Sixty one Thai tourism products score high marks in Best in Travel 2012 Poll

Thai tourism destinations, airlines, airports, hotels and spa resorts scored high marks in the Best in Travel 2012 Poll announced by the popular website Smart Travel Asia 2012.

Altogether, a total of 61 Thai tourism industry products were listed in the poll rankings, some in the top ten and others in the top 25. The list was led by Phuket, which was ranked the second-best holiday destination in Asia. Bangkok ranked 4th best city for business and fifth in the top ten holiday destinations in Asia. Ko Samui ranked the 10th best holiday destination in Asia.

Thai Airways International, Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport and Samui Airport also fared well. An analysis of the poll results also indicated that the award-winning products were located nationwide, including Hua Hin and Chiang Rai.

Commented TAT Governor Suraphon Svetasreni, “We are proud to see so many of our destinations and products scoring highly in these rankings. It clearly shows that the determined effort made by our entire industry to upgrade quality is paying off and getting global recognition.”

Announcing the awards, Smart Travel Asia’s Editor-Publisher Vijay Verghese said, “This year (2012) marks the eighth year of our online poll to discern travel preferences among our affluent frequent traveller readers who take over 16 air trips a year.

“The focus of the Best in Travel Poll is to determine which travel brands are sought after and why. The three-month exercise from May to July each year offers insights for our own editorial direction and generates useful comparative research data for hotels and airlines.”

Mr. Verghese said that one interesting finding this year is that affluent travellers by and large first seek trusted brand evaluations online (rather than price), but often fail to find this due to the blizzard of booking engines and sales sites that tend to dominate search results. “Readers clearly state that they will first evaluate a brand before booking it,” he said.

“Another point to emerge is that while affluent travellers make travel decisions online, they do not commonly book online. They go offline to talk to a human being in order to ask questions and personalise the purchase. Business travellers in particular are averse to online bookings as travel circumstances change rapidly and unpredictably. They tend to use their own trusted travel agents or will talk to sales persons at a hotel of their choice. In other words, tracking ‘conversions’ often fails with this elite audience.”

Approximately 70 percent of the voters were based in Asia (largely Singapore, Australia, Hong Kong, India, China, Japan, Malaysia, Thailand, Philippines, and the Middle East), 15 percent in UK/Europe and 15 percent in USA and North America. They recorded an average of 16.22 air trips (up from 15.75) over the past 12 months and earned US$162,134 in household income (up modestly from US$156,716 in 2011).

There was no charge for nomination or any hidden fee. Readers were free to vote for any of thousands of travel products in Asia from Japan to the Middle East.

Here then, are the winners of the SmartTravelAsia.com 2012 BEST IN TRAVEL POLL. These lists of leading “aspirational” brands offer insight into business and leisure travel preferences at the mid to upper end of the market. There were no nominations or limits on whom readers could vote for. There was no charge for nominations or any hidden fee. Readers picked products from thousands of possible choices in Asia.

