Thai Tourism Minister says tourism should promote longer stays by foreign visitors

[webfact]

Tourism and Sports Minister says tourism should promote longer stays by foreign visitors

BANGKOK, 9 July 2015 (NNT)-Tourism and Sports Minister Kobkarn Wattawarangkoon says foreign tourists should always be taken into account when developing a tourism plan.

The Tourism and Sports Minister said during a trip to Chiang Mai that the tourism sector needed to find a way to encourage foreign visitors to stay in the country longer.

Vendors need to adopt new approaches that will help them sell more goods to tourists. They are also encouraged to study more closely what tourists like to buy, especially the Chinese as they make up the largest number of foreign visitors.

Other foreigners coming to Thailand each year include Japanese, the French and Americans. Manufacturers are urged to focus on applying traditional knowledge to design products that attract more buyers.


-- NNT 2015-07-09

[Gunna]

Maybe make retirement visas easier if you buy a condo or house. Once you have proof of transfer of a minimum amount of funds and the Chanote, then Immigration would issue a 5 year multiple entry retirement Visa valid so long as you continue to own the property. Renewable after 5 years with continued ownership.

This would encourage more foreigner to buy property, stay longer and spend a lot more money than one week tourists on package holidays buying a few souveniers

[lovinglife]

Agree with the previous post, visa's are the biggest issue for people wanting to stay longer in Thailand. Allow foreigners to own 1 property, and then issue them with a renewable 5 year multi-entry visa.

[WhizBang]

Maybe make retirement visas easier if you buy a condo or house. Once you have proof of transfer of a minimum amount of funds and the Chanote, then Immigration would issue a 5 year multiple entry retirement Visa valid so long as you continue to own the property. Renewable after 5 years with continued ownership.

This would encourage more foreigner to buy property, stay longer and spend a lot more money than one week tourists on package holidays buying a few souveniers

Add to that, the elimination of the 90 day reporting requirement, as long as you own and live on the property.

[ratcatcher]

Maybe make retirement visas easier if you buy a condo or house. Once you have proof of transfer of a minimum amount of funds and the Chanote, then Immigration would issue a 5 year multiple entry retirement Visa valid so long as you continue to own the property. Renewable after 5 years with continued ownership.

This would encourage more foreigner to buy property, stay longer and spend a lot more money than one week tourists on package holidays buying a few souveniers

Do you think those expats married to Thais would also qualify?

Retirement Visa??

[madmitch]

BANGKOK, 9 July 2015 (NNT)-Tourism and Sports Minister Kobkarn Wattawarangkoon says foreign tourists should always be taken into account when developing a tourism plan.

Talk about stating the bleeding obvious!

The Tourism and Sports Minister said during a trip to Chiang Mai that the tourism sector needed to find a way to encourage foreign visitors to stay in the country longer.

They used to have tourists that stayed longer, i.e. Europeans. It's the current policy that's at fault, i.e. attracting Asians, especially Chinese, who don't have the same vacation mentality as Westerners.

Vendors need to adopt new approaches that will help them sell more goods to tourists. They are also encouraged to study more closely what tourists like to buy, especially the Chinese as they make up the largest number of foreign visitors.

The tour buses seem to know exactly what the Chinese tourists want to buy!

Other foreigners coming to Thailand each year include Japanese, the French and Americans. Manufacturers are urged to focus on applying traditional knowledge to design products that attract more buyers.

The first paragraph states that tourist requirements should be taken into account but here we are, back to what it's really all about."How much money can we screw out of the tourists".

[spidermike007]

There are a dozen ways they could do this.

1. Make visa issues easier to deal with. Longer visas, less hassle with 90 day checks. Easier to get a retirement or marriage visa.

2. Make it easier for foreigners to buy property. The fear that they will take over the country is unjustified. You can limit the amount of land they can buy, and the number of homes they can own, etc.

3. Increase traffic safety. Get the cops to do real police work.

4. Get inflation under control. No matter what these ridiculous government officials say, inflation here is real. Prices are going up all the time. What most Thais in the tourist industry, or who cater to ex-pats do not seem to realize, is that there may come a point where the place is simply no longer a good value, and at that time, we will be moving on, in droves. I have already seen this on Samui. Prices have gone up so dramatically, that it is getting harder to find good value. Restaurants are driving themselves out of business, with their price hikes. Some hotels, who have been particularly aggressive with their price hikes, are experiencing record low occupancy rates. Apartment blocks have significant vacancy rates. There are hundreds and hundreds of villas which are sitting empty. Part of that is due to overbuilding. Part of it is due to aggressive pricing. Some customers are just saying NO!

I could go on for days. The shame about all this, is that it is so difficult for many Thais to look within, for the source of the problem, so the possibility of these changes taking place is low.

