Towards a common ASEAN visa by 2015
This year, Thailand Travel Mart+ 2013 saw close to 22 per cent new buyers. The fourth source market for Thailand, India recorded the second largest number of registered buyers.
In a bid to increase the number of tourists to the region, Thailand plans to work with other countries in the ASEAN to implement a ‘common visa scheme’ in the next two years. Thailand plans to achieve this through the ASEAN Community which is due to take shape in 2015. Speaking on the sidelines of the 12th Thailand Travel Mart+ 2013 held in Bangkok, Thailand earlier this month, Phanom Kaributra, Executive Director, ASEAN South Asia and South Pacific Region Department, Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) said, “Modelled on the Schengen visa, this common visa scheme will remove barriers to tourism within the region as well as help the economic integration.”
Held at the Exhibition Centre Hall, IMPACT, Bangkok; it had a total of 395 exhibitors and over 400 buyers from across the globe. The exhibitors’ list included 267 hotels and resorts, 32 tour operators and travel agents, 12 entertainment/ theme park/ cultural products, six transportation companies, five other travel services and nine travel industry associations. For the first time, TTM+ also saw a forum for buyers and sellers as well as keynote sessions on ‘Changing Destination Perceptions through Creative Tourism’ and ‘DIY in Tourism: Dynamic Packaging, Pros And Cons.’
Niche Market Focus
The theme for this year’s Thailand Travel Mart+2013, ‘Customize Your Experience’, reinforced the increasing demand from travellers and continuous efforts from TAT to promote offerings for the niche segment. Newer regions such as Khao Yai, Trang, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Koh Samui etc are being promoted for the Indian market. Kaributra added, “Around 60 per cent
Around 60% of visitors from India are repeat travellers and we want them to visit other attractions
of visitors from India are repeat travellers and we want to attract them to visit other destinations in the country. The introduction of direct
The three rapid growth markets were China, Russia and India whose growth rates were in double digits
flights to Phuket from India by Thai Smile will have an impact on travel to other destinations in Thailand beyond Bangkok.”
Juthaporn Rerngronasa, Deputy Governor of International Marketing (Europe, Africa, Middle East, and the Americas) Tourism Authority of Thailand stated, “The Royal Thai Government has entrusted TAT to achieve a tourism revenue target of US$65 billion by 2015. To do this successfully, we must adjust our strategy to pursue the high-yield segments. Therefore, we have been concentrating on four niche markets that Thailand already has a good supply of, and that there is much demand for them in the travel community. They are golf, health and wellness, wedding and honeymoon, and green tourism. The theme, ‘Customise Your Experience’, reflects the increasing shift of the global travel and tourism industry towards niche-market customer segments.”
DISCO Strategy for 2013
Tourism Authority of Thailand also unveiled its strategy for 2013 at TTM+ titled DISCO - Digital Marketing, Image Building, Sustainability, Crystallization & Crisis Communications and Organisation Management. Outlining the strategy, Rerngronasa informed, “In 2012, Thailand recorded over 22 million foreign tourist arrivals. The three rapid growth markets were China, Russia and India whose growth rates were in double digits. The core theme of the 2013 TAT Action Plan is ‘Higher Revenue through Thainess’.”