TAT Introduces Tourism Plan for 2021

[PatOngo]

If BS was music, TAT would be Woodstock!

[Poet]

It is actually good that the Thai elites are so delusional because it means they will eventually get hit all the harder by the reality bat.

Even with effective vaccines and a resumption of travel, international tourism is going to crawl back very slowly. As that finally dawns on them, our hope is that all South East Asian countries will start to compete for any tourists at all (short-term, long-term, budget, rich) and the way to do that is by easing the artificial barriers posed by their visa systems.

Perhaps I'm a ridiculous optimist but I have a hunch we might see most countries offer some equivalent of the following:

1. Visa waiver, six months on entry, to all current visa waiver countries.

2. No-questions-asked re-entry unless your previous stay was the full six months, in which case you need to spend at least a month outside the country.

3. Retirement extension terms offered to anyone, of any age, willing to stick USD $25K in a local bank or buy a condo for at least USD $75K (allowing them to compete for the exploding "remote worker" category) .

4. Elimination of 90 days reports and other unnecessary red tape.

Just to be clear, I don't see anything much moving until a vaccine becomes widely available but, after that, it is a simple question of how eager these countries become for the relatively easy money of foreign tourism. My guess is "very eager", and that sets up a good situation for us over the next decade or so.


 

[bodga]

11 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

and Thai characteristics

You mean like lying, laziness, selfishness, childishness etc or am I mistaken?

Edited October 20, 2020 by bodga

[Grumpy John]

11 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

Are we living in some sort of echo chamber. All the plans sound about the same. 

 

There are countless things the government could be doing, if they wanted to attract the high quality tourists. First they need to figure out a way to attract tourism, WITHOUT quarantine. That is fairly simple. A very reliable lab based test in the home nation, with test results before you board the plane. Then a simple antigen test at the airport. It takes 15 minutes for results. Sure, Thailand would have to invest in the test kits. Some general would have to be willing to part with a few million dollars. Each test itself, only cost $5 with the new Abbott test, which is available now.

 

Then they could get on to reform. Sacrifices need to be made. I do not hear ANY discussion about what sacrifices Thailand is willing to make, to get the tourists, and that multi trillion baht cash cow back.

 

The very first thing would be to repeal the anti farang wine bill, that was passed by a few very corrupt senators way back when, to protect an anemic local wine industry. They are losing billions of dollars a year in revenue, that would be had from a 100% wine duty, instead of 365%. The five star hotels would have major wine events, and the entire industry would flourish here.

 

Thailand keeps droning on and on and on, about how they want wealthy tourists. Again, what sacrifices are you willing to make? Rich tourists like to spend money when they travel. And they cannot do that here, as they do not like getting taken for a ride. Most wealthy people are smart with their money. Thailand could be making a fortune on a 25% luxury tax, instead of the 100% of more, which discourages most people from buying. How many people do you see in the luxury stores here? They are almost always completely empty. Inane. Beyond inane.

 

They will continue to get more Indian and Chinese tourists. But most will be lower income, and lower middle income tourists. Thailand just cannot attract higher income tourists anymore. Very few. The focus on quantity over quality will continue to erode the nation on countless levels.

 

More is rarely better. It just lowers the quality of life for nearly everyone, creates more congestion, more smog, more traffic, longer lines at immigration, and makes life difficult, especially in the big cities. There are countless things the government could be doing, if they wanted to attract the high quality tourists, and go for quality over quantity.

 

Quantity over quality is never a good thing, unless you are selling one dollar items at a swap meet. It just lowers the quality of the experience for all.

This post keeps popping up like the inane pronouncements from TAT!

[Mickeem]

12 hours ago, Mavideol said:

target quality tourists with high purchasing power in other words they are targeting the rich Indians and Chinese  555, as for safety, if tourists stay away from driving  and married women with jealous husbands they should/could be ok ....

You forgot boat trips, tour buses, unearthed showers, high balconies and renting motorbikes ...

 

[Destiny1990]

Come welcome and dance the night away in the always bustling Walkingstreet Pattaya ????????..

[peterkroll]

It is utterly non-sense. While I do have understanding that they do not want to be the brothel of the world anymore, these "quality tourists" from China and India are no better at all.

 

I am now on the side of the protesters. There is a generation change needed, urgently.

[Isaan sailor]

15 hours ago, Justgrazing said:

Another one who's been tooting some of Anutins herbal saviour .. 

Failing to recognize again that its not new money going into the pot with domestic tourism .. Its just sloshing about what's there already .. New dollars coming in from outside is what the industry needs .. 

 

Agree with your basic premise—but realize when an expat (like me) tours domestically, they can pay for expenses using a home country-based credit card.  And that’s new money coming into Thailand.

That said, expats (and expo) still require a lower Baht to make things happen.

[AlfHuy]

soon the picture of Pattaya, HuaHin.

 

Quality tourists hitting the beaches.

