The deputy governor for marketing communications at the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), Chattan Kunjara Na Ayudhya, has launched the country’s new marketing strategy for inbound tourism, focussed on what they call the ‘Soft Power of 5F’.
Fashion, Festival, Fight, Film and Food.
The current top five inbound tourism markets for Thailand are (in order) Malaysia, China, Russia, South Korea and India. Each currently provides between 1-3 million tourists a year. This year, over 600,000 Australians are expected to travel to Thailand, ranking us at 10. But the second half of the year will have to ramp-up to bring the market back to around 80% of its 2019 pre-COVID levels, as the first five months of 2023 saw 213,000 Aussies choose Thailand.
Naturally, the marketing push will be focussed on boosting the top markets, but overlaying all marketing communications will stress five new approaches to its product offerings: high value; sustainability; city marketing; all-year-round destination and time is the new currency.
Australian agents will be supported by an in-country consumer festival and access to new online platforms and virtual marketing events to promote Amazing Thailand’s brand directly. TAT is planning a Thai Festival for the public this August in Sydney.
TAT is also pivoting its health tourism marketing away from medical procedures to one of wellness. For Australian agents, positioning Phuket as an ideal wellness destination in future campaigns will be welcomed.
At TTM+2023 today, Travel Weekly interviewed Sukanya Sirikanjanakul, TAT’s executive director for ASEAN, South Asia and South Pacific, asking specific questions about our market.
Susanna Sirikanjanakul. (Supplied)
Travel Weekly: What changes do you hope to see from future inbound Australian tourists to Thailand?
Sukanya Sirikanjanakul: Australian tourists need to see more of Thailand. We want more of them to travel to destinations other than Phuket. I’ve asked TAT Australia to promote destinations in central Thailand, including Ayutthaya and Kanchanaburi which are both relatively close to Bangkok.
TW: And the Five F strategy? Which of these will target the Australian market?
SS: Everyone knows our Songkran festival held in April as our national water-fight day. (It marks the beginning of the Thai New Year and lasts a week from April 9.) It is celebrated differently across the country. But its only one of the many festivals we celebrate. TAT Australia has a calendar full of Thai festivals across the year that can be promoted in different provinces. Plus, our Thai silk market is focussed in the north of the country for people interested in fashion. For those who travel for food or just enjoy Thai food, we want them to go to restaurants and also try our street food.
TW: You’ve just had an election and are waiting for the results to be confirmed that a democratically elected leader will replace the military leader. Might this have any impact on inbound tourism?
SS: All politicians understand the value that tourism plays in our economy. It was 18% of GDP in 2019, before COVID. In the past, politics has not affected tourism numbers and we don’t expect it will this time.
Sustainable tourism and sustainability across the whole tourism sector is on the radar for TAT. It has started preparations this year to upskill and reskill sellers in the principles of sustainability and is aiming to create a scaffold that will eventually lead to a ‘star system’ for eco-friendly tourism.
Koh Tao (Turtle Island) is a diving mecca located near Surat Thani on the east coast of the Gulf of Thailand. It has become a model of sustainability for other Thai islands and beach resorts to follow, providing guests with opportunities to clean up the beaches and oceans; upcycling plastic waste into souvenirs; reducing single-use items in everything they do; carefully managing waste and water and, of course, reducing the carbon footprint of all tourism operations.
On a final note of interest, Thailand is so LGBTQI+ friendly that it has made one of its new ads targeting the perhaps-not-so-niche market.
