4 Oct, 2015
At Awards Ceremony, Thai Tourism SMEs Get Crash Course in Creative Marketing
Bangkok – The Tourism Authority of Thailand prefaced its biannual Tourism Awards ceremony on 27 September 2015 by inviting about 150 small and medium sized enterprises for a crash course on enhancing their marketing and branding skills.
 Mrs Wallapa Phokawat, Assistant MD of Siam Niramit, Hall of Fame award winner |
 Alen Rasusoh, Manager of Satun VIP Travel, Award of Excellence, Tour Program for Domestic Visitors. |
 Mr Kittipong Veerataecha of Y&R Thailand giving his presentation. |
 House full at the seminar. |
 These are just some of the global tourism brands Thailand is up against, Mr Kittipong tells his audience. |
 The panel discussion under way. |
Owners, operators and senior management executives of the emerging generation of Thai tourism products and services nationwide attended a free seminar very specifically headlined “Inspiring Creative Thinking in Tourism”. Mr Kittipong Veerataecha, Chief Strategy and Innovation Officer, Y&R Thailand, gave them a range of tips on how to build creative marketing campaigns and look for great new ideas. That was followed by a panel discussion featuring four of the tourism award-winners in which they outlined their strategies and business models.
In his opening comments, TAT Governor Mr. Yuthasak Supasorn said that the tourism awards, named Kinnaree, after the beautiful, half-woman, half-swan mythical figure in the Ramayana, “are the equivalent of the Oscars of Thai tourism.” He said the award winners will be given maximum support to publicise their products at international travel shows.
“These products are what helps differentiate the Thai tourism industry and build value in our products. They will play a major role in helping us meet our visitor arrivals and revenue targets over the final quarter of this year,” the governor said.
The focus on assisting the SMEs was designed to inspire them to boost their creativity, expand their networks and get new ideas.
The highlight of the presentations were two advertising clips presented by Mr Kittipong for a backpacker hotel client named Lub.D. In one clip, the hotel seeks to attract guests by offering one free night to any guest who signs up for a Muay Thai boxing course. In another, there is a play on the Thai word “fuk” (actually “fuk-thong”, which means “pumpkin”) but sounds like a well-known English expletive.
Both were hilarious clips, demonstrating clearly how Thai SMEs can always find creative ways of attracting customers. The hotel’s name, Lub.D., too, means “Good Sleep” in Thai. Another clip also showed the advantage of good packaging design; how a popular Thai fruit, the pomelo, could fetch a higher price through simple elegance of packaging design.
Mr. Kittipong said that while he was not in the tourism business, he wanted to share ideas on how to help the SMEs establish their brands and boost sales in the Internet era. He noted that the entire travel & tourism industry had become like one big supermarket with hundreds of different brands and slogans, and each tourism destination claiming to be the best and the most beautiful.
He showed examples of various hotel campaigns which had tried to distinguish themselves with clever gimmicks and strategies. One hotel group, for example, had worked out a deal with all the cultural centres in its neighbourhood to give them free entry upon presentation of the room keycard key.
He said that small companies could always find creative ways of marketing their products to counter the competitive pressure from the big companies. In fact, he said, being small also offered them the advantage of being able to respond faster to market changes and competitive pressures.
Mr. Nanthaphong Nakrit, President, Ao Luk Community-based Tourism Network Enterprise, Krabi, narrated how the guidance of Thai King Bhumibhol’s Sufficiency Economy had been instrumental in designing the product. He said they were now attracting a lot of Muslims to Krabi, which would continue after the ASEAN integrated community is established in 2015 and Thailand starts getting more visitors from its Muslim-majority neighbours to the south, Brunei, Indonesia and Malaysia.
Mrs Puengjit Sirichaiwat, Business Development Director, Chokchai Farm, narrated how the company began as a dairy farm selling just milk but has now branched off into all kinds of F&B and agricultural ventures, including restaurants, agro-tourism and the award-winning product, a ranch and resort.
The audience also heard inspiring stories from Mr. Varisorn Rakphan, Managing Director, Chumphon Cabana Resort and Diving Center, and Dr. Sarawut Srisakuna, Director, Chiang Mai Night Safari.
