mail backfired right?

Not backfire, ask to change dates. But this is only one of those hotel. They are nice ppl with quality service, I work with them many time previously before the mass protest.

[DLock]

There actually a lot more quality tourist coming to Thailand, I was checking with several hotels to book venues with conference or meeting facilities, to my surprise most of these hotels already have booking until June 2015 with incentives, corporate meeting groups from various countries and they already have 80% occupancy from group bookings. I was calling on behalf of a Singapore based IT company with request for 400 - 500 pax group for several tentative dates but unable to get any rooms until June 2015.

So these are the quality corporate group to Thailand for business meetings staying up to 5 days for each group which most of you guys who make comments about tourist may or may not aware of these quality tourist. So Thailand don't need those bad tourist who give a lot of problems. So quality tourist is coming more and more NOT declining.

Jeffrey, you should be sitting on the Panel with TAT. If i were you would lay off the drink for a few days get your head clear mate the BS has clearly took hold of your Brain.

Not interested in TAT, just wanna do business, that's it.

Then learn how to do business properly.

You can't handle 400-500 people, flights, transport, event, dinners, etc.

You can't even talk to the right people at a hotel.

Hire a professional agency and they will get the exact dates you want, at a rate better than you can get and handle all the details.

...you aren't fooling no one kid.

Edited November 28, 2014 by DLock

[Fat Haggis]

How many hotels are also offering "all inclusive"

Too?

[micmichd]

They simply don't get it, do they??

Time to realise that the days, where you could deliever a third class product and charge for first class, are well and truly over!!

The visitors have started to vote with their feet!

May I suggest that many visitors simply run out of money in their voodoo economies?

[jeffreybangkok]

There actually a lot more quality tourist coming to Thailand, I was checking with several hotels to book venues with conference or meeting facilities, to my surprise most of these hotels already have booking until June 2015 with incentives, corporate meeting groups from various countries and they already have 80% occupancy from group bookings. I was calling on behalf of a Singapore based IT company with request for 400 - 500 pax group for several tentative dates but unable to get any rooms until June 2015.

So these are the quality corporate group to Thailand for business meetings staying up to 5 days for each group which most of you guys who make comments about tourist may or may not aware of these quality tourist. So Thailand don't need those bad tourist who give a lot of problems. So quality tourist is coming more and more NOT declining.

Jeffrey, you should be sitting on the Panel with TAT. If i were you would lay off the drink for a few days get your head clear mate the BS has clearly took hold of your Brain.

Not interested in TAT, just wanna do business, that's it.

Then learn how to do business properly.

You can't handle 400-500 people, flights, transport, event, dinners, etc.

You can't even talk to the right people at a hotel.

Hire a professional agency and they will get the exact dates you want, at a rate better than you can get and handle all the details.

...you aren't fooling no one kid.

Lol, look whose talking

[FangFerang]

What on earth is the disk in the picture, presumably held by someone?

[micmichd]

From my own experience:

I was on one of the first A380 Thai Airways Flights from BKK to FRA. New challenge on both sides.

BKK did improvisation and handled it with a smile. FRA waited for orders, so no luggage claim for two hours. Additionally the ICE train was late another 2 hours, and nobody there would change 100 EUR banknotes.

So, which country was better in tourism?

[davidmann]

BBC are doing a program on traveling along the Mekong ,only thailand was missed out ,WHY ? ,I know its there ,live on the banks

[FangFerang]

They never survey foreigners (um, tourists).

They never state figures that resemble reality.

They never talk about coordinated campaigns where, for example, tourists would actually benefit.

[bunuel]

With the PM's recent comments about " sustainable democracy", and now the TAT plan for " sustainable tourism growth", it appears that the current regime has become infatuated with " sustainablity" as a buzzword - but without having a clue as to what the term means to the rest of the world. In global tourism, sustainable tourism development refers to tourism development that provides hard currency with minimal harm to the environment and the local population. In practise,this usually means less of a focus on low-end mass tourism, and an increase in high-end special interest travel. Since there is intense international competition for the high-end special interest market, the travel product must be impeccable from beginning to end, with no problems. Regardless of what Mr. Heinecke says, LOS has few travel products up to international standards, and there have been a lot of problems, including an avalanche of bad publicity, which have not ceased since the May coup d"etat. In addition, LOS is no longer the bargain it once was, so the low end market has been seeking alternatives. Thanks to her geography and her people, LOS still has great potential, but Tourism managment needs a major overhaul, starting with TAT . TAT needs to target specific national markets and tailor travel product accordingly to the needs of those markets. Not all farang are the same! In addition, TAT needs to radically improve the quality of tourism guides, with a strict national licensing system not run by corruption. Above all, a national strategy for sustainable tourism development needs to be created. The current focus on low end mass tourism is anything but sustainable, and for TAT to attempt to ignore this fact by simply declaring that Thai tourism will suddenly become " sustainable" is no more convincing than the PM's declaration that that his goal is " sustainable democracy" - whatever that may be.

[micmichd]

Next experience, End of May, 2014:

FRA to BKK, THAI Airways again.

The scheduled flight from BKK to FRA was cancelled.

THAI in FRA went for improvisation again and asked DLH to take passengers from FRA to Munich for transit. DLH flight crossed a turbulence area in Germany, I thought they would crash the plane. THAI flight also crossed some turbulence areas in Asia, smooth as silk.

DLH forgot to take my luggage checked in at FRA, THAI posted me in BKK and took my luggage to my address in Thailand. No problem for THAI, big problem for DLH.

So again, which country is better in tourism, and which carrier would you prefer?

[slipperylobster]

"Perceptions that Thailand is a cheap destination needs to change"

A plan of great genius there from the Ministry of Tourism that the can convince more people to come if they think it is more expensive here....

Just did a road trip, and was very pleased with hotel and food prices. Comfortable lodging for 15 USD, and interesting meals for 5 USD. National Park entrances were 3 USD (with Thai Driver License).

Thailand is still a great Bargain.....at least if you are looking for a very nice winter vacation. (Air Fare is something else, altogether). The longer you stay, the more appealing it is.

Edited November 28, 2014 by slipperylobster

[khunpa]

Why all the negative thought and comments?

If you e.g. are planning to invest here in a house or condo in the next few years (like I am), then this is fantastic news. Basically, the plan seem to be some "testing" and pilot projects in the next year. With the funny ideas they have come up with so far, this can only mean more decline in tourism, during 2015.

With the decline in tourism, the high household debts - and at the same time an overheated housing bubble it will take approximately until 2016, before the housing market crashes. At that time, I will be ready to go cheap shopping :-)

So basically, I love articles like this. No improvement as expected and hoped for. Great! :-)