Thailand lacks attractions
February 10, 2012 by Wanwisa Ngamsangchaikit
Filed under Trade Talk
BANGKOK, 9 February 2012: Thailand needs to urgently strengthen its travel products by adding new attractions if it is to remain a major player in ASEAN.
Association of Thai Travel Agents president, Sisdivachr Cheewarattanaporn, warned earlier this week that new tourism products were needed to raise Thailand competitiveness especially when ASEAN Economic Community arrives in 2015.
“The main selling points of Thailand are beaches and islands, and other countries in the region are promoting the identical experience,” he said.
Sisdivachr Cheewarattanaporn
“If we continue to sell the same old products then our position will be eroded.”
Thailand should have mega tourism attractions on the scale of Disneyland to encourage more tourist arrivals and revenue especially from markets like China and India.
Mr Sisdivachr praised the government’s miracle campaign, but noted like most of government’s efforts it was over a short period using a large budget.
“The Ministry of Tourism and Sports should now release a detailed three-to-five -year plan on how it intends to maintain its lead in the region.”
Thai Travel Agent Associations president and ATTA secretary, Charoen Wangananont agreed that the Miracle Thailand project was too short and needed to have a focus on encouraging investment in new attractions.
“If we want sustainable tourism development, the government should set out the blueprint and direction backing it with policies and incentives.”
Meanwhile, Thai-Japanese Tourism Association president, Anake Srishevachart, said tourism operators needed to find new tourist destinations to sell and link them to neighbouring countries.
“Many international tourists prefer to travel without using a tour operator. Last year, 80% of Japanese tourists to Thailand were independent travellers.”
He suggested that tour operators had to get ahead of the game to develop and sell new experiences.
Despite the comments and calls for action, none of the private sector leaders actually identified specific projects that could be built other than to hint that casinos have been considered.
Thailand is surrounded by neighbours who encourage casino investment.
Thailand offers same old, same old. It is getting a bit worn in the travel circles. Even in the post tsunami period those places are back to the same stuff. But folks, lets not forget tourism is not the major contributor to the economy it once was. The economy is now driven by agriculture and industrial developments (and shopping malls). The funding and the resources available to TAT reflect this so don’t expect too much from the Royal Thai Government. Private sector will have to lead on its own and with better examples.
Finally (Sorry for so many posts) -
Thai Andaman Marine NPs are no longer accessible. It is getting very, very difficult to get out to these parks via private operators. The NP system needs to provide a method to gain access to its parks and insure they can be visited!
Similans is just a total mafia. Can’t put your own tent and the trip out is double what it should be. Ko Rork is accessible now by speedboat from Lanta, operators don’t want to hassle campers. Pretty much leaves Adang, Kradan and Surins. Ang Thong is a horrid little park to stay in but a country club for staff. Chonburi parks have little access and no overnight possibilities.
Koh Chang – well that used to be a park, till Taksin allowed his buddies to ruin it.
ALL THE CORAL IS DEAD – THAILAND NEEDS TO DEVELOP ITS PARKS FOR CAMPING.
Needs to open MORE nation parks and have access to them. More islands!
No more fish in the sea due to overfishing and coral die-off. Think FAST Thailand!
Thai Andaman Marine NPs are no longer accessible – FOR CAMPING
Koh Rork – NOT accessible via Lanta speedboat
Please note – this is according to the interviewee the best Thailand has to offer and the only thing Thailand has to offer. For a purist like me – it’s done!
Thailand has nothing to offer besides floosies and that is evident. The beaches are finished.
If Thailand wants foreign capital inflow, they can design a visa program that allows long stayers to come on a one year visa made from only their home countries. They must have a ticket out (RT) and buy state insurance (emg medical). There is simply no need for proof of funds – Thailand does not grant residency, ever! To currently obtain a Thai 2 month tourist visa is a total hassle, one year insane.
For those that are married, the requirements to stay in country are downright menacing and literally subject to whim and bribe. Most people do not take this visa and make the “retirement” visa instead it is so much hassle.
The idea of putting US27,500 in a Thai bank at essentially zero interest is not appealing. Banks are not transparent AND as of 2012 only up to 1M baht is insured! All this does not even get you permanent residence, only a stamp to stay on!
That is how to get money into the country – of course, it is not about that. It is about getting money into the hands of the tourism mafia. So if that is not accomplished – Thailand has little interest in helping the nation. A sad little place it has become.
Thailand has attractive women and some good (but horribly unhealthy) food, and that’s about it. Nobody comes for the ‘Thainess’ or temples or any of those gimmicks.
