News Forum - Thailand tourism, innovate or die – OPINION

[Mandy]

  On 5/29/2022 at 9:36 AM, Soidog said:

The sky high air fares is an interesting situation. It feels like a “chicken an egg” situation with a hint of sharp practice by the airlines. While fuel costs explain half of the increase, what’s driving the rest of it? If it’s demand outstripping supply, then increase flights. 
 

If I was a “normal” tourist looking to visit a tropical island paradise or experience a culture different to my own, Thailand would drop off my lists for the following reasons:

1) Every time I look to develop my plans, the requirements change. Just can’t keep up and hence hassle.

2) What the hell is this Thailand Pass thingy?  looks like hassle.

3) I hear they still make you wear face masks!  No thanks.

4) Why do I have to pay for my flights and my hotel before I can get my Tourist Visa? Surely that’s not right?

5) What’s this extra Covid insurance all about? Is Covid still so rampant that I need additional insurance?  That’s a bit scary so maybe I’ll give Thailand a miss.

6) I hear not much entertainment or night life? Boring.

7) BA don’t have any direct flights to BKK from London and EVA have a 50% schedule. Thai airways are expensive and poor service.

I could add lack of condemnation for Russia and the fact the Thai government is a military government. But that would exclude me from most of SE Asia! 

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Couldn't agree more, very well put.

Thailand, you're just not that high up on people's holiday destination anymore and you only have the government to blame.

[rc1]

  On 5/29/2022 at 9:36 AM, Soidog said:

The sky high air fares is an interesting situation. It feels like a “chicken an egg” situation with a hint of sharp practice by the airlines. While fuel costs explain half of the increase, what’s driving the rest of it? If it’s demand outstripping supply, then increase flights. 
 

If I was a “normal” tourist looking to visit a tropical island paradise or experience a culture different to my own, Thailand would drop off my lists for the following reasons:

1) Every time I look to develop my plans, the requirements change. Just can’t keep up and hence hassle.

2) What the hell is this Thailand Pass thingy?  looks like hassle.

3) I hear they still make you wear face masks!  No thanks.

4) Why do I have to pay for my flights and my hotel before I can get my Tourist Visa? Surely that’s not right?

5) What’s this extra Covid insurance all about? Is Covid still so rampant that I need additional insurance?  That’s a bit scary so maybe I’ll give Thailand a miss.

6) I hear not much entertainment or night life? Boring.

7) BA don’t have any direct flights to BKK from London and EVA have a 50% schedule. Thai airways are expensive and poor service.

I could add lack of condemnation for Russia and the fact the Thai government is a military government. But that would exclude me from most of SE Asia! 

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Great summary, well said. 

Tourism won't recover until public health restrictions are removed and the fear subsides. 

Thailand is one of a rapidly dwindling handful of countries in the world with this level of Covid measures. 

[Leo]

I was on Sukhumvit between Asok and Phrom Phong last night 8-11pm. The number of tourists was about 1/10 of what it was pre-2020.

I stay in Ratchada/Huay Kwang. The tourist sector here is, in one word, devastated, since they relied on Chinese tourism. I'd say about half, or over half, of the hotels are closed here.

In fact, you don't need a complicated, expensive, extensive research to find out what's going on. A search on Agoda for June in Bangkok yields 3,884 hotels, while pre-2020 I believe it was over 11,000.

Edited May 30, 2022 by Leo

[Mandy]

  On 5/29/2022 at 6:03 PM, Bangkok_Gary said:

They are making it difficult for people like me who want to spend the winter in Thailand. Too much red tape to get a long stay visa. Many countries issue a 90 day Visa on Arrival which can be renewed simply by leaving the country and re-entering. Why does Thailand restrict the length of stay to 30 days ? And why do they restrict the number of times it can be renewed ? It is stupid. The longer people stay the more money they spend. 

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Those were the good old days

[Nick]

The biggest barrier now is air fairs which have more than doubled with most airlines. Thailand pass is now no problem as I already had the documents and mine was accepted on the same day.  I was through immigration 15 minutes after landing.

[PRC]

The Thailand Pass is definitely  still putting the less computer literate retirees from visiting

They need to scrap it completely. 

It might not be an issue to the younger generation  but to us oldies it certainly still is

[vlad]

Having read Tim's article which was well constructive and to the point. I have been coming and going long stat short stay to Thailand for over 15 years so I'm no 2-week tourist I have witnessed the decline of the hospitality sector where for the tourist is concerned its all about how much you can relieve them of their hard-earned cash. If you complain about your hotel your now risking a fine. If you post remarks that you feel are needed. Don't be blinkered that the lack of tourists is a problem that is besetting Tourist arrivals now, the problems with declining numbers were there pre Covid with many complaints from tourists being ignored. The usual answer was we don't care what you think there will be another plane in an hour. Take the small entry fee for Tourists they don't realize it's not the fee it's the principle I've decided to give you my money by traveling to your country I do not need to pay a small entry fee. I will be spending thousands of Baht for your government during my holiday. take out expensive holiday insurance,  not cheap if you have a pre-medical condition like me, then I'm forced to pay covid insurance and we now know how you're treating us and this is showing now in your incoming tourist numbers. just another holiday scam we know now how the Thai Government views us  For me, TAT needs to look at what tourists want and expect in a holiday like discounts on hotels scrapping all rules on entry look at how the tourism sector reacted in Greece and Spain, and Portugal once there were signs of a tourism recovery. Make the tourist feel welcome not what you can get out of them make them feel that once they return to their country they will tell their friends how good it was instead of them returning saying I'm never returning there. Over the last few weeks, our Airports in the UK are rammed and are having to put on extra staff because tourists are now flying to holiday destinations after the last 2 years we have had. 

