Korean tourism: Golf, shopping, honeymoons
Korean tourists spend a lot of money in Thailand & the biggest money makers are golf, shopping & honeymoons.
Korean tourists spend a lot of money in Thailand & the biggest money makers are golf, shopping & honeymoons. shopping & honeymoons
South Korean tourist being dressed in traditional Thai dress for photographs. Dressing in elegant Thai costumes and being photographed is a popular tourist attraction for Asian tourists. EPA/BARBARA WALTON
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TOURISM
Seoul mates
South Korean tourists expected to generate B50 billion in revenue for Thailand this year
25 Mar 2013
Thailand has had a love affair with all things Korean for the past few years, and visitors from South Korea have been reciprocating, visiting the country in ever-growing numbers.
Travellers from South Korea are expected to generate 50 billion baht in revenue for Thailand this year, an increase of 20% from last year, according to Kasikorn Research Center.
The economy of South Korea is still more sluggish than many in Asia, but the number of its citizens travelling abroad is increasing. The Korea Tourism Organisation (KTO) forecasts 13.74 million South Koreans will travel overseas in 2013, increasing by 8.2% from 2012, with the most popular destinations being China, Japan, Hong Kong and Thailand in that order.
Last year 1.17 million Koreans arrived in Thailand, accounting for 8% of all Koreans who travelled abroad for tourism. This year the number is expected to increase by 20% to 2 million, who will account for spending of 50 billion baht, up 20% from the 40 billion baht generated in the previous year, according to K-Research.
It said South Koreans have become a key tourism market for Thailand, ranking fifth behind visitors from China, Malaysia, Japan and Russia.
The number of Korean visitors to Thailand had slumped earlier due to domestic and overseas factors, but rose last year to surpass its 2006 record as Thailand enjoyed a year free of natural disasters and political unrest.
The growth of the low-cost airlines in Asia and direct flights from South Korean cities including Incheon, Busan and Daegu to Thai destinations such as Bangkok, Pattaya, Chiang Mai and Phuket also contributed to the increase in arrivals.
At the end of 2012, the tourism authorities of Thailand and South Korea held talks on a plan to increase the number of Korean tourists to Thailand between 4 million and 5 million per year, or about one-third of all Koreans travelling abroad. Under the plan, the Thai government will develop tourism websites in the Korean language, while South Korea will provide language training to Thai personnel. The media of the two countries will also exchange information on tourism.
According to K-Research, most Korean visitors to Thailand are considered general-interest tourists, although there are also those who come for specific activities such as honeymoons, golf and shopping. The average spending of the latter group, however, is several times higher than for general tourists, and the Thai industry should focus on these visitors in order to increase the country’s tourism revenue, said the centre.
Local administrations in Thailand, especially those in beach towns such as Phuket, Krabi, Phangnga and Samui, are looking to attract couples, partnering with hotels and resorts to offer promotions and create honeymoon destinations for South Koreans and others.
About 85% of the 250,000 to 260,000 South Korean newlywed couples each year will choose to honeymoon abroad, mostly at beach and island destinations. In Asia, they prefer Bali, the Maldives, and Thai destinations such as Phuket, Krabi and Samui, although the trend is moving toward more quiet and cheaper areas such as Khao Lak, Hua Hin, Pran Buri and Ban Krut.
The Thai tourism industry should also aim to promote repeat trips for married couples, or even families, who want to return to their honeymoon locations, said the centre.
Another promising segment is wealthy golf tourists, totalling 20 million in Asia, of whom only one million, or 5%, visit Thailand. However, about half of them are South Koreans, which may show that Thailand has to the potential to increase income from golfers, whose average spending is many times higher than that of general tourists.
The research centre points out that Thailand has more than 200 golf courses that are up to international standards, spread across all regions of the country, allowing the golfers to enjoy various locations year-round. In addition, Thai golf courses offer low prices and good services when compared to their counterparts in other countries
South Korean golfers traditionally focus on locations in Bangkok and nearby provinces as well as Pattaya, but they are beginning to travel to Chiang Mai and the northern region due to direct and charter flights from South Korea to the northern city.