It’s a dirty, hot place and the people are only helpful enough to get tourists to part with their money.
Ask a tourist who has stayed here longer than two weeks about his/her experience. Most will say they really are taken aback by how poorly foreign tourists are regarded and treated in Thailand.
I am in the industry and I think what you posted here is unfair, are you a citizen of our eastern neighbor ?
Thailand is finished as a destination for Westerners. The govt knows this and that is why they are now freely allowing nationals from places like Iran, Arab states, India and China to come freely.
Beaches are becoming a disgrace and even marine national parks, all full of garbage off the fishing boats and syringes as well everywhere washed up on the beaches.
Thailand does not care about it’s tourism or all the poor attached to this industry. If it can keep the airport flush and the skytrain in the black. If it can fill up the 4* hotels that are owned by all the Chinese/Thai – govt is very happy.
Visa situation is a NIGHTMARE. Easier for my partner to get a ten year visa to the USA than me to stay here year on year. Thai immigration seems utterly content with its policies and only become more absurd by the day.
I agree with some of the comments. Before you look for cookie-cutter solutions from outside the country, look within Thailand to harvest local resources.
Plus, FOCUS on improving the experiences of the tourists. Stop the bad tour operators, tuk tuk mafias, and other rip off artists from developing systems to take advantage of tourists. I have several examples from my last trip.
We (tourists) have worked hard for many months to save our money for our holiday. All we want to do is spend it all on fun moments in Thailand. We really want to contribute our cash to the Thai economy in a fair manner for good product and services. Getting ripped off is not on our wish list.
Once you fix internal issues, then perhaps you will be ready to take on bigger projects. I visit Thailand every year or two because I love it. But, I am getting tired of the rising cost for tourists and the growing number of rip-off artists. Of course, the floods, bombs, political fights won’t help the improvement process.
Bottomline, I hope the very people who depend on tourist dollars will come together to find a good solution for all. If not, countries like Vietnam will be the new destination for many holiday makers.
Best of luck, Thailand! I still have hope for you!
A Disneyland in Thailand? I think there are many reasons not to go that route. Thailand has it’s unique strengths, and developing them into something unique rather than copying concepts from other places (which don’t fit into Thai culture) isn’t the answer, at least in my opinion.
Why do Italy, France, U.K, Switzerland and many more countries still gain more tourists without any new attractions ? If someone can answer this question, they should forwarded it to the government and all tourism organisations concerned for their implementation.But surely if we have new and different tourist attractions from our compettitors it would give us an advantage but if not, we need to consider projects carefully.
Actually there are still some destinations which are still “underdeveloped” when it comes to the tourism sector. Khao Yai comes to mind; mainly because 4 provinces pushing their own product(s) but not the joined attraction which is the Khao Yai National Park. The land routes via the North East to Laos as well to Cambodia are hardly known to main stream foreign visitor. The Khao Yai Wine Trail introducing 4 wineries all producing quality wines and featuring restaurants as well accommodation, even though in a limited way, are worth a visit and are still hardly known to the foreign market. Just look around there is still an UNSEEN THAILAND in many corners.
It’s scary to see that the President of ATTA suggesting things like a Disneyland in Thailand, but not surprising considering the markets within he’s operating, mainly China. Well those markets are currently dominant but would it be worth it, developing a piece of American culture in Thailand to please a relatively low yield market and then instead of competing with Cambodia, Malysia and in the near future (if the positive development continues) Myanmar, instead taking on Hong Kong? Thailand already got so much to offer its guests, the treasures are here all around but obviously when not even the local operators and agencies are aware how can it be “sold” to the visitors? We have heritage, nature, food, shopping and entertainment, even the Thai smile are still existing. Why not giving the existing a touch up which they need instead of using the “copy paste” model by constructing something new which along with the other old projects after a few years in operation will be thrown on the scrapyard.
Quote: “If we want sustainable tourism development, the government should set out the blueprint and direction backing it with policies and incentives.” Yes, we need a bigger share of the sustainable tourism. No, we don’t need advise and “laws”, in forced by bureaucrats and organizations not having a clue whats sustainable tourism is about, clearly lined out when a ATTA “Eco” field trip has ATV driving as one of the highlights and the ATTA meeting focusing on the subject again headlines ATV. My own company – Asian Oasis, have successfully operated sustainable tourism for the past many years but nobody is asking for advise here, also a few members of TEATA knows what it’s about who could be taken in on advise. A funny thing here is that we are requested from foreign organizations to give lectures and inputs but not locally, and have just a couple a weeks ago received the special recognition from the FITUR exhibition in Spain, for our work in sustainable truism.