Adaptation Strategies of Hotel with the Workation Concept Case Studies of Hotels in Workation Thailand Project in Chonburi and Prachuap Khiri Khan Provinces

Abstract

Workation is a concept from a combination of working and vacation. "Workation Thailand" from the Tourism Authority of Thailand, is a project that supports this concept. The concept is determined as a part of the hotel adaptation strategies. This research aims to study the hotel adaptation strategies with the Workation concept from 4 participating hotels in the Workation Thailand project in Chonburi and Prachuap Khiri Khan provinces by analyzing and comparing the implementation, adaptation strategies, and operational results data to conclude the guidelines for adapting this concept for Workation hotels.

These findings indicate that: 1) Workation Thailand project’s method is to offer products to customers – large companies and hotels that are interested in the Workation concept. This project aims to stimulate the tourism economy, create a new dimension of tourism, elevate the Workation business model, and encourage the development of digital infrastructure. 2) the essential marketing strategy is differentiation strategy, creating an outstanding interior and exterior space, Emphasizing distribution channels to the government and corporate sectors, and Workation Thailand. 3) The most crucial physical strategy is improving exterior and interior space in the hotel strategy by changing furniture to a set of worktables in the common area and upgrading the WiFi internet system. 4) These operational results indicate that: the Workation Thailand project helps to increase sales of products, but with a small volume and the proportion of channel of distribution of the government and corporate sectors did not increase according to the planned strategy.

The results show that the participating hotels are interested Workation concept to adapt their business. However, the Workation Thailand project should provide additional support to Hotels In terms of developing digital infrastructure and the knowledge in developing an environment for Workation. Budget subsidy to support companies or employees interested in Workation. In order to create Workation tourism and enhance the quality of the hotel.