[AlfHuy]

Happening a lot lately on TV

 

 

[Almer]

17 hours ago, worgeordie said:

They keep trying to lure this type of tourists,but there are never any bites.

regards worgeordie

But but but, these high spenders may well spend but it will be on condo's and the like and then they will go home only helping a few like a developer, what is needed is a plane load of people with money in there pockets to have few late nights this money will filter back to villages helping many and when they return home with many happy memories and empty pockets so the next batch arrive, but when and will they come that is the difficult bit for many living here on a day to day routine, I'm only stating the obvious of course 

[burgdawg]

[Seeall]

17 hours ago, ThailandRyan said:

Optimism abounds, and they hope that Domestic tourism will pick up.  Are we sure this is a TAT story, sounds so offbeat from what they usually say.  Have they been told to post a hopeful and realistic projection instead of the normal pie in the Sky reports and numbers.  I will wait and see.

 

Really?  Like how trump said it will all be over by easter?  Its funny how all these 'in the know'  say these things when NOBODY knows....

[bloodyholly]

Here’s one we made earlier....

 

 

[Cake Monster]

22 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

BANGKOK, Oct 20 (TNA) – The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has introduced its 2021 tourism plan that will promote safety, natural beauty, food and Thai characteristics and target quality tourists with high purchasing power. 

TAT will not only have to " Target " the " Quality " Tourists, but will have to hit them square between the Eyes with a high Calibre Round, and drag them here..

Promoting Safety- 20,000 + Deaths on the Roads each and every Year Major Boat Disasters , Ferries Capsizing, people chopped up in Boat propellers. Yeah Right ! - very safe Holiday destination

Natural Beauty - Its there somewhere if you are able to look past and through all the Mountains of Trash and Pollution.

Food - kind of OK

Thai Characteristics - Like Gouging at every opportunity, Violent , bad mannered , and ignorant.

Not all the Thais are this way, thank God, but a high percentile are.

[sapson]

Thought their was a ban on posting utter nonsense on the internet?, yet this site day in day out provides us with another ministry of total b@ll@cks  statement!! .......oh well keeps the clicks rolling in and the coffers full.

Edited October 21, 2020 by sapson

[NeoDinosaw]

On 10/20/2020 at 12:03 PM, Mavideol said:

target quality tourists with high purchasing power in other words they are targeting the rich Indians and Chinese  555, as for safety, if tourists stay away from driving  and married women with jealous husbands they should/could be ok ....

what about married men with jealous wives ?    Please do not be sexist !

[madmen]

On 10/20/2020 at 9:43 PM, spidermike007 said:

Are we living in some sort of echo chamber. All the plans sound about the same. 

 

There are countless things the government could be doing, if they wanted to attract the high quality tourists. First they need to figure out a way to attract tourism, WITHOUT quarantine. That is fairly simple. A very reliable lab based test in the home nation, with test results before you board the plane. Then a simple antigen test at the airport. It takes 15 minutes for results. Sure, Thailand would have to invest in the test kits. Some general would have to be willing to part with a few million dollars. Each test itself, only cost $5 with the new Abbott test, which is available now.

 

Then they could get on to reform. Sacrifices need to be made. I do not hear ANY discussion about what sacrifices Thailand is willing to make, to get the tourists, and that multi trillion baht cash cow back.

 

The very first thing would be to repeal the anti farang wine bill, that was passed by a few very corrupt senators way back when, to protect an anemic local wine industry. They are losing billions of dollars a year in revenue, that would be had from a 100% wine duty, instead of 365%. The five star hotels would have major wine events, and the entire industry would flourish here.

 

Thailand keeps droning on and on and on, about how they want wealthy tourists. Again, what sacrifices are you willing to make? Rich tourists like to spend money when they travel. And they cannot do that here, as they do not like getting taken for a ride. Most wealthy people are smart with their money. Thailand could be making a fortune on a 25% luxury tax, instead of the 100% of more, which discourages most people from buying. How many people do you see in the luxury stores here? They are almost always completely empty. Inane. Beyond inane.

 

They will continue to get more Indian and Chinese tourists. But most will be lower income, and lower middle income tourists. Thailand just cannot attract higher income tourists anymore. Very few. The focus on quantity over quality will continue to erode the nation on countless levels.

 

More is rarely better. It just lowers the quality of life for nearly everyone, creates more congestion, more smog, more traffic, longer lines at immigration, and makes life difficult, especially in the big cities. There are countless things the government could be doing, if they wanted to attract the high quality tourists, and go for quality over quantity.

 

Quantity over quality is never a good thing, unless you are selling one dollar items at a swap meet. It just lowers the quality of the experience for all.

"Are we living in some sort of echo chamber" 

Feels like it, your post is cut n paste on several threads now 

 

 

[Reigntax]

On 10/20/2020 at 10:45 PM, dave s said:

 

The Thai population is about 60 million. So they are projecting that every man, woman, child and ladyboy in Thailand will make two domestic tourism trips next year, spending 6667 baht during each one. How many Pampers will 6667 baht buy? Wow, that's a lot of disposable diapers to fill with <deleted>. Oh, wait, T.A.T. is involved: never mind, no problem.

No. 1 million military personel each with their mia noi making a weekly trip.

[Robin]

Another good laugh.  Much 'domestic tourism' was Bangkok workers making a visit home, or their family going to visit them.  Now all the workers are back in their villages, struggling to survive.  Until the Farang tourists arrive and pour money into the country, few Thais will have any money for anything except food.

Also, these 'high quality, big spenders,' like to pay with credit cards.  So so the 3% surcharge that applies everywhere in Thailand and there might be more impulse spending.  Small things that make the difference in becoming a  'high quality' destination.