Tourism Thailand to rethink web strategy

Tourism Thailand UK (TAT UK) is working on a new web strategy as it seeks to promote Thailand as a “value destination”. TAT UK marketing manager Joanna Cooke said the site will have an active Facebook and Twitter presence as part of the rethink. The Facebook profile will be based around the festivals which TAT UK…

Tourism Thailand UK (TAT UK) is working on a new web strategy as it seeks to promote Thailand as a “value destination”.

TAT UK marketing manager Joanna Cooke said the site will have an active Facebook and Twitter presence as part of the rethink. The Facebook profile will be based around the festivals which TAT UK is involved with and would steer clear of trying to sell holidays through the site.

The organisation will use Twitter to make consumers aware of what being said about Thailand elsewhere on the web, as well as its TAT’s own specific messaging.

For its latest marketing campaign, TAT will move away from promoting Thailand as a “chic” destination and instead focus on value. A value-led brochure has been uploaded to the site, along with commissioned photography featuring local people with price boards for various services.

The shift to value is driven by “recent changes in consumer purchasing patterns and spending behaviour,” according to director of TAT UK Khun Tanes Petsuwan.

The offline element of the value campaign includes 120 branded London taxis, 50,000 brochures inserted with the Mail on Sunday and a large scale outdoor branding campaign with four selected tour operators.

UK visitor numbers to Thailand from January to August are down 7.6%, although April, July and August are all up on last year. August is up by nearly 10%.