Amazing Thailand Networking Lunch Speech BIT 2013

On behalf of the Thai tourism industry, I bid you a warm welcome to our networking lunch. Thank you very much for joining us. It is a great pleasure to be here at the BIT 2013 in Milan. We truly appreciate your continued support for Thai tourism.

Over the years, Thai-Italian economic and cultural relations have developed very actively. And one of the areas that both our countries share popularity is food. I think if people were to be asked which food is more popular worldwide, Thai or Italian, it would be a pretty close race.

Market Situation

The year 2012 was proclaimed by the Royal Thai Government as the “Miracle Year of Amazing Thailand.” I am happy to report that the Thai tourism industry enjoyed a minor miracle when Thailand achieved another record-breaking performance, from January to December 2012, international visitor arrivals to Thailand totalled 22.3 million in 2012, a solid growth rate of 15.96 percent compared to 19.23 million in 2011. The entire Thai travel and tourism industry celebrated this landmark event on 28 December, 2012, with a welcoming ceremony for the twenty-first millionth visitor who flew in from Vietnam. I said it was a minor miracle because we had good growth from our long-haul markets even though several economies went through a rough period last year.

In spite of the Eurozone crisis, visitor arrivals to Thailand from all the European countries have shown a 9.97 percent increase to 5.4 million.

Indeed, arrivals from Italy totalled 174,902 in 2011 and up to 186,500 in 2012. Italy remains one of our strongest markets in Europe, with a growth in arrivals for 2 consecutive years. In 2012, the average daily expenditure of Italian visitors was about 3,419 Baht (85 Euros) per person with a very high average length of stay of roughly 16 days.

I would like to take this opportunity to express the heartfelt thanks and appreciation to all our tourism industry friends in Italy who have supported us in making Thailand a favorite destination in Asia for your clients.

As of January 2013, a total of 7 direct scheduled flights are operating between Thailand and major cities of Italy (Rome and Milan) by Thai Airways International. Etihad, Emirates, Blue Panorama, and Qatar Airways also fly to Thailand several times per week.

In 2013, TAT is expecting to receive 197,000 (196,925.35) Italian visitors (up 5.59%) with a projected income of 11 billion Baht (293 million Euros). And for 2014 our hope is that Italy can reach 200,000 arrivals. I would like to extend my sincere thanks to the Italian travel trade for your support in helping us to achieve our set targets.

TAT is confident that if the global, regional and local situation remains stable, this year will see Thailand receive 24.5 million arrivals, generating a projected tourism income of 1.149 billion baht.

Marketing Strategy

Due to changing consumer behavior, TAT has adjusted its marketing strategies to concentrate more on high-yield visitors – those who are likely to stay longer and spend more. This is in line with the core theme of the TAT Action Plan 2013 “Higher Revenue through Thainess.” TAT will attract tourists with the Charm of Thainess which includes Thai Experience, Thai Way of Life, and Thai Culture.

New Product Update/New Development

To deliver the best holiday experience to all Italian visitors, we are giving four key target customer segments. They are golf, health and wellness, weddings and honeymoons, and green tourism. We believe the time is right to focus on these niche sectors of the market, as they are more likely to be ‘recession proof.’ Thailand has an abundance of products to cater to all four niche-markets all year round.

Golf: Thailand today has an expansive range of golf tour operators and over 200 top-quality golf courses nationwide. Golfers come from all around the world, especially places like Japan and Korea, to play and attend international tournaments. We also hold an annual golf travel mart to provide more networking opportunities. Not only are the courses immaculately designed, but the cost of playing in Thailand is generally much lower than that of many countries.

Health and wellness tourism is growing rapidly. Thailand is now receiving more than 1.5 million international arrivals for medical treatment per year. Our country is proud to have professional expertise in both prevention and cure. Visitors also come to Thailand to learn how to meditate or apply natural therapies.

