The Thai property market is benefiting from the successful positive branding overseas of the country’s many attractions.

The rising number of travellers coming to Thailand from the six Gulf Cooperation Council countries is great news for property developers such as the Castlewood Group. Juthaporn Rerngronasa, the deputy governor for international marketing at the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) said he expected travel from the GCC to Thailand to increase by 10 per cent in 2012 compared to 2011 visitor figures. Rerngronasa was speaking at a pre-Arabian Travel Market gathering of Thai and local UAE travel industry representatives, at the Dusit Thani Hotel in Dubai.

Variety of attractions Rerngronasa said the TAT’s proactive marketing strategies were bearing fruit in the GCC. The focus of the TAT campaign has been on boosting the country’s travel industry by enhancing Thailand’s brand image. The focus has been on Thailand’s value-for-money as a leisure and business destination, the variety of tourist attractions, and the warmth and hospitality of the Thai people.

The campaign is summed up in TAT’s marketing phrase “Amazing Thailand Always Amazes You”, which will be used throughout 2012.

Successful branding There are signs that Thailand’s branding has been successful. At the seventh annual Future Brand Country Brand Index 2011-2012, Thailand ranked number seven in the world in terms of tourism brand image, while maintaining first position position in terms of Value for Money. Thailand was also in the top 10 for food, beaches, nightlife, shopping and accommodation.

The rise in travel from the six GCC countries - Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and United Arab Emirates - is one sign that Thailand’s image is improving on the world stage. This is great news for property developers as it creates a positive feeling of optimism which helps the market to stay buoyant. Phuket island thrives

One area which has shown dynamic growth in recent years is the idyllic island of Phuket, where there are several luxury properties on the market. A high-end development attracting a lot of attention is the Singapore-based Castlewood Group’s 8over8 Hotel. It has 151 suites, 19 stakeholders suites, an executive lounge and menus created by celebrity chefs. It’s also located in the beautiful area of Bang Tao beach, close to the Laguna Resort, which is popular with Chinese tourists.

“Phuket is receiving a lot of interest because of its beautiful beaches, coral reefs, wildlife, luxury resorts and exotic lifestyle. The 8over8 Hotel development is perfectly placed to tap into that rising interest,” said Jarrat Beaumont, Castlewood Group’s Sales Manager.

Thailand increasingly caters for the luxury end of the market, as well as holidaymakers attracted to the country’s reputation for value for money. In his speech at the Dusit Thani hotel, in Dubai, Rerngronasa listed some of the developments which appealed to visitors with a lot of disposable income, such as Terminal 21, one of Bangkok’s newest lifestyle and shopping complexes, and Asiatique The Riverfront, which once opened will form a large-scale riverside project combining shopping, dining, sightseeing, activities and events.

A replica of a Greek village is the latest development in the confident and thriving Thai tourist industry.

The construction of a life-size replica Greek village at a seaside resort shows the ambition coursing through the Thai tourist industry, which is great news for property developers such as the Castlewood Group.

Buoyed by statistics showing that the country’s tourist industry is growing all the time, Thailand is creating a range of modern attractions to go with its ancient cultural and historical sites.

The latest development, which opens on May 5 this year, is a replica of neighbourhoods on the southern Aegean island of Santorini, in Greece. Basically a giant theme park, Santorini Park has been built over six hectares and comes complete with models of traditional Cycladic houses, cobblestone alleyways and climbing bougainvillaea.

Shopping complex The new park is at the popular coastal resort of Cha-am, a two-hour drive from Bangkok and 20 minutes from Hua Hin town. The company behind Santorini Park is Pena Group, a southeast Asian leader in retail centres. The cost of the two-year project was 12.2 million euros.

Pena Group’s designers have also tried to improve on Greek reality. They have also included model ancient statues and pop-art features, artificial waterfalls and fountains.

The village also differs from most villages in Greece by including an enormous shopping complex with 140 stores carrying top brands. There are also dozens of restaurants, cafes and sweet shops.

A luxury experience The “village” also contains 3,000 square metres of concert and performance space, which can house a standing audience of 5,000, or a seated audience of 2,000 people. On Saturdays and Sundays, it will become a haven for art lovers and handicraft enthusiasts, set in a garden market atmosphere. There’s also parking for 1,500 cars. Clearly, the village is aimed squarely at visitors to Thailand with a lot of disposal income, who are looking for a special, “luxury” experience on holiday. It will probably also prove popular with the rising number of European visitors to Thailand because of its novelty value in the Far East.

Thailand’s range of attractions and ability to target the high-end market is great news for property developers and investors in the thriving Thai market. These are the type of visitors who will be willing to invest in the tourist trade.

Phuket island thrives One area which has shown dynamic growth in recent years is the idyllic island of Phuket, where there are several luxury properties on the market. One development attracting a lot of attention is the Singapore-based Castlewood Group’s 8over8 Hotel, which has 151 suites, 19 stakeholders suites, an executive lounge and menus created by celebrity chefs. It’s also located in the beautiful area of Bang Tao beach, close to the Laguna Resort, which is popular with Chinese tourists.

“Phuket is receiving a lot of interest because of its beautiful beaches, coral reefs, wildlife, luxury resorts and exotic lifestyle. The 8over8 Hotel development is perfectly placed to tap into that rising interest,” said Jarrat Beaumont, Castlewood Group’s Sales Manager.

The recent boat show, as well as the annual Rendezvous, show how Phuket has become a destination for superyacht owners, which could benefit the high-end property sector.

Thailand’s Phuket Island is becoming the leading destination for the owners of luxury yachts, which is great news for developers with properties on the island, such as the Castlewood Group.