WORLDWIDE 2012 Rank 2011 Rank 1. Singapore Airlines 1 2. Cathay Pacific Airways 2 3. Emirates 3 4. Thai Airways International 4 5. British Airways Malaysia Airlines 7 6 6. Korean Air Qatar Airways Virgin Atlantic 6 7 5 7. Qantas 8 8. Air France Air New Zealand Jet Airways 10 – 6 9. Lufthansa 9 10. ANA Etihad Airways EVA Air Hongkong Airlines – 9 10 – WORLDWIDE 2012 Rank 2011 Rank 1. Singapore Airlines 1 2. Cathay Pacific Airways 2 3. Emirates Thai Airways International 3 2 4. Malaysia Airlines 4 5. Qatar Airways 5 6. Bangkok Airways Jet Airways 7 5 7. Korean Air 7 8. Asiana Airlines Silkair 8 6 9. Virgin Atlantic 8 10. Dragonair EVA Air 9 9 ASIA 2012 Rank 2011 Rank 1. Bali, Indonesia 1 2. Phuket, Thailand 2 3. Hong Kong 3 4. Angkor (Siem Reap), Cambodia Maldives Palawan, Philippines 8 5 5 5. Bangkok, Thailand 10 6. Hanoi, Vietnam Kerala, India Seoul, South Korea 6 4 7 7. Hoi An, Vietnam Shanghai, China 7 6 8. Rajasthan, India Taipei, Taiwan 7 10 9. Goa, India Langkawi, Malaysia 9 8 10. Koh Samui, Thailand Penang, Malaysia Sanya, China 9 9 10 ASIA 2012 Rank 2011 Rank 1. The Fullerton Hotel Singapore 2 2. Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong 3 3. Island Shangri-La, Hong Kong Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong 1 4 4. The Peninsula Hong Kong 4 5. InterContinental Hong Kong 8 6. The Ritz-Carlton Millenia Singapore 5 7. Grand Hyatt Hong Kong 13 8. Four Seasons Hotel Bangkok 9 9. Shangri-La Hotel Singapore 10 10. Park Hyatt Saigon, Ho Chi Minh City The Ritz-Carlton, Beijing Waldorf Astoria Shanghai On The Bund 11 9 20 11. Four Seasons Hotel Singapore Mandarin Oriental, Singapore 6 13 12. JW Marriott Hotel Hong Kong Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi The Peninsula Shanghai The Taj Mahal Palace, Mumbai 12 18 15 10 13. Grand Hyatt Shanghai The Regent Taipei 10 14 14. Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit, Bangkok The St Regis Singapore The Westin Chosun, Seoul 12 15 15 15. Conrad Hong Kong InterContinental Bangkok Park Hyatt Shanghai The Shilla, Seoul – 19 10 16 16. Grand Hyatt Erawan Bangkok Grand Hyatt Singapore Mandarin Oriental, Kuala Lumpur 17 – 12 17. Raffles Hotel Singapore 7 18. Fairmont Peace Hotel Park Hyatt Seoul The Peninsula Tokyo 19 21 16 19. Conrad Bangkok Grand Hyatt Beijing Grand Hyatt Seoul 14 – 20 20. The Ritz-Carlton Jakarta, Mega Kuningan The Westin Beijing Financial Street Traders Hotel Kuala Lumpur – – 18 21. InterContinental Asiana Saigon, Ho Chi Minh City Raffles Dubai Sofitel Wanda Beijing W Taipei 24 20 23 17 22. Fairmont Singapore Grand Hyatt Jakarta – – 23. Centara Grand at CentralWorld, Bangkok The Langham, Xintiandi, Shanghai 19 – 24. Makati Shangri-La, Manila Mandarin Oriental Tokyo The Oberoi, New Delhi The Peninsula Manila The Regent Singapore 24 25 22 21 25 25. Conrad Tokyo Dusit Thani Bangkok Imperial Hotel, Tokyo JW Marriott Hotel Bangkok Palais De Chine Hotel, Taipei Sheraton Imperial Kuala Lumpur Hotel The St Regis Shenzhen 25 23 23 22 – 24 – ASIA 2012 Rank 2011 Rank 1. Conrad Maldives Rangali Island 1 2. Four Seasons Resort Bali at Jimbaran Bay 3 3. The Nam Hai, Hoi An 3 4. Banyan Tree Phuket 5 5. Amanpuri, Phuket Bulgari Resort Bali 4 2 6.  Ayana Resort And Spa, Bali 8 7. Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong Grand Hyatt Bali 8 8 8. Six Senses Samui – a SALA Property The Legian Bali 9 10 9. Shangri-La’s Rasa Sayang Resort & Spa, Penang The Landmark Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong 9 10 10. The Peninsula Bangkok The Royal Pita Maha, Bali The St Regis Singapore 11 14 10 11. JW Marriott Phuket Resort & Spa Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok Soneva Gili By Six Senses, Maldives W Retreat & Spa Bali-Seminyak 9 15 6 23 12. Anantara Dhigu Resort & Spa, Maldives Mandarin Oriental Dhara Dhevi, Chiang Mai Centara Grand Beach Resort & Villas Hua Hin 7 16 13 13. Four Seasons Resort Chiang Mai Hotel Tugu Bali 23 15 14. Capella Singapore Sofitel Angkor Phokeethra Golf and Spa Resort The St Regis Bali Resort 12 – 11 15. The Peninsula Hong Kong 17 16. Shangri-La’s Mactan Resort and Spa, Cebu 18 17. The Oberoi Udaivilas, Udaipur The Ritz-Carlton, Sanya 18 11 18. Centara Grand Beach Resort Samui Chiva-Som, Hua Hin InterContinental Bali Resort Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong The Datai, Langkawi 16 20 19 20 12 19. Maya Ubud Resort & Spa, Bali 21 20. Anantara Hua Hin Resort & Spa Como Shambhala Estate, Bali Raffles Grand Hotel D’Angkor, Siem Reap 22 21 – 21. Angsana Laguna Phuket Hilton Maldives/Iru Fushi Resort & Spa – 18 22. Ananda in the Himalayas, Rishikesh Grand Hyatt Erawan Bangkok Mandala Spa & Villas, Boracay 20 25 25 23. Atlantis The Palm, Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE) Four Seasons Hotel Hangzhou at Westlake The Oberoi Amarvilas, Agra The PuLi Hotel And Spa, Shanghai – 22 – 19 24. Centara Grand Beach Resort & Villas Krabi Pangkor Laut Resort Plaza Athénée Bangkok, A Royal Méridien Hotel The Farm At San Benito 23 20 25 – 25. Al Maha Desert Resort & Spa, Dubai Aleenta Phuket – Phang Nga Resort and Spa Conrad Bangkok Festive Hotel, Singapore Kamandalu Resort and Spa, Ubud, Bali Kupu Kupu Barong Villas and Tree Spa, Ubud, Bali Shangri-La’s Tanjung Aru Resort & Spa, Kota Kinabalu 22 25 19 – 23 23 22 Our voters took an average 16.22 air trips over the past year and earned an average US$162,134 in household income. They travelled enough to tell the difference between crass and class. Their verdict? Classical is back in fashion and so are authentic destinations.

