Phuket Great Time
Date : 25 April 2011
Category : News & Update
Updated by : Admin
What / Why :
BANGKOK, 21 April 2011 – Tourism Authority of Thailand is working with local airlines and tourism associations to sell travel to Phuket and mainland neighbour Phang Nga province during the six-month low season that will wind up at the end of October.
Tourism Authority of Thailand, executive director, southern region, Poramet Amatyakul, said the latest joint campaign “Phuket Great Time” was initiated by TAT Phuket office to boost low-season travel. The targets are Thais and expatriates, mainly resident in Bangkok. Mr Poramet claimed it could improve arrivals by around 10%.
TAT sourced cooperation from private sector across the travel industry. There are 70 hotels – 45 in Phuket and 25 in Phang Nga participating in the scheme linked to airline services on Nok Air and Bangkok Airways and car rental packages offered by Budget, Expert Car Rent and Pure Car Rent.
Spas, tour companies, restaurants, souvenir shops, theme parks and museums are also offering discounts through coupon distribution.
Phuket Great Time packages are now available online at a dedicated website, www.phuketgreattime.com.
Mr Poramet said that the campaign is exclusive sold through an online channel because it fits the purchasing behaviour of domestic tourists that they plan their holiday themselves, rather than using domestic travel agents.
He claimed Thais and expatriate residents are using the internet to gain information and seek price deals.
Phuket is not a mainstay destination for domestic travel agents who prefer to sell specialised tours to the North and Northeast with eco-tourism or soft adventure options. However, they will be concerned that TAT is not offering similar support for programmes distributed through the agency network that pioneer lesser known destinations.
The Phuket campaign supports an already successful destination, while the airlines are major players with superior financial resources capable of funding their own promotions.
Domestic travel agents, on the other hand, argue that they pioneering travel and due to their SME status need support from TAT to promote their products.
In TAT’s defence, Phuket’s low season is extremely poor, with occupancies dropping at hotels by the end of April to a breakeven level, while running costs remain high.
A tour operator told TTR Weekly “come April someone turns the lights off on Phuket’s international tourism. The only bright spots are the flights from Australia that bring in tourists and the around the year flights by Air Berlin.”
Phuket’s promoters in the past tagged the low-season, noted for its torrential rain storms, “the green season,” but that is not likely to succeed after rains set in early this year causing flooding throughout southern Thailand.
Selling Phuket during the six months May through to October requires travel agents to flag a warning that, while the weather can be bright and sunny it is just as likely to be stormy with torrential rains blowing off the Andaman Sea. Swimming in most of the bays is off-limits, too, due to dangerous rip-tides.
Very few hotels are geared for the rainy season either. They lack indoor activities and entertainment for families.
Apart from the website, TAT will also sell Phuket Great Time packages at Thailand Tourism Festival 2011 during 8 to 12 June at Muang Thong Thani.
Valid for minimum of two persons travelling together, the three day/two night package costs Bt2,450 in a standard room or Bt4,950 in a pool villa with breakfast, three-day rental car and discount coupon book.
If fares are included, the price is Bt5,500 for a standard room and Bt8,000 for a pool villa for travel with Nok Air. On Bangkok Airways, the price is Bt13,000 for pool villa (no standard room for this package).
If purchasing two packages and travelling in the same car, customers gain a discount of Bt1,000 off the overall package cost.
Although TAT claims it is targeting expatriate residents, the website is in Thai except for names of hotels or airlines. No English version is available, a clear cut confirmation that this campaign has not been thought through properly to meet the stated objectives.
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