Phuket recently showcased the leading luxury yacht brands at the ninth annual Phuket International Boat Show (PIMEX) from 19 March to 1 April 2012, at the Royal Phuket Marina.

The show built on the previous year’s exhibitions to create a larger and more comprehensive spectacle. It was another demonstration of Phuket’s potential to attract large crowds of the elite.

Boat brands The boat brands on show were the same ones seen at the super yacht shows in Monaco, Cannes, and in Fort Lauderdale. The largest boat on display was a 92-foot powerboat, from the Ferretti Group. The flagship Fairline Squadron 78 Custom also received its first outing at a boat show in Asia and Sunseeker showed three luxury flybridge yachts.

The growing reputation of Phuket Island as a major ‘Superyacht Hub in Asia’ is supported by the annual Asia Superyacht Rendezvous, each December, which is the largest gathering in Asia of both motor and sail superyachts from around the world.

This year is the festival’s 12th annual event. It will take place in Surin Bay and there will be a bonanza of saili

ng races, cocktail parties and festive activities to engage the 200 superyacht owners, captains, crew and VIP guests.

Superyachts worth US$150 million According to organisers, the magnificent vessels at Asia Superyacht Rendezvous in 2012 will represent an estimated value of US$150 million, including those built by the Rendezvous Principal Sponsor, the world famous Feadship Royal Dutch Shipyards.

The event continues to grow. A rising number of superyachts are heading for the cruising waters of Asia as their attractions become more widely known. Phuket is now one of the top five cruising destinations in the world, helped by its location in the popular ‘Andaman Marine Triangle’.

Cruising in the Triangle After the December event, many of the owners stay on for the post-event cruising in the Triangle, which has helped to push Phuket to the forefront of Asia’s growing marine leisure industry. The provinces of Phuket, Phang Nga and Krabi all stunning sailing and cruising grounds in the world and share the same coastline and marine environment. Together they are becoming known as a favourite playground for superyachts and luxury boating in Asia.

The development of Phuket as a destination for the super wealthy is great for the island’s luxury developers who rely on attracting the elite. Phuket has several new luxury properties on the market. One significant high-end development is the Singapore-based Castlewood Group’s 8over8 Hotel. It has 151 suites, 19 stakeholders suites, an executive lounge and menus created by celebrity chefs. It’s also located in the beautiful area of Bang Tao beach, close to the Laguna Resort.

“Phuket is the place to invest. The tourism rates are high and still rising with over 80% hotel occupancy rates,” said Chris Comer, Managing Director of Castlewood Group.

Phuket is one of Thailand’s top three earning tourism destinations, according to the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT). Phuket contributes 137 billion baht to Thailand’s tourism industry, accounting for around 30% of the total tourism income in Thailand.

Resorts and hotels in Phuket had reported strong bookings in November and December. According to the Phuket Tourist Association (PTA), the tourism industry in Phuket is performing better than last year. Currently, 37.1% of Phuket’s tourists are from Europe and 43.7% are from Asia.

To continue to attract more visitors to Phuket, TAT plans to work with Qatar Airlines to drive traffic from emerging markets like Brazil and Argentina. In addition, TAT will focus on the rising BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India and China) economies, which have high growth potential.

“Phuket will benefit from TAT’s drive to draw more international visitors to the island. This will boost the tourism and hotel occupancy rates in Phuket,” commented Chris Comer, CEO of Castlewood Group, a commercial real estate developer based in Singapore. “Tourists are attracted to the white sandy beaches, tropical climate and beautiful scenery in Phuket.”

The 8over8 luxury hotel, a project by Castlewood Group, will be situated in Phuket, near the beautiful Bang Tao Beach and Laguna Resort. It will be scheduled for completion by the first quarter of 2013.

According to the latest statistics from Phuket International Airport, the number of passengers at the airport had reached more than 8.2 million in 2011. In December 2011, international arrivals and departures had increased by 16.07% to 690,664 as compared to the same period last year.

To attract new markets, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is working closely with airlines to increase the number of first-time travellers to Phuket. Besides, TAT also plans to boost visitors from current key markets including China and South Korea.

“As airlines such as Air China and Thai Airways increase the number of direct flights connecting Phuket to China and South Korea, we can expect more tourists from these countries to visit,” commented Jarrat Beaumont, Group Sales Director of Castlewood Group, a commercial real estate developer based in Singapore. “This will create more demand for hotels in Phuket.”

The 8over8 luxury hotel, a project by Castlewood Group, will be situated in Phuket, near the beautiful Bang Tao Beach and Laguna Resort. It will be scheduled for completion by the first quarter of 2013.

Phuket is one of Thailand’s top three earning tourism destinations, according to the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT). Phuket contributes 137 billion baht to Thailand’s tourism industry, accounting for around 30% of the total tourism income in Thailand. Read full report at Castlewood Group.

According to the latest statistics from Phuket International Airport, the number of passengers at the airport had reached more than 8.2 million in 2011. In December 2011, international arrivals and departures had increased by 16.07% to 690,664 as compared to the same period last year. Report Castlewood Group.

The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) plans to attract more visitors from Latin America and will focus on two emerging markets, Brazil and Argentina, which have high growth potential.  Castlewood Group report.

China will soon become the largest source market for outbound tourists to Thailand, according to the Tourism of Authority of Thailand (TAT). Last year, around one million Chinese nationals had visited Thailand and TAT expected to receive 1.4 million Chinese visitors by the end of 2011. Read full story at Castlewood Group.

The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) revealed that over 1.4 million Chinese tourists visited Thailand in 2011. According to the Director of the TAT Beijing Office, Mr Ponganan Sanpanich, about 30% of them are from the high-end group. Report Castlewood Group.