New tech association emerges
July 28, 2009 by TTRweekly Staff
Filed under News, Technology
A new association established to promote technology in travel says Thai travel agents need to take technology on board as quickly as possible to beat the economic crisis.
Tourism Technology Association president, Apichai Sakulsureeyadej, believes local tourism operators need to get up to speed on technology.
He suggests Thai tour operators score a poor 30 points out of 100, in terms of technology expertise.
He made the comments at the foundation lunch of the TTA hosted, last Friday, to introduce the new association to potential members. It was attended by 300 travel agents and hoteliers who were invited the join the association.
TTA President, Apichai Sakulsureeyadej
In his presentation, he said that 50% of inbound tourists to Thailand used the internet, while over the next three years it could increase to 70 or 80%.
“Harness technology to save costs and beat the crisis,” he told travel agent and hoteliers who he hoped would sign up as members.
TTA targets hotels, inbound and outbound travel agents, spa business and car rental operators with the objective of sharing technology know-how and improving skills through training and seminars.
In September it will co-organise the Pacific Asia Travel Association’s annual IT seminar.
Mr Apichai said the association will organise seminars particularly for travel agents.
“The current trends are very worrisome for travel agents, especially SMEs, who tend to prefer traditional business models. IT is viewed as the enemy, not an application for them to improve business. It is regrettable when we see the revenue share going to foreign travel agents, who do online business at the expense of the Thai travel company.”
TTA will target government and private organizations to boost tourism technology. It is drafting the first survey on ICT use in Thailand’s tourism business, in co-operation with the National Statistics Bureau, which aims to narrow the gap and develop suitable product solutions and trainings programmes.
It intends to work with Sasin Graduate Institute of Business Administration of Chulalongkorn University to develop an accreditation and certificate for students.
Mr Apichai is the owner of two hotels on Sukhumvit road – Admiral Suites and Admiral Premier and Admiral Suites – and a technology solutions consultant company, MSL Software (Thailand). He is also developing an online booking agency at www.bookingstation.com.
Mr Apichai has some good idea’s and so did some of the other speakers
who joined him at the Dusit Thani Hotel.
I fully agree with Mr. Apichai in respect of lack of use of technology by inbound operators in Thailand. The same is the case in Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Vietnam and Indonesia.
Thailand is an ideal destination to start using technology as it will help reduce costs where margins are already wafer thin.
When we ask potential suppliers if they are able to offer services online or via xml the standard response we get is “thats too expensive for us”. It is surprising that almost all of them have not really bothered to check alternates available in the market.
The results of going online are tremendous, as was experienced by our new affiliate partner in Egypt. Hotels are queining up to give them deals, allocations, pay/stay offers etc – all of which can be handled by our system which we implemented at their office in Jan/feb 2009. They were online in 10 days.
We are very keen to establish a network of affiliate partners in ASEAN. details of this program are on the home page of our website http://www.pearltravels.com