[HiuMak]

  On 5/29/2022 at 11:19 AM, Maikel said:

Inovative can't help.

sincerely?

Ticket are expensive, but methamphetmine is spreading as other crimes too. And.. too many scams targeting tourists, as taxi drives, tuktuk mafias, etc. 

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Innovating to scam? Just look at the Phuket Taxis. No controls on these scammers just irks me

[Viggen840]

Perhaps the government needs to have a re-think about alleged 'orange' zones. Maybe a lot of tourists are Anutin's dream and DO come to Thailand for more than the girlie bars.

[Benroon]

  On 5/30/2022 at 6:37 AM, Nick said:

The biggest barrier now is air fairs which have more than doubled with most airlines. Thailand pass is now no problem as I already had the documents and mine was accepted on the same day.  I was through immigration 15 minutes after landing.

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That’s it -  I flew business class £1000 (Finnair)  in November, now you need to pay that for economy. The other ‘issues’ mentioned are just trivia and nothing more than minor hiccups. But people vote with their wallets. 

Oh wait why are fares so expensive? Well that will be that Russian despots pipe dream tacitly supported by Thailand (birds of a feather flock together) who are now complaining long haul figures are disappointing - that’s what happens when you put military people in government. 

[Benroon]

  On 5/30/2022 at 9:19 AM, Viggen840 said:

Perhaps the government needs to have a re-think about alleged 'orange' zones. Maybe a lot of tourists are Anutin's dream and DO come to Thailand for more than the girlie bars.

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I’m saying nah! It’s a sex pest destination foremost. 

[Benroon]

  On 5/30/2022 at 6:50 AM, PRC said:

The Thailand Pass is definitely  still putting the less computer literate retirees from visiting

They need to scrap it completely. 

It might not be an issue to the younger generation  but to us oldies it certainly still is

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There are many many companies that will do it for you now for less than 50 quid. 

[Smithydog]

Thailand is getting left behind in my opinion and it is in more ways than just. How you can enter, what you need to enter, and what you can do is confusing. 

Compare to Asian countries principal travel sites. Thailand and Vietnam.

Vietnam is a very clean site, attractive and immediately says...

"Choose from 5 beach holiday destinations in Vietnam: Phu Quoc, Danang, Quang Nam, Khanh Hoa, and Quang Ninh. And best of all, it’s quarantine-free for the fully vaccinated. You are free to enjoy full holiday access upon arrival."

It reads like a site designed for marketing the country.

https://vietnam.travel/node/1336

Under visas it says what to do and this was hidden away at the bottom of the page. So not perfect!

"Surgical masks, social distancing and sanitising are required at all times. Children under two are allowed outdoors when accompanied by adults."

But compare now with the offering from Tourism Thailand.

https://www.tourismthailand.org/home

This reads like a government information website not one designed to attract people to visit. It is disjointed and frankly, hard to find things on. It pales in comparison, in my opinion.

TAT needs to start with basics and market on the internet better. Since Covid-19, it would be fair to say there has been a general increase in the use of digital platforms, as people have been isolated and separated. Hence you need to keep up with the times.

The page you want potential tourists to land on must present itself in the best possible manner, whether that is just a landing page for an advert or a full website found through a Google search. Second rate won't cut it and TAT urgently need to make their website standout.

Otherwise people won't bother with the text. They see the pretty pictures and choose other places as their first choice.

[Hansa]

Every article I read about hopes for the millions of tourists to return to Thailand, leaves out several important points. What Tim lays out as reason's for low tourist numbers are all correct. But there are some global issues, of which people personally are struggling with every single day. Inflation is one of them. The value of the dollar, and other debt based currencies, is decreasing lower and lower. That means, what a tourist could afford to pay 5 years ago, has likely gone up about 30% or so. Another, many people have lost their jobs, their homes, their pensions and their savings. Another problem is, unless someone is truly desperate to get away from home and come here, the regular tourist, doesn't want to deal with restrictions and health alerts. Vacation time for many is short, and freedom to move around, and not feel intimidated in a country of which a good many people don't speak English, is hard enough. Plus, covid--whether it is over or not--is still in everybody's minds. And one last thing: I keep reading how Thailand wants to focus especially on wealthy tourists and investors. One should never, alienate potential customers, or potential tourist demographics. Once upon a time, Thailand catered to the back-packers. Now a days, seeing a tourist with a big back-pack stretching over their body, is rare. Destinations which were once back-packer havens, are now only attractive to rich tourists. This is a pity. Maybe Thailand could give incentive and invest in different types of resorts, which are low budget, impermanent, which offer camping, of inexpensive, bio-degradable accommodation, which profit low income Thais. . . Well, I have other ideas to change the face of tourism and increase numbers. . . Thank you for the opportunity to share. Good article!

[Gchan]

  On 5/30/2022 at 6:50 AM, PRC said:

The Thailand Pass is definitely  still putting the less computer literate retirees from visiting

They need to scrap it completely. 

It might not be an issue to the younger generation  but to us oldies it certainly still is

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Not to mention the cost of insurance for older visitors..its a definitely a nogo for me thank you

[Politenessman]

  On 5/30/2022 at 10:19 AM, Benroon said:

There are many many companies that will do it for you now for less than 50 quid. 

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the reality is most people who can't do it have a friend, relative or neighbour who could knock it over for them in 15 mins.