A new campaign by the Tourism Authority of Thailand  supposedly kicked off today.

But, I am not 100% sure since the Tourism Authority of Thailand did not issue a press release that I can find on their TAT news site and no mention of it yet by the two Facebook pages.

Tourism Authority of Thailand Smoothie

The only place that I have seen that announced this Fly and Drive Campaign is The Nation. Why hasn’t the Tourism Authority of Thailand announced this via social media?

So, how the heck are people supposed to find out about this?  Was it published in any of the Thai newspapers?  I don’t know.

It should have been since it is geared to local Thais.

The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has launched a new campaign, “Fly and Drive Thailand”, to encourage Thais to visit 13 domestic destinations during the low season.

Once again, the Tourism Authority of Thailand doesn’t know what it is doing.  They should be marketing to foreigners overseas with special incentives to visit Thailand during low season.  But, no, TAT goes after the local Thai market.  Makes no sense to me.

Thawatchai Aranyik,TAT deputy governor for the domestic market, said the authority was working with 18 partners including airlines, car-rental companies, insurance firms and commercial banks to run the campaign from yesterday to September 30. The campaign is expected to boost the number of Thais visiting 13 locations including Chiang Mai, Khon Kaen, Krabi, Pattaya and Hua Hin.

Suspiciously absent from the above list are hotels!  Why work with insurance firms for a tourist promotion and why exclude hotels.  The Tourism Authority of Thailand really is clueless.  And, I wonder how many local Thais will visit me in Khon Kaen since the Tourism Authority of Thailand rarely promotes anything in Khon Kaen.

The TAT has also reproduced a handbook that recommends 50 tourism destinations in the provinces.

And, where does one find this Amazing Thailand handbook? On the tourismthailand.org web site? Via Facebook? Or, since this is geared to the local Thais, do I need to visit the TAT office in Bangkok to get one or attend a special convention at the Queen Sirikit Convention Center?

TAT started this three years ago and to them, it is working.  I don’t see it.

In the first year, 1,650 Thais joined the campaign, bringing revenue of Bt12.7 million during the three-month campaign.

Here are the “pie in the sky” numbers that TAT is dreaming of:

The TAT is aiming for 5,000 participants, generating revenue of Bt70 million.

Some simple math shows that in the first year Thais spent approximately 7,700 baht per person.  This year, TAT is forecasting that Thais will spend 14,000 baht per person – almost a double.

I guess that the Tourism Authority of Thailand Deputy Governor figures that despite a global recession, Thai people have so much discretionary income, they can afford almost $500 apiece for three-day holidays.

Yes, three day packages are all that are mentioned:

Thawatchai said three-day package rates started at Bt11,000 per couple.

So, the TAT Deputy Governor expects this couple to spend an additional 17,000 baht on a 3-day vacation.  He must be on drugs.

And why doesn’t TAT go out and try to capture some of the foreign market during low season?  Because, the Tourism Authority of Thailand doesn’t know how.

Tags: clueless deputy governor facebook fly and drive low season press release TAT tourism authority of thailand