WORLDWIDE 2012 Rank 2011 Rank 1. Singapore Airlines 1 2. Cathay Pacific Airways 3 3. Emirates 2 4. Air New Zealand Korean Air 5 5 5. Malaysia Airlines Qatar Airways 6 5 6. Jet Airways Thai Airways International 4 6 7. British Airways Virgin Atlantic 8 7 8. Air France 10 9. South African Airways – 10. Lufthansa Qantas 8 9 ASIA 2012 Rank 2011 Rank 1. AirAsia 1 2. Jetstar Asia 2 3. Cebu Pacific 3 4. Spice Jet 4 5. Tiger Airways 7 6. IndiGo 6 7. Virgin Blue 8 8. JetKonnect 10 9. Hong Kong Express 10 10. Nok Air 9 WORLDWIDE 2012 Rank 2011 Rank 1. Singapore Changi Airport 2 2. Hong Kong International Airport 1 3. Kuala Lumpur International Airport 4 4. Incheon International Airport 3 5. Amsterdam Airport Schiphol 7 6. Suvarnabhumi Airport Bangkok 5 7. Beijing Capital International Airport Dubai International Airport, Emirates Terminal 3 6 9 8. Shanghai Pudong International Airport Zurich Airport, Switzerland 5 9 9. Delhi Indira Gandhi International Airport, Terminal 3 10 10. London Heathrow Airport Samui Airport, Thailand 8 9 ASIA 2012 Rank 2011 Rank 1. Hong Kong 1 2. Singapore 2 3. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Seoul, South Korea 3 3 4. Bangkok, Thailand 10 5. Sydney, Australia 5 6. Shanghai, China Taipei, Taiwan 4 7 7. Beijing, China 6 8. Dubai, United Arab Emirates 9 9. Bangalore, India 8 10. Tokyo, Japan 10 ASIA 2012 Rank 2011 Rank 1. Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong 2 2. The Fullerton Hotel Singapore 1 3. Grand Hyatt Hong Kong 3 4. The Ritz-Carlton Millenia Singapore 5 5. Raffles Hotel Singapore 6 6. Island Shangri-La, Hong Kong 4 7. Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong Shangri-La Hotel Singapore 7 8 8. Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi The St Regis Singapore 8 9 9. Grand Hyatt Beijing Mandarin Oriental, Kuala Lumpur The Peninsula Hong Kong 17 6 9 10. Four Seasons Hotel Bangkok JW Marriott Hotel Hong Kong 13 11 11. InterContinental Bangkok InterContinental Hong Kong The Regent Taipei 15 12 10 12. Grand Hyatt Bali 14 13. The Shilla, Seoul The Westin Beijing Financial Street 15 15 14. Grand Hyatt Erawan Bangkok The Westin Resort Nusa Dua, Bali 16 17 15. Conrad Hong Kong Grand Hyatt Seoul Grand Hyatt Taipei 16 18 – 16. Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit, Bangkok 14 17. Angsana Laguna Phuket The Peninsula Shanghai – 20 18. Park Hyatt Saigon, Ho Chi Minh City 16 19. Ayana Resort And Spa, Bali Mandarin Oriental, Singapore 20 17 20. Fairmont Peace Hotel, Shanghai The Venetian Macao – 21 21. MGM Macau Sheraton Hanoi Hotel – 19 22. Conrad Bangkok Raffles Dubai The Taj Mahal Palace, Mumbai Wynn Macau 15 20 24 – 23. Sheraton Sanya Resort Sofitel Macau At Ponte 16 24 – 24. Centara Grand At CentralWorld, Bangkok The Portman Ritz-Carlton, Shanghai The Ritz-Carlton Jakarta, Mega Kuningan 20 24 25 25. Andaz Shanghai Conrad Tokyo