Thailand welcomes a record 38.27 million tourists in 2018

 

Tourists queue to check in at Suvarnabhumi International Airport in Bangkok, Thailand, January 16, 2018. REUTERS/Athit Perawongmetha

 

BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thailand saw a record 38.27 million tourists in 2018, up 7.5 percent from the previous year, the Tourism Ministry said on Monday.

 

The ministry expects the number of tourists visiting the country this year to increase by 7.5.

 

Thailand's December tourist arrivals were 3.85 million, the ministry said in a statement.

 

For 2019, the ministry expects 41.1 million tourists to spend 2.21 trillion baht (53.15 billion pounds). The number of visitors from China - Thailand's biggest source of tourists - is projected to rise 11 percent to 11.69 million, it said.

 

Foreign tourist receipts account for about 12 percent of Thailand's gross domestic product.

 

(Reporting by Kitiphong Thaichareon; Writing by Orathai Sriring; Editing by Shreejay Sinha)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-01-28

3 minutes ago, webfact said:

Thailand saw a record 38.27 million tourists in 2018, up 7.5 percent from the previous year, the Tourism Ministry said on Monday.

 

The spin doctor has been on the Lao Khow again ! ????

8 minutes ago, Thaiwrath said:

The spin doctor has been on the Lao Khow again ! ????

Maybe western tourists are less prevalent but there is no doubt other nationalities like China are picking up the slack. Minuscule sample but i stayed in the Avani Pattaya on Friday night(which was packed with Chinese), i tried to book an extra night on Saturday but it was 100% full, tried the Hilton and Amari, both 100% occupied. Managed to get a room elsewhere but there is no doubting it was exceedingly busy, and mostly Chinese in the higher end hotels.

 

People criticize them for not spending money, but they certainly are. Which bit are you claiming is a spin doctor at work?

3 minutes ago, smutcakes said:

Maybe western tourists are less prevalent but there is no doubt other nationalities like China are picking up the slack. Minuscule sample but i stayed in the Avani Pattaya on Friday night(which was packed with Chinese), i tried to book an extra night on Saturday but it was 100% full, tried the Hilton and Amari, both 100% occupied. Managed to get a room elsewhere but there is no doubting it was exceedingly busy, and mostly Chinese in the higher end hotels.

 

People criticize them for not spending money, but they certainly are. Which bit are you claiming is a spin doctor at work?

When the Phoenix sank last year (2018), many, many Chinese cancelled trips, and all the reports were about tourist numbers being very, very low following the disaster.

Last Friday night, if I'm not mistaken, was 2019 which would not be included in the figures, which are quoted as for 2018.

It might be picking up now, but my suggestion is based on the affect the disaster had for months following it. 

8 minutes ago, Thaiwrath said:

When the Phoenix sank last year (2018), many, many Chinese cancelled trips, and all the reports were about tourist numbers being very, very low following the disaster.

Last Friday night, if I'm not mistaken, was 2019 which would not be included in the figures, which are quoted as for 2018.

It might be picking up now, but my suggestion is based on the affect the disaster had for months following it. 

Figures i saw from the Tourism Ministry were Q1 30.2% increase in Chinese tourists YOY, Q2 21.3% increase YOY, -8.8% in Q3 and -17.2% Q4 up to the end of November.

Top 5 tourist countries are:

China- (28% of total tourist) 7.9% YOY growth

Malaysia- (10% of total tourist) 19.40% YOY growth etc

 

The figures are not that difficult to believe.

Edited January 28, 20197 yr by smutcakes

... and has proper resources and infrastructure for maybe 5 million, on a good day. 

38 milion LOL tell that to shopkeepers!

When will prawns/shrimp be added to the endangered species list? They must be decreasing at a rate of millions per day due to prawn buffet's.

1 hour ago, Thaiwrath said:

The spin doctor has been on the Lao Khow again ! ????

Why are you so sick in your mind that you believe nothing good happens in Thailand.

"Thailand saw a record 38.27 million tourists in 2018, up 7.5 percent from the previous year, the Tourism Ministry said on Monday."

 

Yeah...right!

That didn't happen!

Edited January 28, 20197 yr by DM07

44 minutes ago, PatOngo said:

When will prawns/shrimp be added to the endangered species list? They must be decreasing at a rate of millions per day due to prawn buffet's.

Why are they endangered ? They are farmed! Thailand is one of the biggest shrimp producers

 

3 minutes ago, Chelseafan said:

Why are they endangered ?

 

The new Northern Masters at full speed.

Look i'm laughing haha

2 hours ago, Thaiwrath said:

ast Friday night, if I'm not mistaken, was 2019 which would not be included in the figures, which are quoted as for 2018.

