Policy-wise, there is a key shift in strategy with the focus being placed on ‘quality’ over ‘quantity’. This means attracting ‘quality’ visitors to a ‘quality’ destination with ‘Quality visitors’ being defined as those who are socially and environmentally aware, and are responsible travellers with a keen interest in learning about the places and communities they visit. As a result, they are more likely to have a longer average length of stay.

The 18 main markets which are targeted for intensive promotions are mainly in the Asia-Pacific, East Asia and Europe regions. Among the 20 emerging markets with strong growth potential are Vietnam, Philippines, Indonesia, Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), East Europe, UAE, and Saudi Arabia.

		Promote quality tourism Re-align marketing efforts by focusing on increasing yield and expenditure per visitor rather than headcount Promote awareness through the use of e-marketing channels in conjunction with traditional marketing channels
		Maintain existing market share by working with strategic partners This includes the conduct of viral marketing (word of mouth), relationship marketing, loyalty and reward campaigns to promote referrals and lead generation to encourage individuals who have previously travelled to Thailand and repeat visitors to recommend the destination to family and friends
		Offer travel promotion packages and special offers
		Launch joint promotions with restaurants, airlines and tour operators
		Participate in travel trade shows in various markets
		Organize international roadshows

Raising Visibility and Awareness.
Building and Strengthening the “Thailand” Brand
TAT is working to strengthen and reinforce the positive image of the country as a ‘quality destination’ by building and enhancing the brand image in this area, while the Thai tourism industry as a whole strived to make Thailand the ‘First Choice Destination’ for travellers.

		Clarity of Marketing Communication Ensure consistency in the communication of “Amazing Thailand” brand imagery in consumer as well as trade campaigns, and media
		Reinforce the “Amazing Thailand” message
		Promote tourism products and services that support, strengthen and reinforce the positive perception of the “Thailand” brand. This is being achieved through the launch of the “Seven Amazing Wonders” of Thailand campaign.
		Expand on the “Amazing Thailand” theme by producing short documentaries to promote Thailand via satellite TV, such as CNN, BBC, Discovery, AXN, ESPN and Euro Spot
		Organize media familiarization trips for media representatives from broadcast media (TV, radio) and leading international publications offering an opportunity for media to personally experience the ‘Seven Amazing Wonders’ of Thailand which highlight Thailand’s destination strengths
		Increase international visibility and awareness of Thailand via various media around the world – TV, radio, electronic media and print, eg. The placement of advertisements in leading publications in the Asia Pacific, Europe and the US targeting business and high-end travellers, niche market segments and the travel trade
		Launch of the ‘Amazing Thailand’ (Tai Guo An Mei Xing) campaign in China via local media in 4 cities and 8 secondary cities; advertising in high-end publications, the use of outdoor advertising (billboards and bus side ads)
		Participation in local trade exhibitions and cultural events to reach individual consumers directly

Developing the Capabilities of the Thai Tourism Industry and
Increasing Thailand’s Competitiveness on the International Stage
Promote the use of e-marketing channels to directly reach individual travellers and help private sector tourism operators increase their international marketing reach

		Enhance TAT’s e-marketing abilities through mobile marketing such as Surprising Bar Code campaign in Japan; web sites and blog sites; discussion forums; via banner ads on travel portals such as Travelocity.com, Expedia.com, Asianow.com; and other e-marketing channels to reach high-end target groups in places like Japan, Australia and the United States.
		Promote the use of web-based educational tools to provide destination and product information and updates and training for overseas tour operators and airlines, such as the ‘Amazing Thailand’ Training Online programme launched in Australia and the Thailand Specialist Programme and Virtual Online Travel Seminar in the United States.
		Participation in overseas travel trade shows and international road shows TAT, and Thai tourism operators, participate in some 80 international travel trade shows each year. The key events in 2008 are the ASEAN Tourism Forum (ATF): January 18 – 22; the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) CEO Challenge: April 29 – 30; Thailand Travel Mart (TTM): June 5 – 8, and another 14 of the world’s leading travel trade shows such as World Travel Mart (WTM) in London, Internationale Tourismus Borse (ITB) in Berlin and Japan Association of Travel Agents (JATA)
		Organizing international roadshows to mature as well as the new, emerging markets of Vietnam, the Middle East, Russia, the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) and Eastern Europe, especially to cities where TAT has plans to open new overseas offices in 2008, ie. Vietnam, Dubai and Moscow.

