Thailand

Beware of Folk Dancing Dinner Show

Published April 26, 2017 | By Clark Norton

We would have liked to see this Thai dancing

On our first trip to Asia many years ago, my wife and I were traveling in Thailand and enjoying the most consistently good food we had ever eaten.

Every meal — whether it was a simple dish of pad Thai at a noodle stand or a whole grilled fish in a sit-down restaurant — was outstanding. We were in foodie heaven.

That is, until we spotted a placard in our Bangkok hotel lobby promising a memorable evening of traditional Thai dancing combined with an “authentic Thai meal in a genuine Thai-style lodge within a sylvan setting,” or words to that effect.

What could be better?

We’d have another great dinner and get to see some Thai dancing, which was on our to-do list. We always liked a nice sylvan setting. And the price, while a splurge for… Continue reading →

Posted in Asia, Baby boomer travel, cultural travel | Tagged Bangkok, Thai dancing, Thailand, tours from hell | 2 Comments

Thailand Tourism Aims Its Sights on Boomers

Published November 13, 2013 | By Clark Norton

Thailand’s Koh Tapu island (also known as James Bond Island) will look familiar to many baby boomers.

Count the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) in on the global trend of trying to appeal to baby boomer travelers to visit its shores. More than 70 million potential visitors with money to spend cannot be ignored.

TAT has launched a campaign in American TV, print, and online ads as well as enhanced social media outreach to convince boomers to journey to the land of colorful temples and palaces, flower markets, kick boxing, and, of course, some of the world’s best food.

Prime beaches, certainly, are part of the mix, but Thai Tourism officials are stressing that there’s a lot more to Thailand than sun and sand (which, after all, the Caribbean provides in much greater proximity).

There are elephants to ride, tribal villages and ancient ruins to visit, rivers and klongs (canals)… Continue reading →

Posted in Baby boomer travel, Countries | Tagged baby boomer marketing strategies, baby boomer travel, baby boomer travel trends, baby boomer travelers, baby boomers, baby boomers and tourism, marketing baby boomer travel, selling travel to baby boomers, Thailand, Tourism Authority of Thailand, travel marketing, traveling baby boomers | 4 Comments

According to government and private surveys:

Leading-edge baby boomers (born between 1946 and 1955) and seniors account for four out of every five dollars spent on luxury travel today.
Roughly half the consumer spending money in the U.S.--more than $2 trillion--is in the hands of leading-edge baby boomers and seniors.
Baby boomers (born 1946-1964) travel more than any other age group.
When asked what they would most like to spend their money on, baby boomers answered “travel” more than any other category, including improving their health or finances.