Dusit Thani Bangkok Hyatt On The Bund, Shanghai JW Marriott Phuket Resort & Spa Kowloon Shangri-La, Hong Kong Shangri-La Hotel Bangkok Sofitel Phnom Penh Phokeethra – 25 22 22 23 23 25 – ASIA 2012 Rank 2011 Rank 1. The Peninsula Hong Kong 2 2. The Nam Hai, Hoi An 1 3. Amandari, Bali Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi 3 1 4. Amanpuri, Phuket Conrad Maldives Rangali Island Four Seasons Resort Bali at Jimbaran Bay The Legian Bali 4 5 4 5 5. Grand Hyatt Bali The Opposite House, Beijing 5 6 6. Amankila, Bali Bulgari Resort Bali 9 3 7. Twinpalms Phuket Resort 8 8. Raffles Grand Hotel D’Angkor, Siem Reap 15 9. El Nido Lagen Island Resort, Palawan Shangri-La’s Rasa Sayang Resort & Spa, Penang The Oberoi Udaivilas, Udaipur 10 10 5 10. Raffles Hotel Singapore Sofitel Angkor Phokeethra Golf and Spa Resort Taj Lake Palace, Udaipur 12 18 8 11. Soneva Gili By Six Senses, Maldives 6 12. Banyan Tree Phuket Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Landaa Giraavaru 17 10 13. Ayana Resort And Spa, Bali Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok SALA Phuket Resort and Spa The Chedi Chiang Mai 17 24 25 16 14. Anantara Dhigu Resort & Spa, Maldives Goodwood Park Hotel, Singapore Mandarin Oriental Dhara Dhevi, Chiang Mai Raffles Hotel Le Royal Phnom Penh The Oberoi Amarvilas, Agra 15 21 18 – – 15. Amanpulo, Philippines Capella Singapore Centara Grand Beach Resort Samui The St Regis Bali Resort 13 13 16 – 16. Amanusa, Bali El Nido Miniloc Island Resort, Palawan The Royal Pita Maha, Bali 14 16 17 17. Centara Grand Beach Resort & Villas Hua Hin W Retreat & Spa Bali-Seminyak 12 23 18. InterContinental Bali Resort Samode Palace, Jaipur The Datai, Langkawi The Laguna Resort & Spa, Nusa Dua, Bali The Oberoi, Bali The Ritz-Carlton, Sanya The Strand, Yangon 17 21 7 14 20 11 24 19. Aman at Summer Palace, Beijing JW Marriott Phuket Resort & Spa Shangri-La’s Tanjung Aru Resort & Spa, Kota Kinabalu Sheraton Sanya Resort The Chedi Club at Tanah Gajah, Ubud, Bali 15 18 22 21 20 20. Amanfayun, Hangzhou The Fullerton Bay Hotel Singapore Princess D’ Annam Resort & Spa Wynn Macau – – 21 20 21. One&Only Royal Mirage, Dubai The Venetian Macao 14 19 22. The St Regis Sanya Yalong Bay Resort – 23. Alila Villas Uluwatu Bali Conrad Sanya Haitang Bay The Imperial New Delhi Victoria Angkor Resort & Spa, Siem Reap – – 24 24 24. Equarius Hotel, Singapore Indigo Pearl, Phuket Neemrana Fort – Palace, Rajasthan The PuLi Hotel & Spa – – 19 – 25. Anantara Golden Triangle Resort & Spa, Chiang Rai Centara Grand Mirage Beach Resort Pattaya Conrad Bali E&O Hotel, Penang (Eastern & Oriental Hotel) Hard Rock Hotel Singapore Hotel ICON, Hong Kong Palais De Chine Hotel, Taipei The Library, Koh Samui The Upper House Hong Kong 23 21 23 – – – – 20 25

 

Tagged: Best in Travel 2012 Poll, Smart Travel Asia

Posted in: Bangkok, Koh Samui, Phuket