Visa hoping to cash in on Ratchaprasong year-end event
Play
Millions of foreign tourists are expected to visit Thailand in response to an upcoming Ratchaprasong event over the festive season, while Visa is hoping its cardholders spend 15 per cent more than in the same time last year.
The Tourism Authority of Thailand, Visa, and the Ratchaprasong Square Trade Association (RSTA) yesterday launched the Thailand Spectacular Year End campaign, which will take place in that part of Bangkok from tomorrow until January 31.
Vilaiwan Twichasri, TAT deputy governor for tourism products and business, said Ratchaprasong was chosen to stage the event because it was the preferred New Year countdown location for foreigners and locals.
She said foreign visitors who spent Bt5,000 or more on goods and services from shops in the area would receive presents at booths at the Chidlom BTS station and the Erawan Bangkok Shopping Centre.
Somboon Krobteeranon, Visa’s Thailand manager, said the campaign would help boost spending and cardholders could expect big discounts from the company’s alliance partners in the area.
“We expect that spending from Visa cardholders will increase 15 per cent during this festive season” year on year, he said.
Somboon said hotels such as St Regis, Renaissance Bangkok, the InterContinental, Holiday Inn, Centara Grand at Central World, and Novotel Platinum would offer discounted room rates of up to 20 per cent for Visa cardholders.
Visa is promoting the event in the United Sates, Britain, Australia, Japan, China, Russia and Southeast Asia.
Nattaporn Chevamongkol of RSTA said that each day more than 500,000 foreign tourists were expected to visit Ratchaprasong Square.
She said businesses in the area would offer discounts of up to 80 per cent on some 100,000 products.
Kasikorn Research Centre reported that hotel operators were ramping up marketing efforts in a bid to boost sales over the last quarter.
It said the operators hoped that a travel tax-deduction measure would help boost sales during the high season.
