Amazing sale brings in bucks

BANGKOK, 13 September 2011 – Visa card spending during the annual Amazing Thailand Grand Sale 2011 reached Bt20 billion, up 34% from the same period last year according to a Visa update Monday.

The company reported Bt27.4 billion spending through its cards from international shoppers during the Amazing Thailand Grand Sale 2011. The top three spenders were United States, Australia and United Kingdom and the top spend categories, excluding airfare and accommodation, were jewelry, hospitals and duty-free.

TAT Governor, Suraphon Svetasreni, said: “This year’s Amazing Thailand Grand Sale was most successful, especially in the context of global recession.” Read more

JNTO delivers discount coupons

BANGKOK, 9 September 2011 – Japan National Tourism Organisation is making a desperate bid to rebuild demand for travel with a discount coupon deals directed at consumers.

The agency said it has recruited a record 4,000 businesses to offer discounts to international visitors, but discounts are being largely ignored by Thai consumers, who prefer to travel to the country on travel agency packages.

Discount coupons can be obtained online by visiting http://www.visitjapan.jp/eng/coupon/index.html. Tourists can print out or download coupons to mobile phones as well as download applications to use coupon via android mobiles.

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Sydney climbs shop rental ranking

SYDNEY, 2 September 2011 – It’s not quite New York’s Fifth Avenue, but Sydney’s Pitt Street is climbing the ranks of the world’s most expensive retail strips by rent and now pips the Champs-Elysees in Paris.

A survey of the top 278 shopping locations in 63 countries by global real estate company Cushman & Wakefield found that in most places prime rents had risen or remained stable in the 12 months to June.

New York’s Fifth Avenue held its place as the most expensive shopping street in the world for the 10th year running, with Hong Kong’s frenetic Causeway Bay in second and Tokyo’s Ginza third. Read more

Greenpeace lambasts Adidas

BEIJING, August 23, 2011 – Shopping for branded clothing is a major draw card that attracts millions tourists to destinations in Asia, but a Greenpeace report warns it could be harmful to your health.

Traces of toxic chemicals harmful to the environment and to human health have been detected in products made by 14 top clothing manufacturers, Greenpeace told AFP Tuesday.

It warns there are significant health dangers for the avid brand shopper. Shopping tourism is a major source of revenue for most Asian capital cities led by Hong Kong, Singapore and duty-free shops in airports around Asia, all touting brand names that are identified in the report for their use of dangerous chemicals in the manufacturing process.

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Grand sale rakes in dollars

BANGKOK, 21 July 2011 – Foreign Visa cardholders spent US$95.8 million during the first weeks of the Amazing Thailand Grand Sale 2011, a 62% increase on sales during the same period in 2010.

Visa released details of card spending late last week indicating a substantial increase in retail spending when compared with the same period last year.

Visa cardholders from Japan, the US and Australia were the top three spending groups and the top items were lodging, airlines and retail, which includes sales at duty-free shops and department stores. Read more

Pattaya readies for Grand Sale

PATTAYA, 25 May 2011 – Pattaya City will host a four-month “Pattaya Grand Sale 2011,” June to September,  to promote tourism during the so called “Green Season months.”

Over 150 tourism businesses including hotels, restaurants, attractions, health care and spas, night clubs, golf course and hospitals in Pattaya city will join the mega event to offer discounts of up to 70% for both international and domestic tourists.

Last year, the city earned around Bt400 to Bt500 million from the event in tourist related revenue. Read more

Events draw up-scale visitors to Phuket

EVENTS are returning to Phuket and promising to attract at least 4,000 high spending delegates by the end of the year, while boosting occupancy for the island’s up-market hotels

Demonstrating confidence in the island’s tourism, 2,000 delegates from the Travel Agents Association of India will attend their annual convention, 24 to 27 September, at Laguna Resorts and Hotels.

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Shopping with a smile

BANGKOK, July 5, 2010 —Ratchaprasong commercial district organised a shopping bonanza over the weekend to underscore the message that the district is back in business

The weekend of shopping discounts, named Smile at Ratchaprasong, was backed by Tourism Authority of Thailand together with the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration and private sector companies.

Ratchaprasong, an area packed with five-star hotels, high-rise offices and shopping malls, was closed for two months during April and May when red-shirt protesters turned the main intersection into a rally site.

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Amazing Thailand Sale gets underway

BANGKOK 24 June, 2010 – The 12th Amazing Thailand Grand Sale will strengthen Thailand position as a shopping destination attracting Thais and short-haul international travellers with discounts of up to 80%, promotions, prizes and tax deductions. The event started last week and runs until 15 August.

Tourism Authority of Thailand in coordination with VISA International Thailand and NCC Exhibition Organiser will hold the 12th Amazing Thailand Grand Sale at department stores in seven major tourism cities in Thailand; Chiang Mai, Hat Yai, Phuket, Hua Hin, Samui, Pattaya and Udon Thani.

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Zero-dollar battle continues

A law  to enforce minimum pricing on tour packages will be introduced this April.

According to the legislation, due to be come into effect 6 April, tour companies registered in Thailand must comply with a tour pricing rule that states the price to the customer should not fall below a pre-determined cost level.

The Ministry of Tourism and Sports’ Tourism Business and Guides Committee approved, 2 March, the addition of an article to the Tourism Business and Guides Act BE 2551.

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