3 Thai spots among top 20 destinations

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3 Thai spots among top 20 destinations

By   THE NATION 

 

 

BANGKOK is ranked the number one destination for overnight visitors (for the third consecutive year), with Phuket, and Pattaya also in the global top 20 ( at 12 and 18 respectively), making Thailand the only country with three in the top global 20 destinations, according to the Mastercard GDCI’s 2018 report . 

  

The Mastercard Global Destination Cities Index and GDCI: Play Index, a breakout report focused on the top leisure destinations last year , were released earlier this month.

 

The Mastercard GDCI 2018 ranks 162 destination cities in terms of total international overnight visitors and the amount spent by visitors throughout the previous year.

 

Mastercard’s GDCI: Indulgences – an offshoot of the GDCI – looks specifically at the amount spent within destination cities on dining and shopping. Findings show that not only is the amount significant, but so is the impact on cities’ local economies.

 

Whether it be Emirati Harees in Dubai, paella in Palma de Mallorca, pad Thai in Bangkok, or Champagne in Paris, people are eating—and spending—in these four cities more than any others.

 

Bangkok, world famous for food and culture, ranks third in dollars spent on food and beverage with US$3.38 billion, equivalent to 20.6 per cent of visitors’ budgets. Palma de Mallorca, Spain, came in second place with $3.78 billion, behind top-ranked Dubai, UAE, with $5.94 billion.

 

Singapore and London are also in the top 10 for overall food and beverage spending, but it’s worth noting that travellers are spending a lower percentage of their travel budgets on food in these cities (12.9 per cent and 17.6 per cent respectively), the survey said.

 

GDCI: Indulgences reveals that travellers are also spending big in Dubai and London when it comes to shopping, whether purchasing clothes, souvenirs or other goods. That said, visitors to London, Seoul and Johannesburg, in particular, might want to bring a bigger suitcase as international travellers to all three destinations are spending at least 40 per cent of their travel budgets on shopping.

 

Bangkok, also a world-renowned shopping haven, came in sixth in this category, with visitors spending $3.75 billion on shopping, some 23 per cent of their travel budget.

 

There are eight cities in the top list for dining and seven cities in the top list for shopping that are also a part of the Mastercard Priceless Cities experiential travel platform, where travelers from over 90 countries can access unique and unforgettable experiences in over 40 cities around the world.

 

 “Dining and shopping are experiences which people throughout the world use to connect with local culture, traditions and history” says Donald Ong, Country Manager, Thailand and Myanmar at Mastercard. “Through programmes like Priceless Cities, Mastercard is enriching travel experiences for travellers in some of the world’s most fascinating cities. Whether in Bangkok’s hippest boutique hotels or sampling some of Thailand’s world famous cuisine, Mastercard believes in expanding horizons and thus has created a wide range of memorable experiences for people around the globe.”

 

Mastercard is focused on helping cardholders travel the world with peace of mind through seamless planning, convenience and connectivity at their destinations and worry-free acceptance at millions of locations around the globe. Compelling travel offerings and benefits help travelers every step of their journey. More information can be found at mastercard.com.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/Tourism/30361994

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2019-01-11

[mok199]

If endless over the top shopping malls are the yardstick ,then BKK and Pattaya should be proud . Personally I believe, clean beaches, clean air, and genuine,friendly people  is what keeps tourists coming back,and those are long gone.

[RotBenz8888]

"Bangkok, also a world-renowned shopping haven, came in sixth in this category, with visitors spending $3.75 billion on shopping, some 23 per cent of their travel budget. "

 

Outdoor markets selling copies is what tourist has come for, i doubt that the expensive shopping malls is a tourist magnet, those are for the thai hi-so.

[mikebell]

Do they take Mastercard on soi 6?

[MekkOne]

52 minutes ago, mikebell said:

Do they take Mastercard on soi 6?

if they'll do BKK will be way on the top of the list...

[dinsdale]

Can't disagree with this. Toooooooooooo expensive for more than one.????

[fruitman]

1 hour ago, RotBenz8888 said:

"Bangkok, also a world-renowned shopping haven, came in sixth in this category, with visitors spending $3.75 billion on shopping, some 23 per cent of their travel budget. "

 

Outdoor markets selling copies is what tourist has come for, i doubt that the expensive shopping malls is a tourist magnet, those are for the thai hi-so.

In the BKK malls there's nobody who speaks english, so tourists shouldn't go there at all.

[Justgrazing]

No mention of the air pollution then making it now one of the most air polluted city in Asia .. Authorities need to get real to this and not poncy self serving surveys about shopping and eating out ...

[madmitch]

I just read the Mastercard GDCI and contrary to what I thought, the figures are not derived from Mastercard use. It states

 

Public data is used in deriving the international overnight visitor arrivals and their cross-border spending in each of the 162 destination cities.

 

So it seems they're probably getting their figures from the TAT or Ministry of Tourism! No wonder Bangkok is top with two other Thai cities in the top twenty!

 

 

[sirineou]

Who you gonna believe the professionals at Mastercard ?

How dare they say something good about Thailand.

[Emdog]

Overnight visitors seen as a big plus? "Overnight" means those people are using Thailand like a pit stop or truck stop before heading off to somewhere they want to be for longer time, I would assume.

[Katipo]

So what they are really saying is that people use Bangkok as an initial hub before leaving for other destinations.

[Eligius]

'Bangkok, world famous for .... culture'. REALLY?! Bangkok is one of the most culture-deprived capital cities on earth!

 

[Nowisee]

4 hours ago, mok199 said:

If endless over the top shopping malls are the yardstick ,then BKK and Pattaya should be proud . Personally I believe, clean beaches, clean air, and genuine,friendly people  is what keeps tourists coming back,and those are long gone.

This is not in their thinking.  Better to cheat a one time customer.

 

1 hour ago, fruitman said:

In the BKK malls there's nobody who speaks english, so tourists shouldn't go there at all.

The Thai defenders will come down on you.  
Go to the malls in KL and the majority of staff speak English, are friendly and the Indians are extremely helpful.

 

 

17 minutes ago, Eligius said:

'Bangkok, world famous for .... culture'. REALLY?! Bangkok is one of the most culture-deprived capital cities on earth!

 

 Not THAT kind of culture.  
 

[mickymouse1]

No 1 can dispute  that fac

[hkt83100]

4 hours ago, mikebell said:

Do they take Mastercard on soi 6?

Probably yes, but I doubt you will get it back.

[Burma Bill]

Quote: "overnight visitors" - hours of darkness. Visitors not able to see anything detrimental such as trash.

[Redline]

I believe they just come to bang one out and move on ????

[Stargeezr]

The temples and museums in Bangkok, and area are good tourist attractions, that do not exist

in many parts of the world. Yes I got off my bar stool and went all over the city to see the

Marble temple, Wat Arun, Grande Palace, Wat Trimet, Golden Teak Museum, and many other

visitor attractions, that tell of Thailand history, and culture. The city does have cultural places

to visit if you want to spend the time and money. Just saying.

Geezer