Thailand to turn away from mass tourism, target the wealthy

[Moses]

The government's tourism-revival strategy is to target big spenders seeking privacy and social distancing in the Covid-19 era, rather than try to attract a large number of visitors, according to Tourism Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn.

The pandemic provides an opportunity to reset the sector, which had become reliant on Chinese groups and backpackers, he said in an interview with Bloomberg News.


Once the country’s borders are reopened and so-called travel bubbles are agreed upon, marketing efforts will be geared toward wealthier individuals who want holidays with minimal risks.


The government will initially allow a small number of arrivals, such as some business executives and medical tourists. It is also working with the travel industry to identify and invite individuals in target demographics, which will probably include previous visitors to luxury resorts in the islands of Phuket, Samui, Phangan and Phi Phi, the minister said.


Phuket is “a prototype” because it has all the needed facilities.


People may be required to pass Covid-19 screenings before traveling and upon arriving, choose a single resort island and remain for a minimum period of time.


The “high-end visitors” will be able to travel freely while they’re on the island and be allowed to leave for home or other destinations in Thailand once the minimum 14 days have passed. The country plans to court such visitors, possibly during the winter months of November-February when European and American travelers seek out warmer climates, Mr Phiphat said.


Thailand’s first few travel-bubble pacts, with nations such as Japan and Australia, probably will not be ready until at least August, Mr Phiphat said. Thailand also is mulling a program to allow visitors from specific Chinese cities and provinces, he said.


“If we don’t use this chance to create the most benefit for the industry, Thailand will lose out,” he said. “This is an opportunity to reset the entire tourism system.”

https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/1937704/thailand-to-turn-away-from-mass-tourism-target-the-wealthy

[Nirish guy]

Seeking rich big spenders specifically eh.......well theres at least that of our one moderators sorted for his new tourist visa - A447 you can expect the call from the Consulate anyway now. Christian, I'm sorry but I think based on past posts - you're totally FUCKED !!! :-)))

[arsenal]

Bali Hai had the potential to be something majestic attracting big money. Unfortunately it was decided to build a huge coach park, a decaying unfinished apartment block and a marina that is now rust covered and falling into the sea. The biggest fuck up of prime prime real estate that I know of.

[a447]

- A447 you can expect the call from the Consulate anyway now.

Of course, they know how effluent I am so as you would expect, that call has already come through; it was taken by one of my PAs.

They said that the high-end hotels will fill up quickly and so suggested I get onto the Tarntawan asap. They also said that my go-to luxury hotel in Pattaya - the inimitable Elephant Plaza - had closed down but they were on the lookout for something of similar opulence "close to the action."

As for covid testing, apparently my PA can take the test for me.

[sglad]

Of course, they know how effluent I am...

Here you have, it folks. Right from the horse's mouth. Hence my comment about this board being efficient in recycling its wastes was timely and appropriate.

https://sawatdeenetwork.com/v4/showthread.php?21444-Moderation-discussion

[a447]

Oh dear. It's a famous joke. It's been going around here since 2003 and apparently comes from an Aussie sitcom.

I knew I should have put it in italics for those unaware of Aussie TV shows.

Found it!

https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2aexyi

[goji]

Upmarket tourists are mostly not stupid and still expect value for money. Anyone used to taking a private jet and staying in the kind of accommodation shown below may well spend at least 10 times what some of us do.
However, they sure as hell will not pay $500 a night to stay in Zing, Mosaik or The Ambience.

If you wanted to turn Pattaya into a premium resort, it would be necessary to demolish it and start again. However, the incremental return on capital for that little venture would probably be negative.

You couldn't turn Primark into Gucci or Kia into Mercedes overnight.
With intelligent management, such a transformation can be done over decades. The second photo shows a 1957 BMW, as an example.
So even if they wanted to, Pattaya could only slowly evolve it's customer base upmarket and that would probably result in lower overall revenue.
Thailand is also unlikely to benefit from intelligent & rational management in the foreseeable future. To be fair, they compare well with leaders in some countries that come to mind, but just don't expect them to do a BMW.

[a447]

The other problem Pattaya has is that even if they revamped the entire city and built luxury resorts, shopping malls and restaurants, the city has far too many rivals for the rich man's dollar.

[Nirish guy]

First rule of marketing - know your market - and the people who visit Patttaya do now WANT high end luxury, they want low end hookers with sensible prices - and for that Pattaya excels ! they should stick to marketing their strengths and market Pattaya for what it IS not what they'd LIKE it to be. There are I'm sure other beautiful places in Thailand where they COULD invest the money into turning it into a luxury retreat for the rich ( as they are trying to do occasionally on towards Phuket etc for the middle classes, but Pattaya IS what it is and the sooner they accept that and let us all get on with it the better for everyone ( well by everyone there I do of course mean US ! :)

[a447]

A while back Pattaya decided it wanted to become a family friendly destination.