South Korean shoppers are another specialised group of tourists. Along with other Asian shoppers, they are attracted to leading shopping centres in Bangkok and major tourist attractions such as Phuket. Political stability and renovations of shopping centres are factors increasing the number of shopping tourists, said the centre
(Source: Bangkok Post, Tourism, Seoul mates, South Korean tourists expected to generate B50 billion in revenue for Thailand this year
25 Mar 2013, link)
Tourism Market Segment
soul mate - the person you are meant to marry and spend the rest of your life with, the person made for you in heaven: "a person with whom one has a feeling of deep or natural affinity,[1] similarity, love, sex, intimacy, sexuality, spirituality, or compatibility" เนื้อคู่ (See Wikipedia)
Seoul - the capital of South Korea
mate (noun) - 1. a close friend; 2. a loved one such as a wife or husband
mate (verb) - when a man and a woman do baby-making activities
Seoul mates
play on words - when the words in a sentence or phrase (or even compound word as here) have two meanings in an amusing and witty sort of way
generate - to produce ก่อให้เกิด create สร้าง กระตุ้นให้เิกิด
revenue - income from taxes or business activities รายได้
generate revenue - doing things to help the company to make money
expected - believe will happen คาดว่า (จะเกิดขึ้น)
expected to generate billions of baht in revenue
South Korean tourists expected to generate B50 billion in revenue for Thailand this year
has a love affair with - loves these things or this subject, really likes this a lot; and spends a lot of time with it or doing this activity
has a love affair with all things Korean
reciprocate - repay; to do something good for someone after they do something good for them ตอบแทน, สนอง, ตอบสนอง
visiting the country in ever-growing numbers.
Thailand has had a love affair with all things Korean for the past few years, and visitors from South Korea have been reciprocating, visiting the country in ever-growing numbers.
affair - an event เรื่องราว
sluggish - moving slowly อย่างช้ moving much slower than usual ซบเซา not performing or reacting as well as usual (เศรษฐกิจ) ที่ซบเซา
sluggish economy
forecasts - what experts say will happen in the future คาดการณ์
forecasts 13.74 million South Koreans will travel overseas in 2013
The economy of South Korea is still more sluggish than many in Asia, but the number of its citizens travelling abroad is increasing. The Korea Tourism Organisation (KTO) forecasts 13.74 million South Koreans will travel overseas in 2013, increasing by 8.2% from 2012, with the most popular destinations being China, Japan, Hong Kong and Thailand in that order.
generated - created
generate tourism spending
50 billion baht in tourist spending generated this year
Last year 1.17 million Koreans arrived in Thailand, accounting for 8% of all Koreans who travelled abroad for tourism. This year the number is expected to increase by 20% to 2 million, who will account for spending of 50 billion baht, up 20% from the 40 billion baht generated in the previous year, according to K-Research.
key - important คนสำคัญ
a key tourism market
a key tourism market for Thailand
rank - the position in a list of the best or most of something
rank fifth
ranking fifth behind visitors from China
It said South Koreans have become a key tourism market for Thailand, ranking fifth behind visitors from China, Malaysia, Japan and Russia.
slump - decrease
the number of Korean visitors to Thailand slumped
domestic - within the country ภายในประเทศ
overseas - in other countries, in foreign countries
factors - the different things that affect the outcome of a situation, event, or decision ปัจจัย
domestic and overseas factors
surpass - go beyond
record - the best or most ever achieved สถิติ
the number rose last year to surpass its 2006 record
natural - found in nature (not made in a factory by humans) ตามธรรมชาติ
natural disasters
a year free of natural disasters
political unrest
a year free of political unrest
enjoyed - experienced (something nice and good)
Thailand enjoyed a year free of natural disasters and political unrest.
The number of Korean visitors to Thailand had slumped earlier due to domestic and overseas factors, but rose last year to surpass its 2006 record as Thailand enjoyed a year free of natural disasters and political unrest.
direct
direct flights
direct flights from South Korean to Thailand
The growth of the low-cost airlines in Asia and direct flights from South Korean cities including Incheon, Busan and Daegu to Thai destinations such as Bangkok, Pattaya, Chiang Mai and Phuket also contributed to the increase in arrivals.
authorities - government officials; the police or people in official organisations who have the legal power to make people obey laws or rules เจ้าหน้าที่ (ตำรวจ หรือผู้มีอำนาจ)
tourism authorities
the tourism authorities of Thailand and South Korea
talks - negotiations, formal discussions of problems between different sides in a conflict in order to solve the problem
the two countries held talks
At the end of 2012, the tourism authorities of Thailand and South Korea held talks on a plan to increase the number of Korean tourists to Thailand between 4 million and 5 million per year, or about one-third of all Koreans travelling abroad.
training - to teach people how to do an activity or job การฝึกฝน
language training
provide - to give someone something that they want or need
provide language training
personnel - people who work for a company or organisation
Thai personnel
South Korea will provide language training to Thai personnel.
media - radio, television, newspaper, the Internet, considered as a group สื่อ
The media of the two countries will also exchange information on tourism.
general - ทั่วไป
interest - ความสนใจ
general-interest
general-interest tourists
considered - to believe that something is .... , to have an opinion that it is ...
visitors to Thailand are considered general-interest tourists
specific - exactly this one โดยเฉพาะ, เฉพาะเจาะจง
specific activities
honeymoon - the trip that people go on after they are married ฮันนีมูน, การไปฮันนีมูน, การดื่มน้ำผึ้งพระจันทร์
some tourists come for specific activities such as honeymoons, golf and shopping.
