Tourism
From The Report: Thailand 2012
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Thailand, already a tourism powerhouse, is expected to see a 6.4% annual growth of tourism’s contribution to GDP through 2020, outpacing the world average. The country will benefit from the economic development of nearby China and India, where outbound tourism is exploding. Thailand’s hope for the medium-term is to boost per-visitor revenue, encouraging luxury tourism without damaging its reputation as a value destination. It is also looking to expand its repertoire beyond the traditional offerings of beaches and temples. There are plans in the works for a Cartoon Network theme park and proposals for an ASEAN family theme park. In the sports arena, golf is an increasingly popular draw for foreign tourists, and there are plans for a Formula 1 circuit.

Articles from this Chapter

Overview

Friendly invasion: Chinese, Russian and Indian visitor numbers soar
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The next decade will see tourism in Thailand grow at well above the world average, in terms of both contribution to GDP and greater job opportunities, according to a 2012 country report from the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC). It forecasts an annual growth in contribution to GDP of 6.4% up to 2022 (world average 4.1%) and a yearly rise in the number of people whose livelihood stems from tourism of 3.9% (world 2.4%) by the same date. Those impressive numbers put Thailand in 14th place…

Analysis

Driving ahead: Golf brings in 10% of income and an F1 event is on track
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In the past 15-20 years, Thailand has built up its international-standard golf facilities to the extent that 10% of its entire tourism income from foreigners is derived from that sport. Were it not for a ban on alcohol firms sponsoring public events, it might be growing even faster. Ironically, another drink, non-alcoholic, is partially behind a drive to put the country on the world map of motor racing by bidding to stage an F1 event. The costs for staging such a high-profile event are high and…

Analysis

Twice is nice: Mega-events bring billions to the MICE business
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The scale of just two meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) events in Thailand in 2012 is daunting. To fly in all the delegates for Rotary International’s gathering in Bangkok and Amway China’s convention in Phuket would have taken more than two-thirds of every Airbus A380 airplane in service in the world, each configured to carry the maximum 850 passengers. Approximately 35,000 Rotarians from more than 160 countries attended the 2012 Rotary International Convention…