This has led to the rather disturbing sight of families wandering down Walking Street or through Boyztown with their kids in tow, ogling at what's on offer.

All they have succeeded in doing is creating the next generation of sex tourists!

[Nirish guy]

I've often wondered about that very thing when seeing families mingling with their kids among the hookers, drunkards and drug dealers on Walking street and the likes and am usually torn between the knee jerk "WTF are you doing here with kids in THIS type of place" view and then jump to the more libertarian view of "well why SHOULDN'T you show the kids the world and all thats in - good and bad, clean and raunchy, it as the more they know the more rounded people they'll probably grow up to be'

But I think then that second part all very much depends on what the parents are telling the kids about what they're seeing - i.e if it's the usual conservative "look kids, study hard at school or you too may end up like these low lives ( meaning us lot as well there btw) OR perhaps they're telling them "hey it's jut sex kids, no harm in that, no big deal and do whatever makes you happy in life as long as you're not hurting anyone else when doing it".

Whilst I always like to imagine it's the latter unfortunately most times looking at the parents faces and THEIR reactions to what they're seeing, perhaps for the first time too, it usually definitely leans more towards the first version of events, which if so just means that we'll all nothing more than a freak show being used to teach kids what NOT to become ( and maybe that's fair enough too !?)

Saying that as kids generally grow up to crash out anyway I'm guessing A447 is correct in that at least if and when they do they'll know exactly where to come to enjoy life, so perhaps Pattaya's sex tourist future IS secure after all - so yeah, thanks City Hall for your new family friendly outreach, looks like it might just save the day for Pattaya after all ! :)

In all seriousness though, what do others think about the whole kids being brought in amongst the whores, drug dealers and sex tourists in places like Pattaya - and that includes walking down the middle of Boystown or Jomtien looking at US with cute guys surrounding us trying for an off too - to either either give the kids a "well rounded" life education OR just as part of their family "trip out from the holiday to see the sights" or should such areas be keep strictly sd adult only at all times just maybe?

[a447]

hey it's jut sex kids, no harm in that, no big deal and do whatever makes you happy in life as long as you're not hurting anyone else when doing it".

That is actually how feel. It's only sex; get over it!

And make sure you get as much as you can!

However, seeing young kids makes me feel a uncomfortable. But I wouldn't have a problem with teenagers seeing the facts of life on display.

But all of this will be a moot point if only high-end tourists are allowed to visit.

[arsenal]

I think the wives are looking at the handsome smiling boys and then looking at the probably overweight husband who's been moaning about his bad back/feet/sunburn/the heat/IBS/receding hairline all day and are jealous of us.

[goji]

Actually, it's not just parents with kids wandering down Walking Street. I've seen them wandering up the side streets as well, the kind of place that's obviously nothing but gogo bars & pretty much everything is on view, if glancing through the door at the right time. I'm pretty sure most teenage boys would be paying attention.

Like A447, I see little harm in teenagers seeing what's going on.

Also, it Thailand only allowed in wealthy tourists, then it probably means the 20% of GDP from tourism will shrink to something like 2%. With very little of it going to Pattaya. After all the protests and riots, policy would be amended.

[bkkguy]

reality check guys, virtually nobody gives a fuck about Pattaya these days - the three Ps (Pattaya, Patpong, Patong) have always been a national embarrassment to profit from but never really acknowledge and covid-19 and national recovery has not changed that - indeed even before covid-19 even Isan's poor farming families started to lose interest as more and more of the sex workers were from neighboring countries

statistics have long shown that almost half of Pattaya's tourist accommodation in unlicensed, unregistered, illegal and only exists because of corruption, the majority of the bars and venues only exist because of corruption, and the beaches and the other tourist attractions are never going to compete for family or upmarket tourists, and sex tourism (and sexpats) are a dying market - literally!

despite the delusions of some of the local tourist authorities, Pattaya is never going to shake off its current status, and despite the dreams and desires of many of the local sexpats and wannbe sextourtists, and the blackmarket (are we still allowed to say that in these BLM days?) and associated other stalls and services dependent on them, help is not going to come from the national government or from increased appropriate tourism for the foreseeable future

just look at the support the government has provided for people affected by covid-19 - lots of support for people in "legitimate" jobs and covered by social security, some support for farmers, and very limited support for those operating outside the system and virtually no support for sex workers

and all the recent talk is about business and upmarket tourists in bubbles - and Pattaya is certainly not one of those bubbles!

[Oliver2]

I recall being astounded that young children would sit outside lady bars- like the ones in Pattayaland Soi 2- to do their homework.

