News Forum - Thailand sets sights on “wealthy foreign tourists” to recover economy

[Thaiger]

The Tourism Authority of Thailand, or TAT, is again going to target “wealthy group of tourists” as it works out its marketing plan as it contributes to the recovery the Thai economy following a 2 year hiatus due to closed borders and restrictions. The TAT claims that, focussing on the “rich groups”, 1.93 trillion baht will be generated in 2024 even though the number of tourists will be fewer than in the past years. The Governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand, Yuthasak Supasorn, speaking to to Thai media yesterday, says that more than 1 million foreign tourists have entered […]

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[Giltee]

I don’t want to be negative because Thailand needs tourists but it’s always about money, now rich tourists and how much they can fleece from them. Always they report on how many billion Bart the expect or get from them. It’s embarrassing. How about looking after the retired expats you have and allow them residency? It’s them who come here, build houses, take care of their Thai family and spend money. Rich tourists will come and go and likely spend not a lot more than anyone else. 

[remo940]

Yeah “soft power” that should change everything

[Prosaap]

Its very thai to not see what you have (like the expats ) but dream about more even if that make them lose what they got its only the outside thats nice and smile inside they be eaten by jealousy and greed and this will never change they can not help it 

[Dialemco]

So that is the forecast for  2024 where will these wealthy tourists go in 2022/23 presumably to other countries where they do not have ridiculous entry restrictions. 

[Pompies]

High net value tourists have been a target for some time and they are just not coming to Thailand. So far the minor influx of foreigners has been made up of low grade backpackers and opportunists. My partner's restaurant has never had so much bad behaviour & theft in over a decade of trading. So anyone looking for a bonanza in increased revenue had better get their heads straight. Thailand is attracting bottom feeders.

[ThaiEyes]

“Wealthy tourists”, yeah another pipe dream. Thais have this way of thinking if they build it, they will come. Unfortunately doesn’t quite work that way. Especially with the current admin. 🫤

[BeerIsLife]

I have to laugh whenever I read the next article about "well heeled" or "above average income" or "wealthy" tourists and the schemes that are being hatched to attract them to Thailand. Sorry, it just ain't gonna happen. I understand that it is a pride thing- Thais don't want to admit that their country attracts budget conscious tourists. But the reality is that rich people won't come to Thailand unless there are some very substantial changes:

a/ no broken sidewalks

b/ no soi dogs crapping on the beaches and annoying people

c/ no more grubby 'taxis' ripping them off

d/ more than 30 days' visa free entry

 

[HolyCowCm]

Well, it wasn't the wealthy tourists that put Thailand on the map and built things up to its glory year after year after year and supported the poorer Thai. It was the middle class and ones who saved up to take trips who came here and spent time after time after time. who in the he** do they think helps to support all the street level Thai folk and businesses as tourists? 

[Fanta]

Just now, HolyCowCm said:

who in the he** do they think helps to support all the street level Thai folk and businesses as tourists? 

Russell Crowe? 

[BIGGLES]

All the previous comments are all spot on.

However, fear not, the TAT and their magic calculator are involved so, guaranteed to be successful, NOT.

[Burapha]

Can they not just target normal tourists, you know, the ones who will spend.. one rich influencer goes to a 7-11 or ten regular tourists, they all get one of the famed Cheese toasties..  so they make 35baht from the influencer or 350baht off the tourists.. Tourists 1-0

[HolyCowCm]

15 minutes ago, Burapha said:

Can they not just target normal tourists, you know, the ones who will spend.. one rich influencer goes to a 7-11 or ten regular tourists, they all get one of the famed Cheese toasties..  so they make 35baht from the influencer or 350baht off the tourists.. Tourists 1-0

They just don't want to look at the reality of what is real. They seem to only be focusing on people who support their special interests and not the common Thai folk. Wealthy stay at high end places and mostly do above street level things.

[TSS]

'once again will target wealthy tourists...' I'm sure they'll love to know they're targeted. Is that old crap scheme talk really coming out again? Didn't pan out before, won't now.

[Geo]

More tat from TAT ,same old bullshit it's not wealthy tourists who support the economy or family's. Wake up you bunch off idiots.

[Malc-Thai]

So dropping the tax on cigars hasn't brought in the rich then !

[DiJoDavO]

4 hours ago, Giltee said:

I don’t want to be negative because Thailand needs tourists but it’s always about money, now rich tourists and how much they can fleece from them. Always they report on how many billion Bart the expect or get from them. It’s embarrassing. How about looking after the retired expats you have and allow them residency? It’s them who come here, build houses, take care of their Thai family and spend money. Rich tourists will come and go and likely spend not a lot more than anyone else. 

