Look for new experiences for repeat travellers
THAILAND has become a popular
destination for South African
travellers. So popular, that many
opt to visit the destination numerous
times. In 2015 alone, 75 000 South
Africans visited Phuket, according to
the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT).
The sheer volume of repeat travellers
to Thailand created a whole new
opportunity for agents to sell an
experience that the client had never
had before, versus simply re-selling the
same experience that the client had
– and enjoyed – before, said Lesley
Simpson, spokesperson for the TAT in
South Africa.
“Re-selling the same experience
makes the destination predictable –
and it is not a predictable destination.
What’s more, no traveller wants to go
to a place that is predictable,” she
added.
Lesley specifically advised agents to
sell Thailand according to the type of
experience the traveller was looking for.
To achieve this, agents needed to
be clear on the types of experiences
their clients desired on a revisit,
said Noorjehan Vadachia, sales and
marketing director at Avoca Travels.
“There are many diverse destinations
throughout Thailand that can offer
different city or beach options along
with different cultural and food
experiences,” agreed Janine Pienaar,
sales representative for South Africa at
Centara Hotels and Resort.
“It is important to utilise the
expertise of contacts such as TAT
South Africa and the regional sales
office for Centara Hotels and Resorts,
which can assist agents with obtaining
the necessary product and destination
information.”
Match clients and destinations
For example, Lesley said young
travellers tended to visit the south of
Thailand (Phuket and Krabi) while the
older travellers preferred the north,
such as Chiang Mai.
Noorjehan suggested recommending
Nan – a rural province in northern
Thailand, bordering Laos – to travellers
in search of adventure.
“Nan is set amidst rich mountain
scenery, with a strong handicraft
tradition and several intriguing
temples.” She added that seasoned
adventure tourists looking to uncover
parts of Thailand’s cultural offering,
would enjoy walking through the rain
forested scenery of northern Thailand’s
mountains, with the bonus of getting to
know the fascinating hill tribes.
She said agents could suggest
that families visit Ko Lanta – a lesscongested
district in Krabi. “With its
many long beaches and plentiful but
low-key resorts, this area is perfect for
families,” Noorjehan said. “Couples
and families will also enjoy Thai
cookery classes in Chiang Mai – one
of the many courses on offer in the
town, which are popular because of
how gratifying they are for the travellers
in terms of the cultural offering it
presents.”
Lesley added that agents should
remember that people’s interests
change over time – and this must be
considered when clients inform agents
about the places they have travelled to
in the past.
“Break it down into people’s
interests, and then take note that
interests change.”
She said if she had travelled to
Thailand 10 years ago she would not
have been interested in the types of
experience she is looking for now.
“Back then, I wasn’t thinking about
cooking or washing elephants or
anything like that – but now I love
going just to experience the Thai
cooking.”
Illustrating this point, Noorjehan
said seasoned adventure tourists
who wanted to uncover parts of
Thailand’s cultural offering, would enjoy
walking through the rain forests in the
mountains in the north, with the bonus
of getting to know the fascinating hill
tribes.
A multi-faceted destination
Phuket packaged with Bangkok or
Krabi is traditionally an easy sell. “But
it is time to make people realise that
there is more on offer,” said Lesley.
“While there is the overall Thai
experience, agents should not focus on
selling the country as a whole, or just
as an affordable destination or just as
a beach destination because there is
more than that – and agents should
capitalise on the fact that more and
more travellers are realising this.”
There were areas just outside the
typical tourist areas that enticed
people to return, because they gave
travellers a deeper look at what the
destination had to offer, said Lesley.
“Agents should suggest
visiting other regions
within Thailand that offer
a different experience
from the usual fare of
Bangkok, Pattaya, Phuket,
Phi Phi, Samui etc,” agreed
Noorjehan.
John Ridler, Thompsons
Holidays PR and media
manager, said while the
island of Phuket was a
favourite for return visitors,
Thompsons was also
promoting other destinations
for them to discover.
These included the
understated Chiang Mai in
the jungle, Khao Lak on the
west coast, where many
hotels are set in tropical
forests right on the clear
blue Andaman Sea, and
Kanchanaburi on the River
Kwai with its lush forests
and waterfalls, John said.