Weddings and Honeymoons: Thailand’s stunning scenery is the perfect backdrop for memorable weddings, honeymoons and all milestone occasions in one’s life. For people in love, it is a most romantic destination. The global tour operator giant Kuoni even ranked Thailand in the top 10 destinations in the world for both weddings and honeymoons.

In the month of February 2013, when St. Valentine’s Day falls, we launched a special activity as part of a “Thailand 2gether Forever” campaign targeted at wedding couples and honeymooners. Bearing the theme of “Flowers and Love”, this specific activity allowed the couples a fast-track entry via the Immigration Premium Lane at Suvarnabhumi Airport all through the month. For the first time, the privilege was extended to same-sex couples.

Green Tourism: We will also retain a strong focus on catering to the continuing growing trend for green tourism, a holiday that compliments its environment and the local communities. From quiet treks in the jungles to soft adventure like zip lining and rock climbing, Thailand has outdoor activities to suit any preference.

New Shopping Areas in Bangkok

As you are aware, the fun of shopping in Thailand never ends. Some elegant new shopping centres have emerged that allow visitors to enjoy hunting for bargains or buying brand-name products. These include the ASIATIQUE The Riverfront: A lifestyle project on the banks of the scenic Chao Phraya River, the recently revamped and very chic Siam Centre, given a complete makeover and just opened this 11 January; Terminal 21: Located on Sukhumvit Road, Bangkok, this is the first shopping mall with a different theme for each floor. Central Embassy, a mega-mall project in downtown Bangkok, will add yet another landmark to the city’s shopping scene by the end of this year.

In line with the major lifestyle changes taking place worldwide, Thailand is seeing the growth of some remarkably hip, intimate and boutique products which we are marketing under the slogan: ‘CHIC By Thailand.’ The ‘chic’ new products include hotels, restaurants, art galleries, museums, bars, and attractions throughout the country.

All in all, Thailand’s tourism attributes are among the most praised at the international level. According to the FutureBrand Country Brand Index 2012-13 (CBI), Thailand has consistently performed well for the top list of Value for Money as well as ranked as eighth of the Top 25 for tourism, tenth for Food, eleventh for Shopping, tenth for Beach, and ninth for nightlife in the world-class brand.

New Developments in the Aviation Sector

Air access remains our primary source of visitor arrivals, and here a number of developments are underway that will ensure both adequate access as well as high standards of products and services and facilities.

Our former international airport Don Mueang Airport has now been opened for low-cost airline flights. Scheduled airlines now based there are AirAsia, Nok Air and Orient Thai while non-scheduled airlines are Solar Air and Nok Mini. Low-cost airlines are growing significantly, especially for short-haul regional connections.

Phuket International Airport has now become our second most important aviation gateway after Bangkok and is being expanded to accommodate the growing numbers, especially as a result of direct flights coming from regional and intercontinental points. The runway is being extended to allow it to even receive the A380 aircraft. The passenger terminal will also be expanded to accommodate 12.5 million annual passenger movements.

In October, Thai Airways International joined the growing number of global airlines operating the world’s largest and most technologically advanced aircraft, the Airbus A380. A total of six A380s will be delivered over the next 6 months, raising to new levels the pleasure of travelling to Thailand in spectacular comfort, style and luxury.

You may find it interesting to note that our aviation primary gateway, Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport topped the list as the most Instagrammed place in the world in 2012. According to Instagram, more than 100,000 photos were taken at Suvarnabhumi Airport last year.

In fact, TAT has been introducing our own travel applications to tourists in an effort to enhance social customer relationship management in every major market so our fan club can connect with us 24/7. Our most popular apps include Amazing Thailand, SpeakThai, Thai Spa and Lifestyle Thailand.

AEC in 2015

Thailand’s geographical location in the heart of Southeast Asia, our unbeatable competitive advantage, will be further bolstered by the positive changes taking place in both ASEAN and the Greater Mekong Subregion or GMS. In terms of ASEAN, the trade and services liberalisation that will come with the ASEAN Economic Community or AEC, by 2015 will boost people movements through and within the 10-member grouping.