Right in time for the legalization of casinos, so they can suck the money out of their pockets even harder. 

Taxi scams? People will find their own way to the hotel. 

Double pricing? People will move elsewhere to have fun. 

Casinos? Not all foreigners will gamble. 

What's next is literally hanging you upside down at the airports to get that money out of your pockets. Oh, hey, they are doing that already kind of with that 300THB foreigner tax.

[DiJoDavO]

1 hour ago, TSS said:

'once again will target wealthy tourists...' I'm sure they'll love to know they're targeted. Is that old crap scheme talk really coming out again? Didn't pan out before, won't now.

Being targeted sounds like they need to run rather than coming closer to Thailand

[Benroon]

4 hours ago, Giltee said:

I don’t want to be negative because Thailand needs tourists but it’s always about money, now rich tourists and how much they can fleece from them. Always they report on how many billion Bart the expect or get from them. It’s embarrassing. How about looking after the retired expats you have and allow them residency? It’s them who come here, build houses, take care of their Thai family and spend money. Rich tourists will come and go and likely spend not a lot more than anyone else. 

It works for Monaco/Dubai/Barbados etc etc 

I doubt many countries on this planet wanting to move forward would favour expats on a budget over a steady stream of short time millionaires.

[DiJoDavO]

3 hours ago, BeerIsLife said:

I understand that it is a pride thing- Thais don't want to admit that their country attracts budget conscious tourists.

Well, that pride thing is tossed out of the window right at the moment they started to literally beg for rich people (money) in such articles. 

[Cabra]

Ok. Whatever. The same tired story that gets recycled every couple months. Yet nothing changes because Thailand does not understand what motivates the top 3% to travel and spend. What's sad is the there is so much opportunity beyond just wealthy tourist, that if Thailand stayed in its lane and simply made what they have easier to consume, they could grow back faster and not reply on gimmicks

[DiJoDavO]

3 minutes ago, Benroon said:

It works for Monaco/Dubai/Barbados etc

Those are 1) a very small country, 2) a city and 3) a small island. 

You can't put a whole country the size of Spain in the same position, or else you need to find a way to make the whole country from north to south and from east to west, a luxury resort. 

They could still have plans, but then just for a city or island. They can do that with Phuket. Most people who go there are rich anyway, because those taxis will annoy and filter out anyone who dares to spend their money wisely

So instead, maybe instead of saying Thailand targets so and so, they should say Phuket targets such groups. 

[Janneman]

Most wealthy tourists want the best possible holiday. Being forced to wear facemasks everywhere is not part of 'the best possible holiday'. Especially with plenty of facemask-free countries to choose from.

Personally, I will spend 3 months on the Azores and Cape Verde. After that I will see what the Thai rules for the high season are.

[Pinetree]

1 minute ago, Janneman said:

Most wealthy tourists want the best possible holiday. Being forced to wear facemasks everywhere is not part of 'the best possible holiday'. Especially with plenty of facemask-free countries to choose from.

Personally, I will spend 3 months on the Azores and Cape Verde. After that I will see what the Thai rules for the high season are.

Its got nothing to do with facemasks, it is more to do with filthy beaches, polluted atmosphere and water, local rip off attractions and appallingly bad customer service.  I suspect that most discerning wealthy people wouldn't be seen dead in this place, maybe once, but not a second time. Of course if they are dead, then they can't return a second time, but you get my drift

[Soidog]

The Thais are so obsessed with status and social standing, that they just don’t see how insulting such comments and initiatives are. Not everyone in the world wishes to be “Hi-So” and a big spender. Not everyone goes around deciding which way to Wai people based on social standing. 
 

In addition to the outdated social norms, Thailand has done little or nothing to attract high spenders. They build expensive shopping malls with luxury items, yet most are overly priced due to crazy import taxes that you can buy as cheap in London, New York or Paris. The management of beach fronts is well out of touch with most high-end tourist areas around the world. One example being a virtual lack of proper beach front restaurants. Thais think having a road between the restaurants and then the beach is a beach front restaurant. It’s not!  It’s a noisy, dusty and often drain smelling excuse for a beach front restaurant.
 

We all know this is just BS and Thailand will return exactly to how it was pre-pandemic. The vast majority being 2 week low to middle income holiday makers. A big chunk of Chinese on package tours and the usual groups of daft lads going wild and sex tourists. Same Same and no different!