THE TOURISM Authority of Thailand (TAT) has unveiled a series of strategies designed to maintain the country’s brand image, marketing profile and visitor arrivals going into 2013.
Announced yesterday after the conclusion of TAT’s annual action plan meeting, the NTO has set a 2013 target of 22.22 million international tourist arrivals and 966 billion baht (US$30.62 billion) in revenue.
The core theme of the Action Plan 2013 is “Higher Revenue through Thainess”. TAT is hoping to attract tourists using the Charm of Thainess – which includes Thai Experience, Thai Way of Life, and Thai Culture.
A “Discover The Other You” campaign will be launched to promote experiential travel. The marketing messages involved will emphasise creative tourism, where tourists can participate in unique Thai experiences – such as Thai boxing, Thai massage, Thai cooking, and Thai classical dancing. Thai food and Thai local wisdom will also be used as unique selling propositions.
Some key aspects of Thai lifestyle including rice farming, massage and meditation techniques will also be emphasised. For the first time, images of visitors participating in a rice harvest and ploughing the fields behind a water buffalo will be used in marketing campaigns.
TAT will ramp up efforts to increase the number of first-time and high-spending visitors. Four niche products used to attract high-spenders will be golf, health & wellness, wedding & honeymoon, and green tourism.
The NTO will also attempt to increase charter and low-cost carrier flights to destinations where there is no direct access, while LCC’s will be used to broaden the base for mainstream tourists.
A Partner on Demand strategy will be implemented to grow strategic alliances and enhance the add-on impact of marketing efforts. Trade shows and roadshows will be used extensively in both existing and potential markets.
Digital media marketing will be a special focus of attention. Partnerships will also be forged with hotel partners to produce special interest videos such as those highlighting weddings and honeymoons.
Lastly, TAT will place emphasis on establishing a tourism intelligence unit and crisis management centre. These will be designed to identify emerging trends and opportunities, and also aid the NTO in reacting promptly to the increasing number of global crises.
