But how long can TAT keep promoting same products while repeat visitors rise, asks trade
Analysis by Sirima Eamtako
BANGKOK – The Tourism Authority of Thailand’s (TAT) bid to stick to the Amazing Thailand campaign and reduce its initial 10 per cent growth has received a collective nod from the Thai travel trade, who says the modest growth target is in line with current challenges.
But TAT is considered to be repeating the same old story. It is Amazing Thailand again. It is Seven Amazing Wonders product again. It is even Visit Thailand Year (tagline) again.
One positive difference from the strategy of the last two years is TAT has fixed in advance 14 roadshows for next year with Asian (four trips) and South-east Asian (six trips) markets at the heart of the activities.
A Phuket hotelier said a fixed roadshow calendar should have been in place a long time ago so hotels would not always have to scramble at the last minute for an ad hoc budget to attend the event.
TAT’s 2009 marketing strategy will see it launching more tactical promotions aimed particularly at increasing arrivals from shorthaul markets to offset a projected slow growth in the longhaul markets. The 72 Hours In Thailand tactical, launched in October last year and offering discounts for MasterCard holders, will continue. However, while the project is sound for promoting Bangkok and its vicinity, this week’s launch of 72 Hours In Chiang Mai has raised some eyebrows.
Even if the intention is to help Chiang Mai, which is suffering severely this year, the destination still lacks direct regional flights.
Tourists from shorthaul destinations without a direct link with Chiang Mai might not find the campaign too attractive, observers said.
Then there is a plan to launch an Amazing Thailand card later this year and the list of tactical campaigns goes on. Despite how creative the TAT can be with tactical campaigns since 2007, the NTO literally has no new significant product to speak of in the face of an influx of international hotel brands and mushrooming boutique properties.
A real difference the Thai trade wishes to see are that all damaged tourist attractions be rehabilitated and new tourism mega projects be built.
But rehabilitation and new tourism projects are not the tasks of TAT, which focuses only on marketing the country. And if the departments-in-charge are asked, they will inevitably reply: “No budget.”
Unquestionably, the trade said Thailand was still blessed with a variety of tourism products, complemented by great Thai hospitality. But it asked how long the TAT could creatively promote the same products to repeat visitors if these were not improved, particularly when more than 60 per cent of arrivals to Thailand were repeat visitors.
Thai Travel Agents Association chief adviser and Unithai Travel chairman, Mr Anake Srishevachart: TAT should reimburse groundhandling costs for agents or tour operators, who are able to bring large tour groups under strict criteria. This will motivate agents to attract more tourists.
Thai Hotels Association vice-president and Asia Hotels assistant managing director, Mr Surapong Techaruvichit: With the 2009 roadshow calendar, we can plan our budget and work better with our members on their preferred markets and roadshows.
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