The UK market to Thailand is gaining strength – and almost 40 new hotels are due to open by the end of 2008. Emily Bamber reports from Thai Travel Mart
More Brits are going to Thailand, and they’re spending more money while they’re there, according to the Tourism Authority of Thailand London.
The country saw a 3.6% increase in visitors from the UK and Ireland in 2007 over the previous year, to almost 832,000.
Spend by UK and Irish holidaymakers was up almost 12% on 2006 – something TAT marketing manager Abigail Silver puts down to the continuing ‘CHIC by Thailand’ campaign, which has been rolling out for the last two years.
“The campaign showcases high-end luxury products and services,” she said. “Many tour operators are also reporting increased revenue, despite slower growth in sales in 2006, showing the average value of a holiday is increasing.”
Global Travel, Funway Holidays, Luxury Resorts, Turquoise Holidays, If Only and Select Asia all added Thailand to their programmes for the first time for 2007/08.
The increase in client spend is being matched on the ground by a number of new hotels, with 38 properties due to open by the end of 2008.
These include three new hotels from Le Meridien, in Bangkok, Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai, plus five Marriott properties – a hotel and two luxury serviced apartment centres in Bangkok, and two hotels in Phuket, on Patong and Surin beaches.
Speaking at Thailand Travel Mart 2008, in Bangkok in June, TAT governor Phornsiri Manoharn said it was the country’s upmarket and niche appeal that would help protect its tourism economy from the effects of rising fuel prices.
“This is not the first time we have met a crisis – there are always ups and downs but recently Thailand is appealing to the niche and upper markets, spa holidaymakers, honeymooners and divers – who have more disposable income.”
She announced a marketing strategy that segments the country’s attractions into ‘seven wonders of amazing Thailand’ – these are thainess, treasures, beaches, nature, wellness, trends and festivities.
Meanwhile, a rail link between the airport and Bangkok is scheduled to open in December 2009 and will reduce journey time into the city from 40 minutes to 15-20 minutes.
More than 450 buyers from 60 countries attended TTM, which incorporated product from Indonesia and Malaysia for the first time this year, and 2008/09 was declared Visit Thailand Year.
Western and Oriental/Tropical Locations group head of product David Kevan said: “Thailand continues to be the number one destination in Asia by a significant margin. It has everything that first-timers to Asia are looking for and hoteliers and the tourism board are continually developing new ideas initiatives.
“Green concerns are becoming more of an issue, and it would help operators if there was a set of guidelines followed by hotels that clearly categorised their eco status.”
Flight Centre product manager Sarah Kelly said Thailand is its third best-selling destination, and it’s on the up. “Last year we sent 15,000 people to Thailand and this year to May we have sold more than 6,000 tickets already. Our pricing makes us very competitive,” she said.
She said as well as people holidaying in Thailand, Bangkok also benefits from round-the-world and stopover traffic en-route to Australia and New Zealand.
Commenting on Thailand’s successes, the London director of TAT Tanes Petsuwan said: “We are delighted with Thailand’s progress again this year despite the various market challenges we faced. However, looking ahead to 2008, despite our best efforts we expect slower growth in light of the general economic downturn.”
Thailand market statistics
- 831,887: the number of British holidaymakers visiting Thailand in 2007
- 3.6%: the increase on 2006
- 5.7%: Thailand’s approximate share of the UK outbound long-haul market
- £722 million: the amount British tourists spent in Thailand in 2007, an increase of 11% on 2006 expenditure
- 456: the number of buyers visiting Thailand Travel Mart in May this year, from 60 countries, 26% more than in 2007
Of the 763,668 total UK visitors to Thailand in 2007, the breakdown of tourist profile is as follows (Irish analysis not available):
- New visitors: 311,666, a 21% growth
- Repeat visitors: 452,002, a 8% decrease
- Family with children: 13,332, a 2% decrease
- Young adults: 115,035, a 12% growth
- Retired/senior visitors: 146,082, a 13% growth
