In a study of 132 cities conducted annually by MasterCard Worldwide recently, Bangkok is set to claim the top tourist destination with 15.98 million visitors this year (click here).
Bangkok, one of my favorite cities. Although plagued by political unrests and floods in recent years, it has never deterred me from not visiting the city.
The thrill of riding the tuk tuk along busy streets The excitement of finding shops that sell traditional food that are vanishing and shops round the corner where time seem to have stopped moving. The bustling night markets and street food - smell of barbeque meat engulfing the air, the wonderful taste of Thai iced tea, eating tropical fruits and coconut ice cream in the heat. The grandeur of the Palace and temples, sights of giving alms to monks, jaywalking, unlimited array of finger food that you can buy anywhere and eat while exploring the city, subtle greetings by street hawkers in their Thai gentleness, the mess and the noise.
If you've observed carefully, all the political unrests and flood only served to suppress visitors' desire to travel to the city temporarily.
When everything is back to normal, there's almost always a spike in tourist number. In fact, most of us are so accustomed to the political situation in Bangkok that it is no longer a concern unless something drastic happens.
So what has it got to do with your business?
Bangkok has the ability to attract people to return. What about your business?