Exciting and exotic ASEAN destinations surround Thailand. They include Angkor Wat, Luang Prabang, Halong Bay, and, of course, Myanmar. Thailand is the best holiday-transport hub to reach them.

Conclusion

Ladies and gentlemen,

The year 2013 has gone well so far, without any major global upheavals. Barring any negative global, regional or local developments, Thailand expects to remain at the forefront of the Asia-Pacific tourism industry well into the foreseeable future. Our strengths and competitive advantages will continue to serve us in good stead.

As such, we look forward to working with you, the tour operators and media, for mutual benefit in promoting Thailand as the best destination for your clients and readers. And of course, if you need any further information, please do not hesitate to contact Miss Jittima Sukpalin, the Director of TAT Rome and Mr. Sandro Botticelli, Marketing Manager of TAT Rome, who will be glad to assist you.

I would like to thank all of you for joining us here today for your ongoing support. We would like to assure you that “Amazing Thailand: Always Amazes You.”

Thank you all for coming, grazie and sawasdee khrap.

Download the full presentation

ATF Media Briefing 2013

Sa bai di, sawasdee khrap, and good afternoon,
Distinguished guests,
Ladies and gentlemen,
Greetings to all media covering the ASEAN Tourism Forum in Lao PDR.

Introduction

Thank you all for being with us today. It is always a pleasure to see such a large turnout of friends and supporters at our media conferences. This year, the ATF 2013 marks the 32nd anniversary of this event since its inauguration in 1981.

I would like to extend my warm thanks and gratitude to the people, government and travel industry of Lao PDR for their warm hospitality and excellent arrangements. We are very proud and happy to see your country hosting its second ATF. The Thailand contingent is here in full force, represented by 117 Sellers and 37 Buyers from all segments of the tourism industry.

Today, I am going to give you a brief round up of some of the key developments in the Thai travel and tourism industry which is scaling new heights, contributing significantly to our national goals of poverty alleviation, job creation, and distribution of income around the country.

Thailand Tourism Update

The year 2012 was proclaimed by the Royal Thai Government as the “Miracle Year of Amazing Thailand.” I am happy to report that the Thai tourism industry enjoyed a minor miracle when Thailand achieved another record-breaking performance, from January – December 2012, international visitor arrivals to Thailand totalled 22.3 million in 2012, a solid growth rate of 15.98 percent compared to 19.23 million in 2011. The entire Thai travel and tourism industry celebrated this landmark event on 28 December, 2012, with a welcoming ceremony for the twenty-first millionth visitor who flew in from Vietnam. I said it was a minor miracle because we had good growth from our long-haul markets even though several economies went through a rough period last year.

Two source-markets, China and Malaysia, are now generating more than two million annual arrivals. Furthermore, four source markets, Japan, Russia, Korea and India, are generating more than one million arrivals each. We are actively pursuing tourism revenue under our “Higher Revenue Through Thainess” scheme and are targeting the so-called RICHI countries – Russia, India, China, and Indonesia – for upmarket visitors. These countries are like sparkling tourism diamonds that surround Thailand.

The ASEAN countries in total are generating over six million arrivals with spectacular growth by Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR., Myanmar and Vietnam.

One remarkable statistic is that visitors from Lao PDR to Thailand crossed the 900,000 mark in 2012 and most probably will cross the one million mark this year.

The TAT is confident that if the global, regional and local situation remains stable, this year will see Thailand receive 24.5 million arrivals, generating a projected tourism income of 1.149 billion baht.

New Product Updates/New Developments

Clearly, for Thailand, the age of trying to generate quantitative, numerical growth is over. We are now trying to achieve the balanced philosophy of enhancing qualitative growth and also improve the quality of our products and services accordingly.

