Ethnic Travel: Thailand, Research Paper Example

Overall Plan

The trip is planned to visit the beautiful county of Thailand.  Everyone in the group with leave from JFK which is the best airport to travel to Thailand. The tour will begin in Bangkok which allows each vacationer to see and experience an Asian city where they can experience the real culture including temples, monks, wildlife, food, and customs.To make the trip enjoyable the trip will make sure every event is in centrally located in Thailand. The groups will stay in the very comfortable hotels that are close to all the activities. The travelers are schedule to take a half day ride with the Bangkok famous boat rides, the tuk-tuk and the long tail boat rides. The reason the vacation trip is inexpensive because we based the rates on two people sharing a room which includes breakfast, lunch and dinner. The trip has been pre-books to the vacationer’s arrival to ensure the hotel is ready to meet them with friendly faces at the airport that will bring them straight to the resort hotel. These will ensure a very nice introduction to Thailand.

Overview of the program

Thailand will be the most unforgettable trip for anyone because of the wonderful and exotic sites to see in the world. The Thailand location is one of the most elegant and beautiful places for tourist to visit. There are places that have the Hindu peaceful atmosphere along with the terraced housing soft bamboo accessories. The attractions of surfers crowd the beaches because the waves are big enough to practice their trades in paradise. The island has the most interesting coves that can match any ancient site in the world. Today, Phuket and Koh Samui is a primary tourist destination with plenty of forests, waterfalls and all the privacy you can afford. According to Thai Tour Update (2011),”Stretching down the Malaysian peninsula, the slender trunk of the figurative elephant separates the Andaman Sea from the Gulf of Thailand, providing Thailand with beaches and islands along opposing shores (pg3)”. The Thailand locals boost of the magnificent stream of rivers that flow and glow with splendor right as the sun has set. The islands and rivers have business significances because of the economic lift tourist bring to Thailand. This is a must see vacation that every family should take in a lifetime.

Every family must understand the culture of Thailand; they are not driven by time. Make sure that your family is prepared to move around at the pace and schedule to the Thailand natives.  In the United States our culture is consumed with time. We must always be on time for work, to school, to church or to public functions. Time management is the most important factor. In contrast, Thai’s are totally opposite; they are not consumed with time. There are times when the Thailand family does not even track the time during events. They just show up on the day of the school or family event staying until the last person decides to leave regardless of time, day or night. According to Kremer (2004),”Time is an element in American culture that is crucial. On the other hand, in Thai culture, time is not that important. Thai culture is based in the present, the current time. The Thai culture relies on indirect language, while the American culture is based on direct verbal communication (pg.5).

Itinerary

Bangkok will be the first destination. The trip will begin with the initial stop in Bangkok. Most trips begin in Bangkokwhich is the country’s capital and commercial center. Bangkok includes some beach time for the travelers mixed in with some history and adventure (John Wiley & Sons, 2011).Thai Food will be the second stop. In order to enjoy the rich food and wonderful dishes. The traveling group will start at the Blue Elephant Cooking School in Bangkok. The second food determination will be the Chiang Mai Tai Cookery School in the north, so the travelers can learn how to prepare Tai dishes.Thailand culture will be the next location that will mix the ancient art of massage with Thailand culture. The next location will be the massage center of Thailand. The upscale Chiva-Som Academy provides fascination and wonderful ancient massages. The travelers will learn about tradition and the art of relaxing from the masters. In addition, the ancient islanders can provide some tips to the travelers to better adapt to Thailand customs and culture.

Logistics

The travelers do not have to worry about transportation the hotel has their own drivers that will transport the group anywhere in Thailand. The hotels are booked centrally located near all the planned activities so the group can comfortably stay together and enjoy the sites of Thailand. The trip was book at the Marriot Bangkok hotel that has the features of resort and spa on the facilities. The reason this hotel was chosen because it’s the closet proximity to the airport, boat rides and contingency exit from the islands in case of a tsunami.  The logistics have been planned out ahead of time by a team of travel agents that visit the Thailand frequently. Everyone on this trip is visiting for the first time, so the logistics was the most important factor in ensuring the trip would fun and exciting.

