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Amazing Thailand
Tourism
continues to play the leading role in the Thai economy, not only in terms of
providing employment and spreading wealth more evenly around the Kingdom, but
also in terms of bringing in foreign currency and helping to reduce the current
account deficit.
Consequently, the top priority for the TAT (Tourism
Authority of Thailand) is to continue to come up with promotional and marketing
initiatives to increase both the number of visitors and the amount they spend,
while maintaining Thailand’s environmental and cultural heritage. To achieve
this end, the TAT has created Amazing Thailand, a multi faceted campaign that
the TAT will implement with the help and cooperation of its many government and
private sector partners.
The campaign was officially announced on June 2,
1997 at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center by Minister to the Prime
Minister's Office Piyanat Watcharaporn together with TAT Governor Seree
Wangpaichitr, Thai Airways International President Thammanoon Wanglee and
Thailand Tourism Society President Piti Sukakul.
The following is an outline of the main focus of
the campaign:
Shopping Street
The development and expansion of existing
shopping facilities on Rajdamri Road linked by a network of covered walkways to
facilitate movement. The overall objective of the project is to turn the
Rajdamri Road area into a beautiful, convenient, orderly and clean center, with
a distinctively Thai character and ambiance, which will be a world class
entertainment and shopping area on a par with Singapore's Orchard Road, the
Champs-Elysees in Paris, or Fifth Avenue in New York.
Strict standards will be set to ensure the high
quality of products and service in the development.
Shopping Promotions
Shopping will be promoted in two ways: an
official sale period will be established for Shopping Street on a permanent
basis at least once a year during the peak tourist season, and special offer
coupons giving price reductions of up to 15-20% will be distributed to tourists
at entry points to Thailand, hotels and other locations. TAT worldwide will
continuously assist in public relations activities to announce and promote the
official sale period.
The Shopping Street concept is expected to be
extended to other popular destinations in the future.
MICE (Meetings, Incentive, Convention, Exhibition)
Thailand is a popular choice for this lucrative
market, but there is much room for expansion.
With the opening of the Bangkok International and
Exhibition Center in 1997 and the Thailand Trade & Conference Center in 1999,
Thailand will have the facilities to hold large to very large exhibitions,
something it has lacked in the past. The TAT aims for Thailand to become the
leading MICE destination in the region and is redoubling its promotional efforts
for this market. One example of this is the Thailand – the Ultimate Choice
program held in June 1997, which involved taking around 170 representatives from
leading convention and incentive travel organizers from around the world on a
series of tailored, multi-destination tours to see first-hand what Thailand has
to offer. A daylong panel discussion, exhibition and farewell party allowing
local operators to meet and do business with the overseas buyers followed this.
Thai Food
The popularity of Thai food overseas has grown at
a phenomenal rate over the past decade. For instance, the number of Thai
restaurants in Denmark has grown from just a handful ten years ago to over 50
now. Thai restaurants overseas are a good means of promoting Thai food and
culture, so the TAT has initiated the Thai Food Promotion Action Plan in
association with tourism organizations, the Thai Hotels Association, airlines
and other tourism-related agencies. The plan involves a number of activities for
overseas restaurants including competitions and lucky draws, the production of
special coasters, place mats and posters for restaurants, cooking contests,
information on ingredients, recipes and food promotions. The TAT will also
organize a number of familiarization trips for travel agents and conduct a
Homecoming program for overseas Thai restaurateurs. In addition, the Thai Food
Festival will be held in April 1998, in cooperation with the Ministry of
Industry, Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives and Ministry of Commerce.
Festivals and Special Events
To mark the occasion of His Majesty the King's
6th cycle (72nd birthday) in 1999, a very auspicious age in Thai culture, a
range of festivals and special events will be organized. These are currently at
the planning stage.
Niche Markets
The TAT has identified areas that have special
appeal to the growing number of tourists looking for more than just a beach or
city holiday. These include ecotourism, soft adventure, agrotourism, natural
healing and sports. TAT overseas offices will run promotional campaigns to
attract tourists interested in these activities.
In addition to these core focus areas, the TAT is
cooperating with other organizations in areas such as arranging unique tour
programs, conducting a Homecoming promotion for overseas Thais, establishing a
model shopping promotion program in Chiang Mai that will be implemented later in
other destinations, organizing special artistic productions that are a
combination of local culture and traditions and modern arts, and promoting
Amazing Thailand through the Internet, on the TAT's WWW homepage (http://www.tourismthailand.org).
The program will be launched and supported by a comprehensive advertising
campaign (both print and TV), an integrated public relations campaign, and
special brochures and posters.
02. December 2004