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BANGKOK -- Thailand's largest chain of duty-free stores is opening its first overseas base in Beijing in an attempt to attract Chinese visitors to Thailand.
King Power International plans to open the call center and sales office as early as August following approval by Chinese authorities. The chain will use the office to receive customer feedback and respond to questions regarding products in Chinese. Group Vice Chairman Sombat Dechapanichkul explained that the chain plans to increase its advertising presence in the country in order to appeal directly to Chinese who are likely to travel.
Although the Thai economy remains in stagnation, its tourism industry has bounced back with vigor. By strengthening its appeal to Chinese travelers, King Power hopes to increase 2015 sales by 35% on the year to $2.3 billion.
King Power has also been working since May with Thailand's Kasikornbank and electronic payment service Alipay, operated by Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba Group, to sell its products online. Visitors to Thailand can purchase products from King Power's website before their departure or while traveling, pay in Chinese yuan, and have the merchandise delivered to airports or their hotels.
According to the Thai government, the number of visitors to Thailand during the January-March period increased 23% on the year to 7.88 million. Chinese visitors shot up by 96%, comprising a fourth of all travelers and outnumbering all visitors from Southeast Asia.
Thai duty-free chain King Power to open Beijing office
Thai duty-free chain King Power to open Beijing office
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Never attribute to malice that which can be explained by stupidity. R J Hanlon
Never attribute to malice that which can be explained by stupidity. R J Hanlon