[clockman]

Thailand, is no longer a cheap place. And you need to think about medical insurance. If retiring here. Bills could wipe you out.

[halloween]

Talking to a lot of people in Oz, I find they have no idea how cheap (and it is bloody cheap) a holiday in Thailand can be. They think in Oz prices where a basic motel roo can cost you B2000/night and a family meal more.

Most Aussies get 4 weeks AL per year, some more. But they come here for a week, staying in relatively expensive large hotels, because it came as a package. If they knew they could stay in reasonable accommodation for $200/MONTH, how cheap even western meals are, they would plan to stay longer.

Why doesn't TAT organise a website where small hotels can post rates for the next month AND ADVERTISE IT.

Edited July 9, 2015 by halloween

[Bannum opinions]

I remember my previous life in the tourism industry......Travel counseling and marketing was focused on two objectives - Increased stay and diversify travel plans.

In other words, seek to influence travel plans beyond the standard Iconic places all tourist head to. Cambodia is a good example, where all travel plans go to Angkor Watt....The jurisdiction where I was, also had an overwhelming tourist attraction that dwarfed all others. Seeking to influence travel beyond that location was a challenge.

It seems to me Thailand would be better served focussing on diversification. Length of time is mostly dictated and cannot be altered.

[Fat Haggis]

The best thing TAT minister can do is resign, as she's like a communal toilet... full of shyt!!

[DavisH]

Our mortgage / cars aside, short term tourists would be spending more per day than I do. Most of the time I'm working and not spending, but most of my salary is locally earned and spent. While long term visas would be great for us, I don't think that would benefit the economy overall, unless more retirees are encouraged to over here and to spend their fat pensions here.

[ratcatcher]

Our mortgage / cars aside, short term tourists would be spending more per day than I do. Most of the time I'm working and not spending, but most of my salary is locally earned and spent. While long term visas would be great for us, I don't think that would benefit the economy overall, unless more retirees are encouraged to over here and to spend their fat pensions here.

I am sure many on here, would argue that their "fat" pensions have been on a steady diet for quite a while.

[spidermike007]

Talking to a lot of people in Oz, I find they have no idea how cheap (and it is bloody cheap) a holiday in Thailand can be. They think in Oz prices where a basic motel roo can cost you B2000/night and a family meal more.

Most Aussies get 4 weeks AL per year, some more. But they come here for a week, staying in relatively expensive large hotels, because it came as a package. If they knew they could stay in reasonable accommodation for $200/MONTH, how cheap even western meals are, they would plan to stay longer.

Why doesn't TAT organise a website where small hotels can post rates for the next month AND ADVERTISE IT.

That would represent progressive and creative behavior, and thinking outside the tiny box.

[Johnnie99]

I cannot see why people are discussing retirement visas. In case those posters had not noticed, retirees are not tourists.

The other reason of course is that tourists don't stay long because they've been here.

[Manbing]

I cannot see why people are discussing retirement visas. In case those posters had not noticed, retirees are not tourists.

The other reason of course is that tourists don't stay long because they've been here.

It makes no difference. The truth is that Thailand needs foreign money, retirees, long or short term tourists.

Therefore rather than waste efforts and build resentment by discussing 'quality' tourists. Why not concentrate on 'quality' hosting?

[chrisinth]

Its good to see that K. Kobkarn recognizes that foriegn tourists should be taken into account when developing a tourist plan.

With forward thinking like this, it seems to be a definite win-win for everyone.

This could be the start of the biggest tourism drive seen for a long time............................

NB, notice I said tourists and not mentioned retirees or married ex-pats as a lot of the posts before this seem to be of the mind that this is aimed at them, and not the tourist. A definition of "longer" might be in order as regards the OP.

[Chao Lao Beach]

foreign tourists should always be taken into account when developing a tourism plan.

Is this an admision that they had not taked foreign tourist into account prevously, from what I have seen, absolutly.

[louse1953]

Agree with the previous post, visa's are the biggest issue for people wanting to stay longer in Thailand. Allow foreigners to own 1 property, and then issue them with a renewable 5 year multi-entry visa.

How hard can it be to get a 2x 60 day visas,which give you 6 months if you extend,in your home country.Most tourists want nowhere near this long as they have jobs.Most "tourists"wouldn't want to tie up money in condos that they hardly use or the pitiful returns they give.

[baboon]

Agree with the previous post, visa's are the biggest issue for people wanting to stay longer in Thailand. Allow foreigners to own 1 property, and then issue them with a renewable 5 year multi-entry visa.

To me it is less the length of stay allowed by visas, but the crapshoot at so many embassies and consulates in trying to obtain them in the first place. Doubt that will ever change, though...

[louse1953]

Maybe make retirement visas easier if you buy a condo or house. Once you have proof of transfer of a minimum amount of funds and the Chanote, then Immigration would issue a 5 year multiple entry retirement Visa valid so long as you continue to own the property. Renewable after 5 years with continued ownership.