According to K-Research, most Korean visitors to Thailand are considered general-interest tourists, although there are also those who come for specific activities such as honeymoons, golf and shopping.
focus - be concerned with one mani thing ให้ความสำคัญ
Thai industry should focus on these visitors
the latter group - the second thing mentioned (after the first thing mentioned)
several times higher - example: spending 100 baht is five times higher than spending 20 baht
The average spending of the latter group, however, is several times higher than for general tourists, and the Thai industry should focus on these visitors in order to increase the country’s tourism revenue, said the centre.
local administrations - local government
local administrations in Thailand
attract - to cause someone to be interested in something ดึงดูดความสนใจ
attract couples
looking to - planning to do in the future
looking to attract couples
partnering with hotels and resort
Local administrations in Thailand, especially those in beach towns such as Phuket, Krabi, Phangnga and Samui, are looking to attract couples, partnering with hotels and resorts to offer promotions and create honeymoon destinations for South Koreans and others.
trend - a gradual change or development that produces a particular result ทิศทาง แนวโน้ม
the trend is moving toward more quiet and cheaper areas
About 85% of the 250,000 to 260,000 South Korean newlywed couples each year will choose to honeymoon abroad, mostly at beach and island destinations. In Asia, they prefer Bali, the Maldives, and Thai destinations such as Phuket, Krabi and Samui, although the trend is moving toward more quiet and cheaper areas such as Khao Lak, Hua Hin, Pran Buri and Ban Krut.
repeat - doing something many times (not just one time)
repeat trips
aim - the thing you hope to achieve by doing something เป้าหมาย purpose; goal เป้าหมาย จุดมุ่งหมาย
aim to promote repeat trips
The Thai tourism industry should also aim to promote repeat trips for married couples, or even families, who want to return to their honeymoon locations, said the centre.
wealthy - rich, has a lot of money and valuable things (assets) ที่มั่งคั่ง ร่ำรวย
wealthy golf tourists
segment - a part of something ตอน; a separate part ส่วนต่างๆของสังคม
market segment - a small group of customers who are the same in many ways and likely to buy the same kinds of products
promising - likely to be successful มีแนวโน้มที่ดี
a promising market segment
potential - possible or likely for event or situation to happen ความเป็นไปได้
income - money that people receive from work or some other source, used for household consumption and savings
income potential
has to the potential to increase income
Thailand has to the potential to increase income from golfers
Another promising segment is wealthy golf tourists, totalling 20 million in Asia, of whom only one million, or 5%, visit Thailand.
However, about half of them are South Koreans, which may show that Thailand has to the potential to increase income from golfers, whose average spending is many times higher than that of general tourists.
international - ระหว่างประเทศ between countries
standards - an acceptable level of quality or achievement มาตรฐาน
international standards
up to international standards
golf courses that are up to international standards
spread - to cover a larger area แพร่กระจาย แพร่กระจายไปทั่ว แพร่หลาย, แพร่กระจาย
spread across all regions of the country
golf courses are spread across all regions of the country
services - บริการต่างๆ
offer low prices and good services
The research centre points out that Thailand has more than 200 golf courses that are up to international standards, spread across all regions of the country, allowing the golfers to enjoy various locations year-round.
counterparts - people or organisations with a similar function or position or function in different countries or organisations
In addition, Thai golf courses offer low prices and good services when compared to their counterparts in other countries
South Korean golfers traditionally focus on locations in Bangkok and nearby provinces as well as Pattaya, but they are beginning to travel to Chiang Mai and the northern region due to direct and charter flights from South Korea to the northern city
specialised
specialised group of tourists
South Korean shoppers are another specialised group of tourists
tourist attractions
major tourist attractions
major tourist attractions such as Phuket
leading - among the the most important or best
leading shopping centres
leading shopping centres in Bangkok
Along with other Asian shoppers, they are attracted to leading shopping centres in Bangkok and major tourist attractions such as Phuket.
stability - does not move suddenly by large amounts (in an unpredictable and surprising way) ความมีเสถียรภาพ ความมั่นคง
political stability
renovations - repairs and redecoratation of an old building to improve condition of building
renovations of shopping centres
Political stability and renovations of shopping centres are factors increasing the number of shopping tourists, said the centre