This strategy will be implemented via focusing on niche markets. Four key target customer segments in this category are golfers, medical tourists, weddings and honeymooners, and ecotourists. During this time of continuing economic uncertainty, we believe it is right to focus on these qualities and niche sectors of the market as they are more likely to be ‘recession proof’.

We believe we have the right range of products to cater to all four niche-markets.

Thailand today has an expansive range of golf tour operators and we have over 200 top-quality golf courses nationwide. Golfers come from all around the world, especially from places like Japan and Korea to play. Not only are the courses immaculately designed, but the cost of playing in Thailand is generally much lower than that of many countries.

Health and wellness tourism is growing rapidly. Each year, Thailand receives more than 1.5 million international arrivals for medical treatment. Moreover, our country is proud to have professional expertise in both prevention and cure. Visitors also come to Thailand to learn how to meditate or apply natural therapies.

Our luxury travel experiences and products have been well-established for decades, especially iconic hotels like The Oriental. Many more such prime properties have emerged nationwide, and are proving extremely popular with the wedding and honeymoon market. The recent explosion of many new boutique-style properties have been designed for discerning guests seeking a comfortable, delectable ambience, high-quality individualised service and, extremely important, total privacy.

We are also retaining a strong focus on catering to the continuing growing trend for “Ecotourism,” a holiday that compliments its environment and the local communities. From quiet treks in the jungles to soft adventure like zip lining and rock climbing, Thailand has outdoor activities to suit any preference.

New Shopping Areas in Bangkok

As you are aware, the fun of shopping in Thailand never ends. Some elegant new shopping centres have emerged that allow visitors to enjoy hunting for bargains or buying brand-name products. These include the ASIATIQUE The Riverfront: A lifestyle project on the banks of the scenic Chao Phraya River, the recently revamped and very chic Siam Centre, given a complete makeover and just opened this 11 January; Terminal 21: Located on Sukhumvit Road, Bangkok, this is the first shopping mall with a different theme for each floor. Central Embassy, a mega-mall project in downtown Bangkok, will add yet another landmark to the city’s shopping scene by the end of this year.

In line with the major lifestyle changes taking place worldwide, Thailand is seeing the growth of some remarkably hip, intimate and boutique products which we are marketing under the slogan: ‘CHIC By Thailand.’ The ‘chic’ new products include hotels, restaurants, art galleries, museums, bars, and attractions throughout the country.

All in all, Thailand’s tourism attributes are among the most praised at the international level. According to the FutureBrand Country Brand Index 2012-13 (CBI), Thailand has consistently performed well for the top list of Value for Money as well as ranked as eighth of the Top 25 for tourism, tenth for Food, eleventh for Shopping, tenth for Beach, and ninth for night life in the world-class brand.

New Developments in the Aviation Sector

Air access remains our primary source of visitor arrivals, and here a number of developments are underway that will ensure both adequate access as well as high standards of products and services and facilities.

Our former international airport Don Mueang Airport has now been opened for low-cost airline flights. Scheduled airlines now based there are Air Asia, Nok Air and Orient Thai while non-scheduled airlines are Solar Air and Nok Mini. Low-cost airlines are growing significantly, especially for short-haul regional connections.

Phuket International Airport has now become our second most important aviation gateway after Bangkok and is being expanded to accommodate the growing numbers, especially as a result of direct flights coming from regional and intercontinental points. The runway is being extended to allow it to receive even the A380 aircraft. The passenger terminal will also be expanded to accommodate 12.5 million annual passenger movements.

In October, Thai Airways International joined the growing number of global airlines operating the world’s largest and most technologically advanced aircraft, the Airbus A380. A total of six A380s will be delivered over the next 6 months, raising to new levels the pleasure of travelling to Thailand in spectacular comfort, style and luxury.