This would encourage more foreigner to buy property, stay longer and spend a lot more money than one week tourists on package holidays buying a few souveniers

Add to that, the elimination of the 90 day reporting requirement, as long as you own and live on the property.

To hard to go online,your taking retirement to a whole new level.

[NextStationBangkok]

Give them jobs, and enough multiple entry visas, they will stay longer for ever.

[louse1953]

Thailand, is no longer a cheap place. And you need to think about medical insurance. If retiring here. Bills could wipe you out.

So you think after not putting any money into insurance for 30 plus years you can just jump on board in your most risky.sickly years and Thais and the insurance company will subsidize you.If you can't afford to be here, maybe you should try the beaches of Bangladesh or Cambodia.

[Alwyn]

Tourism and Sports Minister Kobkarn Wattawarangkoon says foreign tourists should always be taken into account when developing a tourism plan. <deep breath> HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA <deep breath> 555555555555555555555555!!! No sh*t Sherlock!!!!!

[Chicken George]

If they let tourists in for 30 days why let them all in for up to a year. After all they check passports. Its not as though they would be a drain on funds here! Long term people spend more. Most would not work as there are few too many options.

[louse1953]

Agree with the previous post, visa's are the biggest issue for people wanting to stay longer in Thailand. Allow foreigners to own 1 property, and then issue them with a renewable 5 year multi-entry visa.

To me it is less the length of stay allowed by visas, but the crapshoot at so many embassies and consulates in trying to obtain them in the first place. Doubt that will ever change, though...

I would say that most real long term tourists would have no problem at all getting a visa in their own country.

[abitmiffed]

Tourism and Sports Minister says tourism should promote longer stays by foreign visitors

BANGKOK, 9 July 2015 (NNT)-Tourism and Sports Minister Kobkarn Wattawarangkoon says foreign tourists should always be taken into account when developing a tourism plan.

The Tourism and Sports Minister said during a trip to Chiang Mai that the tourism sector needed to find a way to encourage foreign visitors to stay in the country longer.

Vendors need to adopt new approaches that will help them sell more goods to tourists. They are also encouraged to study more closely what tourists like to buy, especially the Chinese as they make up the largest number of foreign visitors.

Other foreigners coming to Thailand each year include Japanese, the French and Americans. Manufacturers are urged to focus on applying traditional knowledge to design products that attract more buyers.

-- NNT 2015-07-09

Ha, stay as long as you can survive.

Getting desperate now eh?

[quandow]

With the death by tourism numbers growing, people are spending the rest of their lives here.

[Businessman]

Dear tourism minister.. If you want foreign tourists to come and return... Treat them like people rather than ATMs. Stop double price, scams harassment targeting foreigners. Provide good value and safety. Open your eyes stop thinking mai pen rai to killing tourists with mini buses, zip lines, boats and criminal elements. People talk.... If a tourist is happy they send more friends and return. If unhappy they will not recommend and not return. It's not about selling more to the ones that still come, it's about giving a great holiday experience and getting all the return visits and referrals.

[bheard]

There are a dozen ways they could do this.

1. Make visa issues easier to deal with. Longer visas, less hassle with 90 day checks. Easier to get a retirement or marriage visa.

2. Make it easier for foreigners to buy property. The fear that they will take over the country is unjustified. You can limit the amount of land they can buy, and the number of homes they can own, etc.

3. Increase traffic safety. Get the cops to do real police work.

4. Get inflation under control. No matter what these ridiculous government officials say, inflation here is real. Prices are going up all the time. What most Thais in the tourist industry, or who cater to ex-pats do not seem to realize, is that there may come a point where the place is simply no longer a good value, and at that time, we will be moving on, in droves. I have already seen this on Samui. Prices have gone up so dramatically, that it is getting harder to find good value. Restaurants are driving themselves out of business, with their price hikes. Some hotels, who have been particularly aggressive with their price hikes, are experiencing record low occupancy rates. Apartment blocks have significant vacancy rates. There are hundreds and hundreds of villas which are sitting empty. Part of that is due to overbuilding. Part of it is due to aggressive pricing. Some customers are just saying NO!

I could go on for days. The shame about all this, is that it is so difficult for many Thais to look within, for the source of the problem, so the possibility of these changes taking place is low.

Agree with most of the above, but not this line:

2. Make it easier for foreigners to buy property. The fear that they will take over the country is unjustified. You can limit the amount of land they can buy, and the number of homes they can own, etc.

First, tourism is not about buying property, and

Second, the fear is justified - take a look at Australia - high property prices in part due to foreign buyers. If you see Chinese people at a house auction in Aus, just go home, you won't be able to out-bid them.

Thailand has the right policy in that respect.