NARTNAREE THITIJARUPAISAN. MARKETING PLAN FOR TOURISM IN THAILAND : MATURE AND ELDERLY TOURISTS. ปริญญาโท(สาขาวิชาการตลาด). มหาวิทยาลัยราชภัฏสวนดุสิต. : มหาวิทยาลัยราชภัฏสวนดุสิต, 2549-05-25.
MARKETING PLAN FOR TOURISM IN THAILAND : MATURE AND ELDERLY TOURISTS
MARKETING PLAN FOR TOURISM IN THAILAND : MATURE AND ELDERLY TOURISTS
Abstract:
The Kingdom of Thailand, covering an area of 513.115 square kilometres, lies in the heart of Southeast Asia. roughly equidistant between India and China. It shares borders with Myanmar to the west and north, Lao P.D.R. to the north and northeast. Cambodia to the east and Malaysia to the south. Thailand has many major rivers including the Mekong and the Chao Phraya. and has shores on both the India and Pacific Oceans. Thailand is one of the exciting attractions. a land rich in history and culture. as well as beautiful beaches.
In Thailand. tourism industry is an important sector of Thai economy. Tourism business created income for the country more than 200.000 million baht per year. It can be seen that the rates for travel receipts are 6 per cent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Especially in 1998-1999 almost all sectors are subdued but tourism sector has grown. So that time they used money value to be an advantage to attract the foreigners. And they have the promotion of tourism as -AMAZING THAILAND 1998.1999'" by The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT). This campaign affected the number of visitors to increase by 9 per cent which resulted In 2000. However. TAT has the objectives to increase the dally expenditure per person and length of stay in Thailand. Because the amount of money to be extracted from each tourist to expenditure decreased.
The results of this study showed that. the mature and elderly consumer or some marketers call "The Mature Market- or "The Senior Market" are the volume and variable proportion of tile senior population in each country. There will be Q major redistribution in purchasing expenditures as more money goes to health care. leisure travel, luxury cars, and home remodeling. The seniors represent 80 per cent of luxury travel. 70 per cent of coach tours. 65 per cent. or cruises. 32 per cent or overnight stays in hotels and 28 per cent of foreign travel. control 50 per cent of discretionary income. and 44 per cent of passports. This is a clear indicator of tile market's significance in international tourism demand. As a result. the point of this study is to develop the strategies for this segment and sustain the present market.
World Tourism Organization foresees that the trend of tourists will continue expansion. As a result of the free tourism markets are opened more. Comprising the development of information technology and transport service. It's believed that travel can develop quality of life and create new experiences. All of these are crucial for stimulating travellers to increase.
The results of this study underline a number of key success factors for the growth of tourism in Thailand :
1. Strategic positioning will be strict and firm emphasis on standpoint. All participants in the sector should operate their work as good as the public relations promoted or more.
2. The people who provided the services should be honest. fair, firm and consistent.
3. Hard punishment for the cheats.
4. Strategies were defined from information study, measurement, pursuance, market development. movement. and market activity of competitors. In any case. it was rechecked and revised marketing strategies that. it can use in present situation.
5. All participants in tourism industry will be flexible, adjustable. fast, qualitative and advanced.
6. To use the strengths and advantages to create united fronts and alliances in order to set up Business Relationship and Economy of Scale.
In the past, Thailand has grown and excited with the number of visitors. Some of the cases were brought as a bad image to the country like prostitution and narcotic, they raise issues that destroy the reputation. Deterioration of tourist areas and environment from the statistics were quick to recognize. and furthermore they spent a little money. The question of quality versus quantity appears at the forefront of tourism development strategies for TAT (Tourism Authority of Thailand).
The mature and elderly tourists can also be new potential target market for Thailand. They are in large segments. have enough time to travel and powerful expenditures.