Executive Summary
The Long Tail theory refers to the behavior of economic sectors that provide products in relatively low volume, but are able to make a profit by providing a greater variety of products in aggregate. This is in contrast tothe short head sectors where profit is based on a more narrow range of products selling in much higher volume. From a tourism perspective, the short head is the cash-cow destinations that are widely known and attract large numbers of visitors, while the long tail is the specialty niche destinations
(Lew 2008). Most tourist’s visiting Thailand have destinations like Bangkok,Pattaya, Phuket, Koh Samui, and Chiang Mai on their itineraries, these represent the short head sector, while the focus of this plan is marketing a sustainable home-stay industry
within the long tail of Thailand tourism. Currently, there is no coordination among st the home-stay properties in Thailand and this project will develop a home-stay network with the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT)having a central role by providing a link between the supply-side (the home-stay providers)and the demand-side (the tourist market). The aim is to develop a web presence via the TAT website that includes e-Home-stay, an intelligent decision support system, which offers a unique selling proposition because it allows tourists to choose authentic Thai accommodation and activities in accordance with their preferences and expectations. Consumers are seeking more personalized tourism products and services, and are expecting intelligent and proactive access to relevant high quality information and services rather than mass marketed solution(Henley Centre Head light Vision/Amadeus 2009). Thailand’s home-stay industry can develop into a major factor to improve many people’s economic situation, especially those who have never considered the possibility of being involved in commerce, let alone ‘e-commerce’.However, to ensure the sustainability of the home-stay industry in Thailand, tourists musthave access to a sufficient quantity of relevant information regarding individual home-stay properties, allowing them to match their preferences and requirements with the appropriate home-stay experience. There is a wide variety of properties within Thailand’s home-stay industry, ranging from truly authentic village based properties to relatively up-market“home-stay” properties. Home-stay has the potential to satisfy many of the life-style needs of neo-consumers and e-Home-stay represents an appropriate form to engage with them, for promotion, marketing and information exchange as well as for sales transaction processing.e-Home-stay represents a potentially potent force in tourism development since the search for new and novel experiences is one of the major engines driving the tourism life cycle and e-Home-stay opens up new experiences that match those sought by consumers.