Promote Quality Tourism
Tap into high-end niche market segments, such as golfing and senior citizens

		Promoting a Pre- and Post 2008 Beijing Olympics Thailand Stop-Over In 2006, TAT signed an agreement with the Beijing Tourism Administration to combine Beijing and Bangkok as dual destinations. The goal is to boost passengers from Europe and America to travel to Bangkok or Beijing, before or after the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. At the same time, Thai Airways International and Air China have joined forces to launch joint holiday opportunities that combine a trip to the Olympics with a visit to Bangkok. Visitors can fly with THAI from any of the eight key cities in Europe and North America via Bangkok to Beijing, then return home direct with Air China, or they can travel with either airline in the reverse order. Promotional offers target Platinum card-holders. In addition to a lucky draw, both airlines are offering attractive special packages for this unique vacation plan.
		Organizing regional golf tournaments such as the Philip Astro Masters Grand Final for the ASEAN market covering Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and the East Asia Golf Mart and Tournament for East Asia. The tournaments will be hosted at Thailand’s world-class golf courses in key tourism destinations. Thailand will also be using these regional golf tournaments to promote a Regional Golf Travel Mart.
		Thailand Long-Stay for Senior Citizens TAT has also been working in cooperation with Japanese media and travel operators to develop special Thailand long-stay travel packages targeting Japanese citizens.
		Amazing Hua Hin and Pranburi To attract Taiwanese families, TAT has been working with tourism operators in Taiwan to jointly organize a charter flight to the coastal resorts of Hua Hin and Pranburi on Thailand’s Gulf coast.

Maintain existing market share and encourage repeat visits
Sixty per cent of Thailand’s total visitor arrivals each year are repeat visitors. 2008 tourism marketing and promotion plans will include the development of marketing mechanics that will enable Thailand to tap into a customer base of individuals who have previously travelled to Thailand.

		Build a network of supporters and ‘friends’ of Thailand
		Encourage individuals who have previously travelled to Thailand and repeat visitors to recommend the destination to family and friends
		Implement viral marketing (word of mouth), relationship marketing, loyalty and reward campaigns to promote referrals and lead generation by repeat visitors and individuals who have previously travelled to Thailand
		Create niche market travel clubs such as the Thailand Fan Club: Amazing Thailand Through the Lens
		Promote web blogs to encourage the exchange of information and experiences on travel to Thailand
		Promote initiatives similar to the “Consumer Test Drive” programme launched in the United Kingdom. TAT London hosted a trip to Thailand for invited guests who were representative of the high-end niche market travellers TAT London was targeting. Their travel reviews were posted on the TAT London web site.
		Position Thailand as the destination of choice for international celebrities and promote celebrity testimonial campaigns Invite international superstars and celebrities (actors/actresses, singers, performers, game show presenters, sports celebrities) to travel to Thailand and participate in promotional activities, including shooting video documentaries to promote destinations around Thailand. Celebrities enjoy a huge following of fans. The publicity generated by international media attracts the attention of fans and significantly increases the visibility and awareness of Thailand as a travel destination. TAT plans to tap into the tourism potential generated by ‘star’ power to persuade fans to travel to Thailand and follow in the footsteps of their superstars. Similar programmes that have already been undertaken by TAT include Amazing Thailand Shooting (targeting the film industry) in India and Celebrity Tourism Ambassador in Seoul, South Korea.
		Organize a Thailand Mega Familiarization Trip for some 1,000 media representatives. This will be held in conjunction with the Thailand Travel Mart (TTM+) in June 2008.

Achieving Visibility and Awareness by Working in Cooperation with Strategic Tourism Partners by Offering Travel Incentives to maintain Thailand’s share of the Leisure Travel Market

		Beijing+Bangkok – Double Your Holiday Pleasure In 2006, TAT signed an agreement with the Beijing Tourism Administration to combine Beijing and Bangkok as dual destinations. The goal is to boost passengers from Europe and America to travel to Bangkok or Beijing, before or after the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. Thai Airways International and Air China have joined forces to launch joint holiday opportunities that combine a trip to the Olympics with a visit to Bangkok. Both airlines are offering attractive special packages, and a ‘triangle fare’, for this unique vacation plan.

	Sufficiency Economy Tourism
	Thailand Branding
	“Seven Amazing Wonders” of Thailand
	Domestic Marketing