Thailand to target high-end tourists

[buksida]

Tourism operators are being urged to attract customers to the high-end medical, golf, honeymoon and eco-tourism sectors.

A survey by the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) found that the four segments were worth more than 130 billion baht, with 7.98 million trips a year.

Eco-tourism had the highest value at 54.6 billion baht, followed by honeymoons and weddings (34.62 billion), medical tourism (31.12 billion) and golf (10.54 billion). The biggest market for eco-tourism visitors was Europe, followed by Northeast Asia and Asean.

The survey, which was conducted among 30,000 international tourists from April 2012 to March 2013, said tourism sites, activities and safety were key points to grow eco-tourism. For honeymoons and weddings, Northeast Asia was the biggest market, followed by Europe and Asean.

About 66% of respondents said beautiful beaches, luxury hotel facilities and good weather were key factors in choosing Thailand as their honeymoon or wedding destination.

The Middle East was the biggest potential market for medical tourism, followed by Asean and Europe. Key attractions included high-quality service, short queues and doctors' international standards. Check-ups, medicine and dentistry were the most popular treatments.

The researchers found that Northeast Asia was the biggest golf market, followed by Asean and Europe. High-quality golf courses, beautiful nature and the reputation of courses were important in making Thailand a golf destination.

Pongsathorn Kessasamli, TAT deputy governor for policy and planning, said the agency will use the in-depth research to create the right products and marketing activities to draw tourists. TAT has clearly focused on high-quality markets to upgrade Thailand's tourism sector, he said.

Source: Bangkok Post

Thought: Before TAT puts its hand out for high-rollers it should at least try to address a few key elements such as standards of service (or lack of) and language proficiency within the industry (which is currently well behind most of its neighbours).

[midlandmike]

Getting rid of the scruffy ex-pats will be high on the agenda. Friday nights will be formal night on Binty.
Tuxedos will be worn, with shorts and sandals on hot nights, of course.

[MrPlum]

Getting rid of the scruffy ex-pats will be high on the agenda. Friday nights will be formal night on Binty.
Tuxedos will be worn, with shorts and sandals on hot nights, of course.

Please. Please. No black socks with those sandals!

[usual suspect]

I still wonder how long it will be before Europeans will need to have X amount of Baht in a Thai bank account before being granted a Non O 1yr visa...petty facts like being married to a Thai woman or being the father of her child will soon go on the back-burner..

[Frank Hovis]

And where are they are going to crap?
The 10,000 available toilets are already overflowing (pardon the pun) with Chinese tourists.

[usual suspect]

Just read elsewhere that this week 2 people were refused their 1 year multi-entry Non O visas at the K.L. immigration because both could not show 400,000B in a Thai bank account..!!
(As Roger Waters sang..."The tide is turning")