"Thailand on a Shoe-String" Campaign Announced at World Travel Mart

With the pound now in a devalued state, British tour operators descended on the Thai and Asian stands at the World Travel Market last week, seeking deals in an effort to convince sellers that was the only way to retain market share in a depressed UK economy soon set to face a general election.

This was the 30th year of the WTM and Thailand has been an exhibitor since the outset. The WTM 2009 Thailand pavilion featured a line-up of 105 Thailand exhibitors, the second largest Asian contingent after India.

Thai taxpayers shelled out a huge whack for a lavish dinner at the Dorchester, attended by royalty, ministers and a large entourage of government officials and their advisors.

The UK is Thailand’s largest source of visitors from Europe but the numbers have been falling this year.

According to the Ministry of Tourism & Sports, in 2008, UK visitors to Thailand (by nationality) totalled 826,523 or -3.78% over 2007. In January – September 2009, UK visitor arrivals at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi International airport totalled 482,915 or -6.25% over the same period of 2008. By comparison, German visitor arrivals at Suvarnabhumi airport in the same period totalled 328,209 (-3.35%) and France, 248,954 (2.58%).

In 2009, total UK visitor arrivals to Thailand are projected at 700,000.

In 2008, expenditure by UK visitors generated a total of Bt49,432 million in foreign exchange revenue, up 4.20% over 2007. This is based on an average daily expenditure of Bt3,773.21 per person (-0.85%).

UK visitors have an average length of stay of 17.27 days, well above the 13 day average of European visitors to Thailand. In recent years, Thailand has seen a significant growth in first-time and mature-age visitors from the UK. However, most of UK visitors remain in the 25 to 34 age bracket.

As of November 2009, there are 34 scheduled flights service between London and Bangkok such as Thai Airways International (14 direct flights), British Airways (7), Eva Airways (6), Qantas (7).

The UK outbound market is being characterised by late booking trends and huge competition, especially amongst other Asian destinations like India, China and the Greater Mekong Subregion countries. The return of Sri Lanka and Nepal have heightened the pressure.

This year, due to the economic problems in the UK, the Tourism Authority of Thailand was expecting more bargain-hunting by British tour operators, especially for beach, culture, historic and wellness holidays. That is exactly what happened.

As part of the effort to get numbers up again, the TAT has pooled resources with THAI, Qatar Airways, Emirates, Etihad and Eva as well as 14 UK tour operators to launch the new 2009/10 Amazing Thailand Amazing Value consumer campaign in the UK and Ireland. It was designed to generate 3,600 passengers booked in September and October for the travel period October to December 2009.

In addition to providing solo and group fares, THAI provided additional marketing funds for a number of tour operators, the entire list of which included Best at Travel, Bridge and Wickers, Dreamticket, Emerald Travel, Funway, Gold Medal, Hayes and Jarvis, Kuoni, Premier Holidays, Thomas Cook, Thomson Worldwide, Trailfinders, Twohigs Travel and Virgin Holidays.

According to the TAT’s marketing advisor, Chris Lee, with 80% of the results reported back, the campaign has generated 3,432 incremental passengers, representing a 46% increase in bookings generated to Thailand by the participating tour operators over the same period last year. Although the average length stay of remains unchanged at 13 nights, average revenue down is 10%.

Mr Lee said that the slogan “Amazing Thailand Amazing Value” could not have resonated with the UK public at a better time. And it’s not just the cost of getting there but the cost of staying there that is being emphasised.

In his marketing brochure, Mr Lee displayed self-taken photographs to indicate the cost of goods and services in Thailand when converted to pound sterling.

The pictures showed local Thais holding up signs displaying ice cream cones at 43p each, a round of golf £4.54, a tour of the Grand Palace and Vimanmek Palace for £6.36, a massage on the beach for £3.75, and a klong tour for £16.30

Mr. Lee said the campaign will continue in January to March, in order to give a good start to forward bookings for next year.