[gerefan2]

One has to remember that Pattaya has an awful reputation both inside and outside Thailand. Thais will never admit to ever having visited the place or heaven forbid ever having worked there...Whores,all of them, people say!

Any foreign tourists admitting to going there for a holiday are deemed sex tourists by their peers friends and acquaintances.

So how on earth can Thailand make it a short term domestic destination? Equally how can they possibly make it a family destination for overseas visitors?

Just leave it be and rake in the money when the virus is over. ..not that Thailand has done anything out of the ordinary to prevent it spreading. They and their neighbours (who say they have had no deaths at all) were just very lucky it didn’t affect them!

[a447]

not that Thailand has done anything out of the ordinary to prevent it spreading.

According to a report on Thailand's handling of the virus on ABC radio this morning, the government mobilised over one million volunteer health workers to go into the villages to teach basic hygiene and encourage social distancing.

The head of some government disease control agency said that was why Thailand had so few cases. But they are being very cautious and do not want to open their borders yet.

[Nirish guy]

....... the government mobilised over one million volunteer health workers to go into the villages to teach basic hygiene and encourage social distancing.........The head of some government disease control agency said that was why Thailand had so few cases.

Although of course as in general we in the West ( and the UK especially) were (meant) to be doing all of that already and our numbers were horrific I'm guessing that alone wasn't the cause of their dodging the bullet, I guess real reasons for that are yet to come perhaps and some scientist looks into things to find what the REAL reasons were.

[Smiles]

" ... The government's tourism-revival strategy is to target big spenders ... "Yup, that would be me, or at least Pot thinks I am. And of course I say nothing.

Just wait until I turn straight, change my passwords on everything, run off with a 27 year old blonde bitch from Ukraine, commence to screw her, has twins, and live mostly happily in a two story condo on the 40th floor of the Peninsular Hotel in Bangkok.

[bkkguy]

I'm guessing that alone wasn't the cause of their dodging the bullet, I guess real reasons for that are yet to come perhaps and some scientist looks into things to find what the REAL reasons were.

why is it so hard to accept that the countries, mostly Asian, that have so successfully controlled the pandemic with a fairly consistent set of responses have not just been lucky in dodging the bullet while implying the more "advanced" and "clever" countries like the US and the UK, who have instead just made consistently bad decisions and have been devastated, didn't have the "REAL reason" advantages we are yet to discover that these other countries had?

yes we still have a lot to learn about this virus and this pandemic but rather than hoping for still to be found "Real reasons" that have favored some countries just read up a bit more on for example the different responses by various cities and states in the US and this difference this has made to the virus spread and deaths, read up more on the response in Vietnam, Taiwan and Thailand compared to many European countries, or Sweden's response compared to its neighbors and the results and why the country's top epidemiologist has admitted his strategy to fight Covid-19 resulted in too many deaths! and look at the situation in Africa v's South America - resource issues v's bad political decisions

while there is still a lot to be investigated I'm guessing there are enough "Real reasons" out there already if you look for them

[Dodger]

The odds of attracting the wealthy people to choose Thailand for their vacation destination are about a million to one.

Truly wealthy people go to luxury resorts in places like Tahiti, Montenegro or some private island off the coast of Belize, and wouldn't be attracted in the least in a place that had over-crowed and polluted beaches, dime store shops and sleazy bars and night clubs.

China has the largest market for luxury hotels in the world which has been growing by leap-and-bonds over the past decade to service the wealthy. The Chinese we saw pouring into Thailand before Corona came to town were almost exclusively from China's growing middle class...not upper class (or wealthy).

Now, if by "wealthy" they (TaT) means they are targeting the farang middle-class (which, in their vocabulary, means wealthy)) then that's another story - but I think their chances of even coming close to hitting their marketing target has the same impossible odds.

In total desperation, the Tourist Authority is scrambling to create proposals with new targets to submit to an equally desperate government, if for no other reason than to save their own jobs. If there's not going to be a sizable amount of tourists for at least the next year or so (and there won't be), then why is the Tourist Authority even needed?

With 3 million foreigners residing in Thailand (who's counting, they're sure not), then maybe they should develop a strategy to build upon a market that they already have. Stop embarrassing themselves with this "Family Oriented Vacation" absurdity, and get back to the basics that put Thailand on the map to begin with. Get the bars and nightly entertainment venues opened fast...put the 200,000 prostitutes back to work (again, who's counting)...put the control of the nightlife back in the BIB's hands so cash money can start flowing uphill again... and just sit back and get rich like they did before. Two hundred thousand prostitutes can do a hell of a lot more to stimulate the economy than a few hundred TaT employees who sit around all day creating silly imaginary targets.

[Smiles]

An excellent slice of reality Dodger. Every newbie ~ as well as some naive expats ~ should copy the above post and hang it some where in their abode, so as to keep things in prospective.

