Policy and planning of tourism product development in Thailand : a proposed model

Abstract

This paper describes the growth rate of tourism industry in Thailand, one of the countries in the Asia-Pacific region that successfully became the top foreign currency earner compared to other industrial sectors in 2002. But revenues received from the industry in dollar terms were decreasing as opposed to baht terms. Thailand generates less revenue per tourist than leading competitors and has been unable to increase the revenue per tourist over time. The major factors that contributed to the increase of tourist arrivals to Thailand were aggressive tourism promotions and mass marketing. We did not pay much attention to the creation of value added tourism products to gain more revenue. A strategic management approach was adopted as a guideline for tourism planning, and implementation of tourism products in Thailand. Under the strategic management concept, examples of external environment factors were indicated as sources of opportunities and threats for Thai tourism policy and planning. Globalization and the development of transportation and communications have changed the rules of the game from comparative advantages in natural resources to tourism product. To create added value for the customers or tourists, tourism products are associated with ideas, with knowledge, innovation and the creativity of frontline staff who have direct contact with tourists. A model of tourism planning and implementation of tourism product in Thailand was proposed to exhibit demand factors in the middle. Marketing, transportation and communication play a linking role with five groups of supply factors. A model for strategic implementation of tourism product in Thailand was also proposed by putting the focal point of tourism education and training institutions as a catalyst and co-ordinating roles of all stakeholders in the region or destinations.