Cost

The traveling agent Abercrombie and Kent has pre-booked yearly trips to Thailand for several years. The travel agency gets unbelievable prices because they book out to 1 year in advance. The party of 20 will travel to Thailand with all travel and hotel expenses included for 15 days at 50.00 per dayfor a price of $750.00 per person.

Competitor information: are there other providers already doing this?

There are many competitors Monograms Travel, Avalon Waterways, Collette, Contki, Discovery Adventures, and G Adventures. They all have competitive rates but Abercrombie and Kent has outsmarted the competitors by purchasing vacation packages 1 year in advance.In order toimprove and refine your own travel agency positioning, it is important to understand the competitors’ positioning. Abercrombie found that purchasing vacation packages in advance every year allows they to provide deep discount and eliminate the competition and it is working.

Troubleshooting

The weather reports have seasonal reports that indicate is Thailand is expecting a flood or tsunami. Bangkok is always preparing for flooding. The travel agents provide a full detail reports about which season is best to travel to Thailand.  The trip was carefully planned to ensure the travel group has an exit plan from Bangkok north if the roads are flooded. A contingency plan has been put in place in case of bad weather.

Potential problems

You will definitely feel the impact of flying to Thailand. Your body will be sore and tired from the long air travel including the dreaded jetlag. The most important thing to remember and be aware when flying to Thailand is the tripto Thailand from the U.S. or Europe, you must be aware of how your body will react to jet lag. You have to plan your trip long enough for your family to adjust to the abrupt climatic and culinary changes.  In the beginning you must take it easy acclimating to the food, beverages and weather because you could spend your entire vacation in your room sick. It is best to go real slow and easy when you arrive in Bangkok. The Bangkok atmosphere and environment moves at a fast and frenetic pace with intense traffic, boiling heat and humidity like you have never experienced. It can be an overwhelming the first couple of days. So make sure you factor in 2 to 3 days of rest at the beginning of your trip.

Staffing, resources, and facilities needed

NSA Travel has been hired as part of the vacation package. NSA is known for providing resources, staffing and facilities strategically located in Asia and Europe. NS. Travel & Tours Co. Ltd. is a 30 years old reputed and well established travel company, hiring more than 100 employees. We have gained our credibility through the high quality of services given to our customers as well as the strong relationship we have with our providers all over Thailand (NS Travel & Tours, 2012).

Participant and staff safety

There are many people that travel from the United States that have concerns about the health and safety concerns overseas. In reality, Thailand is one the safest destinations for vacation travelers. However, every vacationer must adhere to these rules provide for their own safety. All participants must follow the safety rules and regulations. They will be required to watch a video and will be reminded during the entire trip about adhering to the safety requirements. Here are the safety requirements

Protect your personal Items

Regardless of your travels stateside or overseas. You should always pay the extra to find a hotel that has a safe for your valuables.

Food Preparation

Thailand is the one the best places to eat food that has been prepared. Vacationers must be aware that the easiest way to get sick in Thailand is to purchase packaged food. Do not buy package food when traveling abroad.

Motor Rides

Do not ride motorcycles in Thailand. It’s too unpredictable and dangerous. Vacationers must rely on local buggies or taxi’s or trains to move around the county. It’s important to find a hotel that provides the drivers as part of the hotel package.

Night time in Thailand

It is necessary to never travel at night in Thailand. If you are not familiar with a location do not travel at night.

References

John Wiley & Son’s. (2010). Frommers: suggesteditinerary. Retrieve from http://www.frommers.com/destinations/thailand/0245010007.html

Kremer, V. (2004).Cultural profile: Thai versus American culture. Retrieved from http://academic2.american.edu/~zaharna/Thailand/Culture.htm

NS Travel & Tours. (2012). About NS Travel & Tours. Retrieved from http://www.nstravel.com/Travel-Tours/about_us/en

Thai Tour Update. (2011).Welcome to Thai tour update. Retrieved from http://www.thaitourupdate.com/