The Tourism Authority of Thailand Governor, Suraphon Svetasreni, continues to predict unrealistic numbers of tourist arrivals.

Four days ago, in a National News Bureau of Thailand article, TAT optimistic about Thai tourism in 2012, the Tourism Authority of Thailand predicted that tourist arrivals for 2012 would be 19 million.

Tourism Authority of Thailand Sai Kaew Beach

Today, the Governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand, says the number is 19.5 million.  I guess next week it will be 20 million.

An article in The Nation, TAT sees steady growth, reports that despite global and local conditions, the Tourism Authority of Thailand is predicting that 19.5 million tourists will visit the Land of Smiles in 2012.

MasterCard, in their annual report of tourism arrivals, said that Thailand will have approximately 11.5 million tourists in 2011, up from 10.5 million in 2010.  The MasterCard numbers are about 4-5 million fewer arrivals than what the Tourism Authority of Thailand has been claiming.  Who do you believe – MasterCard of the Tourism Authority of Thailand?

The Governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand believes that tourist arrivals will increase even though there are riots in the Middle East, natural disasters throughout the world, a global recession/depression, and political turmoil in Thailand.  None of this will have any effect on Thailand.  He truly is a dreamer.

The Tourism Authority of Thailand continues to fabricate numbers and the news reporters continue to publish them without questioning the validity.

Meanwhile, local people are expected to undertake 93 million trips next year and bring in revenue of Bt453 billion, a 5per cent increase from this year. For this year, the authority projects foreign arrival numbers at 18 million.

I have said this time and time again.  There is absolutely no way for anyone, including the Tourism Authority of Thailand, to count how many local Thais take trips and no way to determine how much money they spend.

TAT governor Suraphon Svetasreni said the agency would continue the successful “Amazing Thailand Always Amazes You” campaign to encourage international markets. “Tourism should grow in the next few years despite global and local conditions,” Suraphon said.

The lame “Amazing Thailand” slogan will continue in the year 2012.  I guess that the 5.5 billion baht budget isn’t enough to get someone to come up with something more creative.  The campaign is only “successful” because the Governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand says it is.  Since no one checks what the Tourism Authority of Thailand Governor says, he could claim that Thailand had one BILLION arrivals and no reporter would bat an eyelid.

Here is the BIG plan to attract more tourists in 2012.  I guess that the Governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand got some of these “buzz’ words from the 20 million baht he spent for a one-day conference in Bangkok with some foreign travel gurus.

1. promoting “tourism balance” in various dimensions
2. focusing on sustainable tourism
3. strengthening the Thailand brand image
4. developing creative tourism
5. work?ing with more alliances
6. optimising internal management

When I was in the US Army, we had to submit to our rater a list of things we were going to accomplish in the coming year.  If the list was too specific, and you didn’t do exactly what you predicted, you would get an unfavorable evaluation.

So, we usually wrote them with very broad strokes, similar to what the Governor of the Tourism of Thailand did.  Then, you could say you improved something, increased something, made something better without being specific at all and get a favorable eval.

What is “tourism balance”?  Whatever it is, I am sure that the Tourism Authority of Thailand Governor, at the end of 2012, will say that it was achieved

“Focusing on sustainable tourism” will mean that the Tourism Authority of Thailand will claim they are doing wonderful things to make tourism better, but in reality,will do absolutely nothing.

Once again, it is all about “image”.  Using the same old slogan that Thailand has used for about 20 years now does nothing for its image.

“Creative tourism”?  What the heck is that.  Thailand isn’t the least bit creative.  Their videos continue to promote temples, elephants, and markets.  Nothing new in the country to promote.

“Working with more alliances”.  I guess this goes along with creating Japan Town and Korea Town.  Working with companies outside of Thailand that will establish tourist locations in Thailand but the revenue will go to the ally’s country.

“Optimizing internal management”.  I guess this means some re-shuffling of Tourism Authority of Thailand staff.  Maybe the Tourism Authority of Thailand will teach their staff better and faster ways to steal photos and text from other people’s web sites to post on their Facebook pages.

TAT has also prepared eight specific marketing plans to take advantage of various opportunities, including the luxury market, repeat travellers and an increase in online marketing as well as stimulate the domestic market.

The article fails to mention what the 8 plans are.  More brilliant journalism.  In order to attract the “luxury market” Thailand needs luxury locations, not the crappy beaches loaded with trash and raw sewage.  Repeat travelers are becoming fewer and fewer as they are getting tired of getting ripped off by all the scammers in the Land of Scams.

The Tourism Authority of Thailand doesn’t have a clue on how to market online.  They don’t use social media, like Facebook and Twitter, as they were meant to be used.  The Tourism Authority of Thailand still sees Facebook as a web site to post worthless messages and photos of events.  They simply do not understand the power of Facebook and how to use it properly.

Most of the Tourism Authority of Thailand Facebook pages are the same type that individuals have – wrong.  Tourism Authority of Thailand pages should all be listed as Government Organizations.  All but one Tourism Authority of Thailand Facebook page post entirely in the Thai language – doesn’t do a bit of good for foreigners.

The TAT Facebook pages are constantly spammed by being “tagged” in photos. This is not their fault, but the staff should recognize this, delete the post, and then delete/block the sender.  Too technical for the Tourism Authority of Thailand staff.

TAT will also focus on regional markets by expanding distribution channels on new media into neighbouring countries. He added this weekend’s general election would generate positive impact to the industry. “The private sector has proposed tourism guidelines suitable to whoever comes to power,” he said.

The Hotel Associations have already bitched that the various candidates don’t have a clue on tourism either.  The private sector has told the Thai Government what should be done, but, as usual, it falls on deaf ears.  Nothing will change regardless of who wins the Thai election tomorrow.

Then, after all the talk from the Tourism Authority of Thailand Governor about what is going to be done in the tourism arena, he concludes with this:

Suraphon added that the local market would be a major focus of attention next year.

I guess all the other crap about “creative tourism”, “sustainable tourism”, “tourism balance” was just that – crap.

The Tourism Authority of Thailand will continue to do the only thing it knows how to do – market to locals and ignore foreigners.

Tags: creataive governor suraphon sustainable TAT tourism authority of thailand