Suggest these alternatives
For travellers looking for
new destinations to explore
in Thailand, Avoca Travels’
Noorjehan Vadachia
suggested the following
options:
Ko Kood – for its untamed
beauty, fringed by pretty
beaches;
Ayutthaya – with its river
boats and bicycles, which
are the perfect way to
explore the scattered
temple ruins of this former
capital;
Khmer Ruins – the
Khmers of neighbouring
Angkor left a chain of
magnificent temple
complexes across the
northeast, including the
one at Phimai;
Wat Pho – a lively and
lavish temple, housing the
famous Reclining Buddha;
Chatuchak weekend
market – A top shopping
experience featuring more
than eight thousand stalls
selling everything from
cooking pots to designer
lamps;
Nakhon Si Thammarat
– home to superb food
and religious and cultural
riches of the south;
Khao Yai National Park
– for its easy trails and
tours, night safaris and
populations of hornbills
and gibbons;
Wat Phra That Doi
Suthep, Chiang Mai – one
of the most harmonious
collections of temple
architecture in the country;
The Mae Hong Son loop
– a spectacular 600km
trip, winding over steep
forested mountains;
The Grand Palace – no
visitor should miss this
huge complex, which
encompasses the
country’s holiest and most
beautiful temple, Wat Phra
Kaeo.
To the point
There is a risk in Thailand that seems higher than anywhere else in the world, for travellers who
use motorbikes or scooters to get around, says TIC sales and marketing manager Simmy Micheli.
Consequently, drivers visiting the destination who do not possess a valid driver’s licence will not be
covered on a regular travel insurance policy if there is an accident. “Similarly, travellers relying on their
complimentary credit card cover must ensure the credit card offers fully inclusive cover and includes
maximum limits on all benefits, or they may put themselves at risk,” she added.
Focus on selling to
new markets
FOR travel agents
to truly maximise
their profits when
selling Thailand,
they must identify
emerging markets
that are already
interested in
having the Thai
experience and
then pitch beyond
the destination’s
value for money.
Women, the
LGBT community,
the black middle
class and the
‘silver age’
discerning traveller should
all be top of mind for agents
this year, said TAT’s Lesley
Simpson. “These markets
have been identified by TAT
in Bangkok as having shown
significant interest in the
destination and we will be
targeting them this year from
the South African office as
well, in order to further grow
demand.”
Campaigning has already
started. “We hosted an event
in collaboration with Destiny
Magazine to specifically target
the black market and a lot
of people came afterwards
to inform us they were either
going to go to Thailand soon
or that they’d
booked that
evening,” Lesley
said.
Adventure
tourists and
incentive groups
continue to enjoy
the country, but
those in search
of the wellness
factor are
also beginning
to emerge
as popular
markets for the
destination.
“There are
so many amazing, and
inexpensive, well-being
places, which have become
popular with travellers who
have experienced them once
before, such as the hotels and
sanctuaries,” she said.
But travel agents needed to
identify why each market was
interested in the destination in
order to effectively sell it, said
Lesley.
“The black market, for
instance, enjoy the cultural
aspect of Thailand,” she said.
To sell this sort of experience
to these clients, agents would
need to focus on the food,
the traditions, the monks, the
temples etc.”
Did you know?
Centara Hotels and Resorts offers a programme called Baht Bonanza
to guests staying at its Thailand properties. Travellers deposit a
chosen amount of money with the hotel or resort on arrival to receive
a larger amount to spend absolutely free to enjoy up to 100%
more in value and indulge in dining and pampering the hotels. The
programme must be accepted within the first 24 hours of stay and no
refunds are available for unspent residual value. The promotion is not
applicable for groups nor can it be combined with any other resort
credit value that may be offered in other promotions, and travellers
can contact the reception of their particular Centara property for
more information.
Book it!
Thompsons Holidays is offering a special where travellers can spend
eight nights at the four-star Karon Sea Sands Resort in Phuket from
just R11 320pp. The offer includes flights from Johannesburg, airport
taxes, transfers, daily breakfast, a tour of Phuket and free WiFi. There
are also shopping and dining discounts available at the hotel. The
offer is valid for travel between April 16 and June 30.