Yes, but those figures are just in and it has been noted that 56 Sa-quillion, billion, million tourists have entered Thailand during that time.

 

This must be a new record! ????

Would rather see half this figure & double their spending power.

Would also help the overloaded infrastructure (what little there is )

Wonder how many million visits by Laos,Burmese,Malaysia and Cambodian

daytrippers that includes.

regards Worgeordie

So for every three 'Thai' persons we thought we all saw last year, ......one of them was Chinese?

1 hour ago, natway09 said:

Would rather see half this figure & double their spending power.

Which is exactly the plan I hope for retired Falang.

Where do they go? 

Do they stay in hotel rooms because the streets and markets although having picked up a little, are still pretty empty. 

What defines a tourist? 

Numbers of tourists setting foot in Thailand may well be up but what  about the hotel night count? 3.5 million Chinese spending four nights is effectively worth 1 million Europeans spending two weeks. But the Russians seem to be replacing the Swedes, Brits and Aussies as the new long-term stayers.

 

I have to say Phuket had a slow start to high season but it appears pretty busy now, with Karon and Kata resembling a little Moscow.

8 minutes ago, madmitch said:

Numbers of tourists setting foot in Thailand may well be up but what  about the hotel night count? 3.5 million Chinese spending four nights is effectively worth 1 million Europeans spending two weeks. But the Russians seem to be replacing the Swedes, Brits and Aussies as the new long-term stayers.

 

I have to say Phuket had a slow start to high season but it appears pretty busy now, with Karon and Kata resembling a little Moscow.

not little Beijing or little Shanghai???

Numbers of tourists setting foot in Thailand may well be up but what  about the hotel night count? 3.5 million Chinese spending four nights is effectively worth 1 million Europeans spending two weeks. But the Russians seem to be replacing the Swedes, Brits and Aussies as the new long-term stayers.

 

I have to say Phuket had a slow start to high season but it appears pretty busy now, with Karon and Kata resembling a little Moscow.

Your fixated on Pattaya/phuket china's . In BKK every mall every hi so brand shop is crawling with middle class Chinese and they are spending. The Russians on the other hand are mostly living in 7/11 's

 

 

 

5 hours ago, webfact said:

The number of visitors from China - Thailand's biggest source of tourists - is projected to rise 11 percent to 11.69 million, it said.

keep dreaming.....as long there are no bodies floating around or under the bus it may or may not happen, Chinese are not reliable travelers

Chiangmai in the trendy area nimmanhaemin is absolutely packed with Chinese ...... tour buses everywhere....all accommodations in the area look close to booked out.....they are here but it’s very geographically based with regards to who gets the tourists.

in a small cluster....where Chinese businesses operate even with Chinese staff....it’s a bonanza, move a few kilometers out of that stream though and the mom and pop small Thai businesses get nothing..........

4 hours ago, DrTuner said:

 

The new Northern Masters at full speed.

Having worked 3 years in the backwaters of China on 2 high speed rail projects,this is par for the course no queuing up, courtesy or manners 

13 minutes ago, namatjira said:

Chiangmai in the trendy area nimmanhaemin is absolutely packed with Chinese ...... tour buses everywhere....all accommodations in the area look close to booked out.....they are here but it’s very geographically based with regards to who gets the tourists.

in a small cluster....where Chinese businesses operate even with Chinese staff....it’s a bonanza, move a few kilometers out of that stream though and the mom and pop small Thai businesses get nothing..........

So very true

 

At Central Festival in Chiang Mai today. I watched one Chinese family spend 15,000 just on shoes at the checkout. They are spending. Just about everywhere I have been this week, I have seen loads and loads of Chinese and they are flush with money. We ate at a Ramen Noodle Shop today and it was full of Chinese. Some of the Night Market eating areas at are just loaded to the gills with Chinese eating (North Gate) with boiled pork (Khao Ka Moo) being super popular.

 

No, plenty of Chinese in Chiang Mai at this moment of time.

105,000 visiting Thailand every day of the year!!

 

I don't buy it!

6 minutes ago, HHTel said:

105,000 visiting Thailand every day of the year!!

 

I don't buy it!

Why not? Can't wait to hear your armchair reasoning. 

 

I fly regularly for work and the last few trips the airport has been absolutely packed. And that's just BKK. There is also DMK and all the other points of entry. 

 

I'm guessing you don't get out much. 

I’ll give you a clue .... when’s Chinese New Year ? 

How many people believe anything coming from the Tourism Ministry? Seems like they are kind of doing their own report card...