Of the 117 tourism awards conferred this year, roughly 100 went to SMEs and independent enterprises owned and operated by Thais. They included six national parks, two Wisdom Spas, one Buddhist community, one university, community-based centres and homestays, two vineyards, four museums, one Royal Project, one Organic Agriculture Project and a number of private sector enterprises operating bike tours, river tours and rafting holidays. There were specific awards for hotels of less than 80 rooms and day spas.
Along with promoting SMEs at its annual trade show, the Thailand Travel Mart, the TAT is working overtime to ensure that Thai travel & tourism SMEs not just survive but thrive in the face of competition. Indeed, there is no shortage of creativity as many rural communities realise that their indigenous culture, history and heritage can be as valuable as their agricultural farmland for job-creation and income generation. The key for the public sector is to help the SMEs upgrade their doing-business skills, give them marketing exposure and grow their access to financing.
The TAT takes these awards very seriously, ensuring strict conformity with judging criteria. They are conferred once every two years in order to give all applicants plenty of time to thoroughly upgrade their products and services. Winners of previous years can continue to apply, which leads them to constantly upgrade their standards and raises the benchmark for those wanting to compete. A number of awardees were three-time winners.
Each award category has a separate set of judges comprising of TAT representatives as well as professors, technocrats, representatives of both public and private sector travel industry associations and others with proven expertise in their line of work. For example, the award for Tourism Attractions includes representatives of the Association of Siamese Architects and the award for Health Tourism includes judges from the Pollution Control Department and the Department of Environmental Quality Promotion.
Selection is based not just on the submitted documentation. All the judges are required to personally visit each of the applicants to verify the claims. This makes them far more authoritative and respected than the myriad of other industry awards decided by readers, editors and corporate executives.
Please click here to download the Thailand Tourism Awards 2015 list, with full contact details and websites of the winners.Warning: It’s a large PDF file, nearly 20 MB |
The 10th Thailand Tourism Awards 2015
List of Award Recipients
Tourism Support and Promotion Organizations (14 Awards)
Award of Excellence (1)
Government Sector:
Northern Region: -Nan Municipality (Nan, preservation of a living old city), Nan Province
Award of Outstanding Performance (13)
Government Sector:
Northern Region:
-Chiang Mai Municipality (Klangwiang Chiang Mai Museum Partnership), Chiang Mai Province
-Tak Municipality (Loy Krathong Sai Festival), Tak Province
Southern Region:
-Krabi Provincial Administrative Organization, Krabi Province
-Maejo University at Chumphon (University of Life), Chumphon Province
Central Region:
-Samutsakhon Science Centre For Education, Samut Sakhon Province
-WisetChaiChan Municipality, Ang Thong Province
Northeastern Region:
-Phimai Wittaya School, Promoting Cultural and Tourism, Nakhon Ratchasima Province
-Ban Chiang Municipality, Udon Thani Province
Eastern Region:
-Prasae Municipality office, Rayong Province
Private Sectors:
Northern Region:
-Wat Si Khom Kham, Phayao Province
-Wat Thai Samakee, Tak Province
Southern Region:
-Ao Luk Community Based Tourism Network, Krabi Province
-Chumphon Community Based Tourism Network, Chumphon Province
Tourist Attractions (44 Awards)
Award of Excellence (13)
Natural & Ecotourism
Northern Region:
-Doi Phu Kha National Park, Nan Province
Northeastern Region:
-Tat Ton National Park, Chaiyaphum Province
Historical and Culture
Central Region: HellFire Pass Memorial Museum, Kanchanaburi Province
Agrotourism
Northern Region:
-Royal Agricultural Station Angkhang, Chiang Mai Province
Northeastern Region:
-PB Valley Khao Yai Winery, Nakhon Ratchasima Province
Eastern Region:
-Suphattha Land Park, Rayong Province (Hall of Fame)
Recreation
Northern Region:
-Thai Elephant Conservation Center, Lampang Province (Hall of Fame)
Central Region:
-Sampran Riverside, Nakhon Pathom Province
-Siam Niramit, Bangkok (Hall of Fame)
Northeastern Region:
-Sirindhorn Museum, Kalasin Province
Eastern Region:
-Nong Nooch Pattaya Garden & Resort, Chonburi Province (Hall of Fame)
Community Tourism
Northern Region:
-Rai Kong King Healthy Community, Chiang Mai Province
Central Region:
-Ban Bang Plub Community, Samut Songkram Province
Award of Outstanding Performance (31)
Natural and Ecotourism
Northern Region:
–Khlong Lan National Park, Kamphaeng Phet Province
–Doi Pha Hom Pok National Park, Chiang Mai Province
Southern Region:
–Tham-Lay Stegodon, Satun Province
Northeastern Region:
-Pha Taem National Park, Ubon Ratchathani Province
-Phu Pha Thoep National Park, Mukdahan Province
Historical and Culture
Northern Region:
-Chan Sen Museum, Nakhon Sawan Province
-Khum Chao Luang, Phrae Province
Southern Region:
-Phuket Oldtown, Phuket Province
Agrotourism
Northern Region:
–Doi Inthanon Royal Project, Chiang Mai Province
-The Organic Agriculture Project at Sukhothai Airport, Sukhothai Province
Southern Region:
– Zalacca Orchard – Sala Lungthan, Phatthalung Province
– Ban Thon om, Chumphon Province
Central Region:
– Somdet Phra Srinagarindra Garden, Phetchaburi Province
– The GranMonte Vineyard, Nakhon Ratchasima
Eastern Region:
– Maiked Homestay, Prachinburi Province
Recreation
Northern Region:
-Chiang Mai Night Safari, Chiang Mai Province
-Thai Elephant Home, Chiang Mai Province
Southern Region:
-Nakhon Si Thammarat Science Center for Education, Nakhon Si Thammarat Province
-Flying Hanuman, Phuket Province
Central Region:
-The Sirindhorn International Environmental Park, Phetchaburi Province
Northeastern Region:
-Northeastern Research Institute of Petrified Wood and Mineral Resources, Nakhon Ratchasima Province
-Nakhon Ratchasima Zoo, Nakhon Ratchasima Province
Eastern Region:
-Ripley’s World Pattaya, Chonburi Province
-The Sanctuary of Truth, Chonburi Province
Community Based Tourism
Northern Region:
-Phra Bat Huai Tom Community Based Tourism, Lamphun Province
-Hauy Tong Kor Community Based Tourism, Mae Hong Son Province
Southern Region:
-Klong Dan Buddhist Community, Songkhla Province
Central Region:
-Baanrimklong Homestay, Samut Songkram Province
-Thai-Raman Cultural Community, Kanchanaburi Province
Northeastern Region:
– Ban Chiang Homestay, Udon Thani Province
Eastern Region:
– Ban Nam Chiew Community Based Tourism, Trad province
Tourist Accommodation (15 Awards)
Award of Excellence (7)
City Hotel (over 80 rooms)
Bangkok:
–Anantra Bangkok Riverside Resort and Spa, Bangkok
Resort Hotel (less than 80 rooms)
Northern Region:
– Ratilanna Riverside Spa Resort, Chiang Mai Province
Resort Hotel (over 80 rooms)
Southwest Region:
-JW Marriott Phuket Resort and Spa, Phuket
Western Region:
-Centara Grand Beach Resort and Villa Hua Hin, Prachuab Kirikhan Province
Eastern Region:
-Dusit Thani Hotel, Pattaya, Chonburi Province
Pool Villa
All Regions: –Santhiya Koh Pha-Ngan Resorts & Spas, Surat Thani Province
Convention Hotel
Eastern Region:
-Royal Cliff Hotel Group, Chonburi Province
Award of Outstanding Performance (8)
City Hotel (over 80 rooms)
Bangkok:
-Amari Watergate Hotel, Bangkok
Resort Hotel (less than 80 rooms)
Northern Region:
-The Legend Resort and Spa, Chiang Rai Province
-Nan Boutique Hotel, Nan Province
Northeastern Region:
-PhuNaCome Resort, Loei Province
