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REPORT – ATF 21012 – MANADO, INDONESIA: The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) announced that tourism arrival numbers for the Kingdom have returned to normal, following a slight decline at the end of the year due to the flooding.
As the flood has started to recede in early December, Thailand’s tourism sector once again showed its resilience. With the co-operation of the public and private sectors, the TAT launched the “Beautiful Thailand” campaign, which regained the confidence of international travellers and resulted in rapid growth in the number of tourist arrivals. By the end of 2011, Thailand welcomed a total of over 19 million international visitors, which represents annual growth of 20% compared to 2010.
“The Thai tourism sector has proven its ability to bounce back when faced with similar situations in the past. This is due to the uniqueness and quality of our tourism products and the strength of the Thailand brand, which has strong affinity with travellers all over the world,” said Mr Sansern Ngaorungsi, Deputy Governor for International Marketing (Asia and the South Pacific). “As more people have understood that Thailand’s tourism infrastructure remains intact and they can enjoy the many memorable experiences that only Thailand offers, we have seen the rapid restoration of tourist arrival numbers.”
Thailand started off 2012 strongly with over 300,000 international visitor arrivals during the first week of January. This is very close to the number of arrivals for the same period last year, demonstrating that Thailand’s tourism sector has once again rebounded. For 2012, the TAT is targeting more than 19.5 million international arrivals, a 26% increase over last year’s target. Tourism revenues for 2012 are expected to reach 24 billion USD (766 billion Baht), an increase of 28% over last year.
Nearly 30% of visitors to Thailand come from within the ASEAN region. ASEAN visitor arrivals to Thailand during January-November 2011 totalled 4.9 million, up 22% over the same period of 2010. The top five ASEAN countries for arrivals include, Malaysia with over 2 million arrivals (up 16%), followed by Lao PDR with 821,000 arrivals (up 26%), Singapore with 592,000 arrivals (up 14%), Vietnam with 475,000 arrivals (up 37%), and Indonesia with 337,000 arrivals (up 33%). Over 84% of ASEAN tourists are repeat visitors, and 81% are Free Independent Travelers (FITs). In 2010, around 3.3 million Thais visited the other ASEAN countries, and over 1.7 million Thais traveled to destinations in ASEAN during the first half of 2011.
The TAT’s strategy for 2012 will focus on Thailand’s brand image, digital marketing, sustainable tourism and effective crisis communications. For Brand Image, the TAT will continue to reinforce the essence of the Thailand brand, “Amazing Thailand Always Amazes You”, with a focus on authenticity, value for money, and hospitality.
Digital marketing will play an increasingly important role in the tourism sector. The TAT has been using digital marketing to promote Thai tourism for many years and has been recognized as a leader in online tourism. It will continue to tap into a wider pool of travelers through social networks, online games, and mobile applications.
Sustainable tourism is another key aspect of the TAT’s strategy. The TAT has continuously promoted sustainable tourism through the concept of Seven Greens – Green Heart, Green Logistics, Green Destinations, Green Communities, Green Activities, Green Services, and Green[Plus]+, which encourages Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) among operators. It also collaborates with various partners to identify interesting options for eco-friendly travel, such as the Green Hotels, the Green Islands of Ko Chang, and newer environmental-friendly tourism products.
The fourth and final part of the TAT’s strategy will be effective crisis communications. Through a combination of digital media tools and traditional channels, the TAT is able to communicate the accurate information that tourists need when a crisis situation occurs.
The Thai tourism industry is also focused on the opportunities presented by niche markets. For travelers from the ASEAN region, the TAT focuses on niches including golf, health and wellness, shopping, entertainment, and cultural tourism.
“I am sure that the co-operation of ASEAN countries as we become an integrated tourist destination under the AEC will help to make Southeast Asia the world’s favorite place for travelers. The TAT Thailand looks forward to a greater future for our part of the world, and a great year for Thai tourism itself in 2012,” concluded Deputy Governor Sansern.
The ATF was held for the first time in 1981. The event is held annually to promote tourism in the ASEAN region. Each ATF event is comprised of executive meetings, educational meetings/seminars, and a travel trade exhibition, “ASEAN Tourism Exchange: TRAVEX.”
The TAT joins the ATF every year, bringing sellers from Thailand to the trade exhibition. The sales promotion event “ASEAN Travex” is the largest travel trade event in ASEAN. This year’s TRAVEX is being held at the Golden Kuwanua Exhibition Center in Manado, Indonesia, joined by 316 Sellers from 10 ASEAN countries. The majority are from Thailand (28.48%) and Indonesia (25.31%) and there are 381 Buyers from all over the world.
Thailand’s exhibition area covers 36 sqm under the theme “Amazing Thailand Always Amazes You.” Thailand also held a “Pattaya Night” party, featuring a Tiffany Show, on 13 January 2012 to promote tourism in Pattaya and Chonburi.
Vicky is the co-founder of TravelDailyNews Media Network where she is the Editor-in Chief. She is also responsible for the daily operation and the financial policy. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Tourism Business Administration from the Technical University of Athens and a Master in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Wales. She has many years of both academic and industrial experience within the travel industry. She has written/edited numerous articles in various tourism magazines.
