Phuket

aussie dollar · #1 12-02-2005, 04:49

Slash prices further, Phuket hotels told
Published on February 12, 2005

Phuket hotels must cut their room rates another 20 to 30 per cent if they are to appeal to foreign tourists again, said a group of British travel agents who are apparently displeased with the 50-per-cent price cuts most hotels are currently offering.

To register the number of guests they had pre-tsunami, hotels and resorts should also come up with aggressive promotional offers, they said.

Keith Betton, a representative of The Association of British Travel Agents, said only further price reductions would attract tourists who focus on price and other special offers.

If they are offered more benefits, then they will soon start showing up to the vacation isle once again, he added.

“We want to help Phuket’s low season by [bringing] more tourists. If hotels can’t cut the rates a bit more, we’ll be fine but we might have to offer destinations such as China,” another travel agent said.

A group of 17 travel agents yesterday met with 45 local hotels and travel agents in Phuket, where they called for additional reductions in room rates.

A British tour operator noted that more special offers would not hurt Phuket’s image as a high-end destination, given that international travellers recognise it would be a temporary measure.

The request was met with a cold response from local hotel operators and representatives from the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), who feel that implementing the suggestions would negatively affect the industry’s outlook in the long term.

The industry would be destroyed if hotels offered such heavy discounts, said Opas Netr-ampai, owner of the Club Andaman Phuket and a member of the Tourism Council of Thailand’s executive committee. “If Phuket hoteliers accept this, then we have to give the same rate to all travel agents around the world. This will not be help tourism at all,” he said.

Phuket has many tourism offerings, including natural sites, adventure activities as well as many kinds of hand-made products, Opas said. These can attract tourists all year round.

Instead of recommending slashing rates, the TAT will instead step up marketing activities and promotional offers in all major European markets, said Pornsiri Manoharn, the authority’s deputy governor for international markets.

Suchat Sritama

The Nation

PHUKET

Mac · #2 12-02-2005, 05:59

The Club Andaman is offering a Balcony Room Twin for THB 5000 per night. When I stayed there in Christmas 2003 this room cost £360 for 10 nights...
Hmmm..... THB 2,200 in 2003 High Season. THB 5,000 Now is more than 100% uplift not a 50% cut!!!

With Tourism down nearly 90% according to Nicke's tourist number figures these people really are in trouble.

Mac

andy50 · #3 12-02-2005, 19:01

its what the thais do mac! the more in the crap they get the more they hike the prices!that apparently goes for the b/g-s too
instead of 1000bht they want 2000 because there arnt enough punters to go round

steveski · #4 12-02-2005, 19:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by andy50

its what the thais do mac! the more in the crap they get the more they hike the prices!that apparently goes for the b/g-s too
instead of 1000bht they want 2000 because there arnt enough punters to go round

Is this true have the girls jacked the price up to 2,000?
Bugger,

IRISH JONNY · #5 12-02-2005, 19:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by steveski

Is this true have the girls jacked the price up to 2,000?
Bugger,

YEP.........
ON MY XMAS TOUR MOST BGs WERE LOOKING FOR 1500 ST AND 2000 LT.AND EVEN SOME WERE LOOKING FOR 3000.........
BUT THERE STILL WAS BGs AVAILABLE FOR 1000.......YOU JUST HAD TO LOOK A LITTLE HARDER
IJ

andy50 · #6 12-02-2005, 19:25

irish johnny was saying that when he was there after the disaster he found it hard to find a girl for 1000bht he did eventually find one, so there will always be one for you ,its just a matter of searching out a 1000 bhat-er
best thing to do is not dicuss money till the next morning then place 1000 next to her bag when she is in the hong-nam ,usually works ok

andy50 · #7 12-02-2005, 19:27

hi ij !hope to meet u next time mate !

IRISH JONNY · #8 12-02-2005, 19:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by andy50

hi ij !hope to meet u next time mate !

YEP...I WAS DISSAPOINTED THAT YOU WENT HOME EARLY.
MIKEE SAID YOU WERE TOPS........I RECKON THE 3 OF US COULD HAVE HAD SOME CRAZY SESSIONS.........
ARE YOU TRYING TO GO FOR SONGKRAN?
IJ

andy50 · #9 12-02-2005, 23:33

hi ij, im trying to get enough money together to go for sonkran ,im doing agency work this year (electrician)so hopefully if i get enough work ill make it!