Resort Hotel (over 80 rooms)
Southwest Region:
-Aonang Villa Resort, Krabi Province
-Phuket Graceland Resort & Spa, Phuket Province
Eastern Region:
-Siam Bayshore Pattaya, Chonburi Province
Award of Excellence (9)
Day Spa
Northern Region: Oasis Spa Lanna, Chiang Mai Province
Southern Region: Sukho Cultural Spa, Phuket Province (Hall of Fame)
Central Region: Oasis Spa Bangkok, Sukhumvit 31, Bangkok
Destination Spa
All Regions: Tao Garden Health Spa & Resort, Chiang Mai Province (Hall of Fame)
Hotel/Resort Spa
Northern Region: Panviman Chiang Mai Spa Resort, Chiang Mai Province
Southern Region: Six Senses Spa Samui (Six Sense Samui Hotel), Surat Thani Province (Hall of Fame)
Central Region: Banyan Tree Spa, Bangkok
Eastern Region: Royal Garden Spa (Pattaya Marriott Resort & Spa), Chonburi Province
Thai Wisdom Spa
Eastern Region: Abhaibhubejhr Day Spa (Abhaibhubejhr Hospital), Prachinburi Province
Award of Outstanding Performance (10)
Day Spa
Northern Region:
-RarinJinda Wellness Spa Resort, Chiang Mai Province
-Chiva Spa, Chiang Mai Province
Destination Spa
All Regions:
-Banyan Tree Spa Phuket (Banyan Tree Spa Sanctuary), Phuket Province
-Kamalaya Koh Samui (Wellness Sanctuary and Holistic Spa Resort), Surat Thani Province
Hotel/Resort Spa
Southern Region:
-Banyan Tree Spa Samui (Banyan Tree Hotel Samui), Surat Thani Province
-In Balance Spa by Novotel Phuket Vintage Park, Phuket Province
Central Region:
-So Spa – Sofitel So Bangkok, Bangkok
-The Barai Spa in Hua Hin (Hyatt Regency Hua Hin Beach Resort), Prachuab Kirikhan Province
Thai Wisdom Spa
Northern Region:
–Lanna Come Spa, Chiang Mai Province
Southern Region:
-Wareerak Hot Spring Retreat, Krabi Province
Award of Excellence (6)
Tour Program for Domestic Visitors
Southern Region:
-“Miracle Dragon Beach Satun One Day Trip” (Satun VIP Travel Co., Ltd.), Satun Province
Bangkok and Surrounding:
-“Muang Pra Racha, Uttayan Siam, Suebsan Nang Yai, Vithee Thai Yo Nok, Pha Chok Muang Koo Bua” (Rattanabralee Co., Ltd.), Bangkok
Tour Program for International Visitors
Northern Region:
-“Chiangmai Green Bike & Paddle” (Chiang Mai Adventure Co., Ltd) Chiang Mai Province
Southern Region:
-“Homestay cultural experience, with a jungle exploratory adventure and relaxing time on the beach in Andaman Region (Andaman Discoveries Co., Ltd), Phang Nga Province
Central and Eastern Region:
-“Petchburi-Cha-am-Hua Hin Tour Program” (Kantawat Tour and Travel Co., Ltd), Petchburi Province
Bangkok and Vicinity:
-Lizu Lodge and Khum Lanna (Asian Oasis Travel Co., Ltd), Chiang Mai Province
Award of Outstanding Performance (12)
Tour Program for Domestic Visitors
Northern Region:
-“Community Based Cultural Exchange and Volunteer Trip” (Tour Merngtai), Mae Hong Son Province
Southern Region:
-“Visit Khanom District, See Pink Dolphin” (Khanom Fishing and Tour), Nakhon Si Thammarat Province
-“Nhan Moddang Rafting” (Nhan Moddang Rafting), Patthalung Province
Northeastern Region:
-“Nagha Legend in Mekong River, Experience Local Life” (Wansai Tour Co., Ltd), Nongkhai Province
-“Sabai Dee Route; Udon Thani – Nong Khai” (New Wave Travel Ltd. Partnership), Nongkhai Province
Bangkok and Vicinity:
-“Tracing King Taksin’s route to Siamese freedom” (NC Tour and Enterprise Co., Ltd), Bangkok
Tour Program for International Visitors
Northern Region:
-“Fly Fishing Project” (NG River Guides), Mae Hong Son Province
Southern Region:
-“4 in 1 Half day Safari” (Siam Safari Nature Tours), Phuket Province
-“1 Day Dive Trip” (Sea Bees Submarine Diving Club Co., Ltd), Phuket Province
Central and Eastern Region:
-“Ayutthaya Family Cycling & Cruise” (Ayutthaya Boat & Travel Co., Ltd), Ayutthaya Province
Bangkok and Vicinity:
-“Travel for Research and Learning” (AAE All Asia Exclusive Ltd)
-“Thailand Family Adventure” (Intrepid Thailand Ltd)
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