You may find it interesting to note that our aviation primary gateway, Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport topped the list as the most Instagrammed place in the world in 2012. According to Instagram, more than 100,000 photos were taken at Suvarnabhumi Airport last year.

In fact, TAT has been introducing our own travel applications to tourists in an effort to enhance social customer relationship management in every major market so our fan club can connect with us 24/7. Our most popular apps include Speak Thai, Thai Spa and Lifestyle Thailand.

New Developments in Overland Access

In future, the biggest growth will take place in surface transport, especially via the grand Asian Highway network. Thailand will be a major beneficiary of this, as it lies at the crossroads of this multi-billion dollar network that is slowly making it possible to drive from Singapore to Kunming, and from Yangon to Ho Chi Minh City, all via Thailand. If low-cost airlines have made it possible for “everyone to fly,” boosting road and rail transport through the ASEAN and GMS regions will make it even more possible for everyone to travel across an integrated, international, intermodal transport system. The highways will go along way towards helping tour operators open up new destinations and build fly, drive, and air packages region wide.

A very critical component of this highway network are the three bridges that presently exist, linking Thailand and Lao PDR. over the Mekong River.

The first Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge over the Mekong linking the Thai province of Nong Khai and Lao capital of Vientiane was opened in 1994. The second Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge linking the Lao province of Savannakhet with northeastern Thailand's Mukdahan province was opened in 2006. The third Thai–Lao Friendship Bridge, linking Nakhon Phanom province in Thailand with Thakhek, Khammouane in Lao PDR. was opened in November 2011.

And now, in April 2013, the fourth Thai - Lao Friendship Bridge is expected to open. The 480-metre long bridge will link the Huayxai district in Lao PDR’s Bokeo province to Chiang Khong in northern Thailand's Chiang Rai province. The bridge is part of the GMS north-south economic corridor project, linking Chiang Rai province to Kunming, via Highway Number 3 in Lao PDR.

Other Regional Developments in Terms of Connectivity

As you are aware, one of the biggest developments in the region has been the opening up of Myanmar. We expect Thailand will benefit from this, too. Bangkok is the nearest international aviation gateway, and our Myanmar tourism colleagues have always maintained that if they could only get one percent of Thailand’s tourism arrivals to also visit Myanmar, they would be more than happy. We expect that to happen and will be working closely with the Myanmar tourism industry to provide them with the necessary support.

Thailand-Cambodia Visa: Thailand and Cambodia have concluded a single visa agreement, which will enable tourists to obtain one visa to visit both countries. The visa would allow visitors from 35 countries to stay up to 60 days in Thailand and 60 days in Cambodia. Tourists will be able to apply for the visa at embassies of either country. The agreement comes under the Ayeyawady-Chao Phraya-Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy (ACMECS) framework.

AEC in 2015

You are all aware of the regional trade and services liberalisation that will come with the ASEAN Economic Community or AEC by 2015. The entire ASEAN region is now gearing up for this to ensure that we take advantage of the emerging opportunities and prepare for the emerging challenges. There will be plenty of both. As economic opportunities emerge region wide, two major growth areas will be business travel and the entire MICE sector.

I would also like to alert media friends to our newly-launched bilingual Thai-English website of http://th.aectourismthai.com in which we provide updates of ASEAN developments of relevance to travel and tourism. We think you will find it an interesting starting point to research stories of regional interest.

Conclusion

As I mentioned earlier, barring any negative global, regional or local developments, Thailand expects to remain at the forefront of the Asia-Pacific tourism industry well into the foreseeable future. Our strengths and competitive advantages will continue to serve us in good stead. We look forward to working with you for mutual benefit in promoting Thailand to your guests and clients.

I would like to thank all of you for joining us here today for your ongoing support. We would like to assure you that “Amazing Thailand Always Amazes You.”

Thank you and sawasdee khrap.

Download the full presentation

Image download links

1. Image 1
2. Image 2
3. Image 3
4. Image 4
5. Image 5