[Oliver2]

I suspect that the commercial, political and military elites intend that, whatever happens, their own scene of special bars, brothels and hotels with curtained car-parks in out-of -the- way parts of cities is left intact
.

[goji]

I agree with Dodger almost 100%.
The minor exception is that quite a few of the farang chasing prostitutes are middle class.

[arsenal]

"The odds of attracting the wealthy people to choose Thailand for their vacation destination are about a million to one."

Simply not true. The very wealthy already do visit Thailand. They just don't stay in Mosaik and have dinner at Deli Diner. Phuket and other areas have accommodation costing $3000 a night and someone's buying it.

[christianpfc]

Most of current articles in newspaper about Thailand tourism are brain farts.

There are only two things that count:
1. When the government will allow foreigners to enter Thailand, and under which conditions (a political issue)
2. airlines flying to Thailand and at which prices (an economical issue)

everything else is wish, want, hope by people who have no influence on the two points above.


Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand director Chula Sukmanop it was reported in Khaosod English language newspaper, that none of the airlines he met had expressed interest in resuming their international flights by next month, when the order shutting down the country’s airspace is due to expire.
from: https://www.traveldailymedia.com/thailands-international-flights-may-not-restart-until-september/

I had a look at flights a few days ago, Berlin to Bangkok on 6 Aug, and times and prices on Aeroflot, Qatar and Finnair are like pre-corona. (Next month would be July, and my research was for August, but elsewhere in the article they talk about October.) Being able to book a flight does not mean you will be able to take it, but flights being offered is a good start.

A friend of mine has a flight Berlin to Bangkok on 1 Aug, with his Thai husband, it will be interesting to see how that works out.

[Nirish guy]

Being able to book a flight does not mean you will be able to take it, but flights being offered is a good start.

I wouldn't be to sure about that as I checked several flights that I KNEW would definitely NOT be able to depart ( or arrive) in various places and right up until the day before departure airlines were still accepting bookings - for flights they KNEW wouldn't be flying ! I wondered was it way of them getting in some much needed cash so that then THOSE flights were then cancelled it gave them another 90 days to refund THAT new incoming money so in effect allowing them to us that new booking income as liquid cashflow for a short period perhaps.

[bkkguy]

interestingly while Thailand continues to talk about travel bubbles with limited countries mainly for business, medical and eventually upmarket tourists, their initial selected bubble countries are still listed as China, South Korea and Taiwan - of those China is still working to control a new outbreak in Beijing and South Korea today changed their official narrative to admit they are now facing a second wave

even the kings of the bubble concept, Australia and New Zealand, are now seeing (long white?) clouds in their bubble with increasing community transmission in some areas in Australia and a few border control/quarantine blunders in New Zealand prompting speculation of the possible demise of this bubble (Why the trans-Tasman bubble is dead, SMH June 23, 2020 (https://www.traveller.com.au/travel-between-australia-and-new-zealand-post-covid19-why-the-transtasman-bubble-is-dead-h1owy2))

for the many reasons discussed and linked to in this thread, Thailand's dream of business people coming here to invest, medical tourists being hustled straight into hospitals and upmarket tourists being hustled semi-quarantine on island resorts may face some serious problems - which reciprocal bubble partner countries can Thailand find, who in these countries is actually going to have the available funds to travel, which airlines are going to be able to offer flights, and most importantly are these visitors going to get Dodger's 200,000 prostitutes back to work and save the Thai economy and save the jobs of the TAT officers before the end of this year?

who needs reality TV when all this playing out before our very eyes!

[Nirish guy]

are these visitors going to get Dodger's 200,000 prostitutes back to work and save the Thai economy and save the jobs of the TAT officers before the end of this year?!

They can all relax, their jobs and the jobs of the 200,000 hookers are safe, sure A447 has already said that he's been contacted and is in receipt of his VIP invite from the Embassy ! :) To be fair the 200,000 hookers might be a problem as I'm guessing most are female, but knowing A447 if he thinks he can step up to the plate and help by "doing them ALL" to help the Thai economy then I'm sure he will at least try ! :)

[goji]

interestingly while Thailand continues to talk about travel bubbles with limited countries mainly for business, medical and eventually upmarket tourists, their initial selected bubble countries are still listed as China, South Korea and Taiwan


China still has 14 day quarantine for people returning to China. That might discourage outbound tourism.
Unlike the UK, the Chinese quarantine is in a hotel that it's citizens have to pay to stay in.

The UK quarantine is in your own home. Not a great deterrent for a long holiday, for someone who does not have to rush back to work.

[a447]

.. but knowing A447 if he thinks he can step up to the plate and help by "doing them ALL" to help the Thai economy then I'm sure he will at least try !

Well Nirish, let's just say I'm happy to hold up my end.