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

[Tigermask]

If they want more wealthy tourists then they have to make the investments to attract them. The easier thing to do which will immediately boost tourism is to drop all restrictions. Masks are making no difference to hospitalisation rate they can go, Thailand pass isn't needed and can be dropped, PCR test double standards for vaccinated and unvaccinated make no sense if everybody has to have insurance, bars being allowed open to 3am rather than midnight makes no difference to the trajectory of the virus. Show some balls and do the obvious thing and money follows.  

[Grumpish]

Here we go again. Jam is nice, but you need the bread and butter to spread it on. Basing your business plan on high spenders alone doesn't work unless you have a high end product that other people don't have - and Thailand doesn't have this. 

[TSS]

It works for Monaco/Dubai/Barbados etc etc 

Bahamas, Caribbean, Mediterranean, South Beach, Hamptons, etc. Yeah, why isn't Thailand on that A list? 

[wtrw]

 

Thailand will never get a lot of wealthy tourists, ever. It’s just not that nice of a place. The people are still great, but not the country. I got a Thai Pass and visited with my wife January to February, including a trip to Samui. No way I will come back until the TP is gone but that’s not the point. I first went to Samui as a backpacker in 1991. Chaweng was gorgeous, a real tropical paradise. This time we stayed in a luxury resort north of Chaweng, but visiting it for the day was a huge letdown. The entire beach is walled off - no access, except through a never-ending line of small resorts which you can’t walk through unless you are a guest. The road from Central is just one tourist shop after another. It’s not over-developed. It’s over, over-developed. You can visit Samui and stay at a luxury resort - there are a handful of really nice ones, but to get to your resort the drive from the airport is an eyesore, and there’s nowhere else to go that is pristine. So most tourists stay at their resorts. This is the same situation at Phuket. We will visit Thailand on a regular basis and stay in Bangkok and then go upcountry. But for beach holidays, no more. There are so many other places around the world - Caribbean, Mediterranean, Indian Ocean and Pacific countries, that have both super resorts and where the local areas are still beautiful.

 

[HolyCowCm]

12 hours ago, Malc-Thai said:

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

I'm waiting for my best great Swiss friend to bring a few very fine nice puffers with some high end Scotch in July that we will sit on my veranda balcony and be giddy older gentlemen indulging while sitting back in my teak chairs looking overlooking the park that faces my backyard all for free. Guess I'm not high-so enough for them but I sure can puff a fine cigar like a champion and drink fine scotch with the best of them high-enders on any given day.

[Pinetree]

12 hours ago, TSS said:

It works for Monaco/Dubai/Barbados etc etc 

Bahamas, Caribbean, Mediterranean, South Beach, Hamptons, etc. Yeah, why isn't Thailand on that A list? 

Exactly right.  If they sincerely wish to be come a top class resort destination, then they need to study how the top destinations do it.  Its not a coincidence that when very wealthy people do come to Thailand, aka Lewis Hamilton earlier this year, they seem to confine themselves to the handful of 5+ star luxury resort hotels, don't travel around much, dont shop and don't seem to have much interaction with normal citizens . 

[Smithydog]

3 minutes ago, Pinetree said:

Exactly right.  If they sincerely wish to be come a top class resort destination, then they need to study how the top destinations do it.  Its not a coincidence that when very wealthy people do come to Thailand, aka Lewis Hamilton earlier this year, they seem to confine themselves to the handful of 5+ star luxury resort hotels, don't travel around much, dont shop and don't seem to have much interaction with normal citizens . 

The other challenge they face is simply the distance to travel to get here. Sure, the wealthy fly in luxury etc but they are still very long flights from the USA and parts of Europe. To travel that far you have to be different to the offerings in closer localities and then offer the luxury expected and supplied in those other areas. Some of it is also being "seen" in such areas.

Thailand needs to think outside the square with their offerings. After all, too me what they are really after is longer term investment from the wealthy rather than just a holiday. 

[HolyCowCm]

4 minutes ago, Smithydog said:

The other challenge they face is simply the distance to travel to get here. Sure, the wealthy fly in luxury etc but they are still very long flights from the USA and parts of Europe. To travel that far you have to be different to the offerings in closer localities and then offer the luxury expected and supplied in those other areas. Some of it is also being "seen" in such areas.

Thailand needs to think outside the square with their offerings. After all, too me what they are really after is longer term investment from the wealthy rather than just a holiday. 

[Soidog]

5 hours ago, Smithydog said:

Thailand needs to think outside the square with their offerings.

Exactly right. But Thailand thinking out of the square doesn’t come naturally I’m afraid. Looking to other nations and finding best practice is tantamount to treason I’m afraid. Thais have it all worked out you see. Nothing those pesky foreigners can teach them so no point in looking or asking.