Haze casts shadow over Songkran tourism

[webfact]

Haze casts shadow over Songkran tourism

By THE NATION 

 

 

The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has forecast tourism levels during Songkran to drop by 10 per cent, partly due to the northern haze problems. 

 

Meanwhile, the Thai Travel Agents Association (TTAA) expects the strong baht to encourage Thais to travel abroad during the Songkran festival. 

 

TAT Governor Yuthasak Supasorn said the haze problem in the northern region would have a direct impact on tourism levels in the North during the Songkran festival from April 12 to 16. It is expected that the number of tourists will drop by more than 10 per cent compared to last year. Hence, tourist groups are expected to adjust their travel plans and choose to travel to other areas in the Kingdom instead. 

 

He expected overall hotel occupancy rate in the northern region during Songkran to be around 75 per cent. Hotels in areas affected by wildfires, such as Mae Rim, Chiang Dao and Fang districts of Chiang Mai province may have reservation rates under 50 per cent. Hotels in Mae Hong Son province may face the worst booking rate at under 30 per cent, making some hotels opt to close down for renovations. 

 

“Due to the fallout from the downturn in the three northern provinces of Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai and Mae Hong Son, TAT expects tourism revenue during this year’s Songkran to reduce by Bt2 billion,” he said.

 

The TAT has predicted that the number of Thai tourists travelling during the Songkran festival at 3.11 million people, increasing by 3 per cent and generating 5 per cent revenue growth, amounting to Bt10.697 billion. 

 

Some 546,000 foreign tourists are expected, an 8 per cent increase, generating an increase in revenue of 14 per cent, valued at Bt10.283 billion. In total, this is expected to generate an income spread of Bt20.98 billion, a 10 per cent increase year on year with a national average reservation rate of 75 per cent. 

 

Most tourists visiting during the holiday season are predicted to be from nearby markets, such as Asean countries, China, Taiwan, and India, with the top three Asean tourists being from Singapore, increasing by 26 per cent; Malaysia, increasing by 24 per cent; and Vietnam, increasing by 22 per cent.

 

Meanwhile, tourists from East Asian markets are also forecast to increase, with tourists from Hong Kong increasing by 26 per cent; from South Korea by 14 per cent; and from Japan by 5 per cent. 

 

Supawan Tanomkieatipume, president of the Thai Hotel Association (THA), said that the rate of hotel bookings throughout the country during Songkran was not good yet. 

 

At present, Chiang Mai has only a 60 per cent reservation level after being affected by haze problems. Bangkok and Pattaya have similar bookings at 60 per cent. The southern region has 70 to 80 per cent bookings. 

 

A key cause of the low reservation rate is the global economic slowdown, which has yet to recover, she said. 

 

“The hotel occupancy rate for Songkran this year is expected to decrease by 5 per cent year on year due to the impact of the smog crisis. This has led to lower reservations by foreign tourists compared to the same period last year,” she said. “Hotel operators hope to see more last-minute bookings in the days leading up to the Songkran festival.”

 

Vichit Prakobgosol, president of the Association of Thai Travel Agents (ATTA), said that although the level of bookings of foreign tourists this Songkran was not comparable with last year, the reduction of tourist figures this year was not drastic. Due to the smog problem in the northern region, Chinese tourists, who usually visit Chiang Mai in large numbers during Songkran, may change their travel destinations to other countries such as Japan, Vietnam, Philippines and Indonesia. 

 

On the other hand, the appreciation of the baht will lead to more Thais travelling abroad during Songkran, Yuthasak said. 

 

Airports of Thailand Plc (AOT) reported that during this year’s Songkran period, an average of 40,000 Thais would travel abroad every day. 

 

TTAA vice president Charoen Wangananont said that because 2019 has two consecutive holidays – Chakri Memorial Day and the Songkran break – Thais are more likely to make plans to travel for up to 10 days from April 6 to 15. This long holiday season makes Japan the most popular destination for Thais, followed by Europe. 

 

He predicted that during this period, up to 300,000 Thais would travel abroad, spending at least Bt30,000 per trip, with a total spending of Bt9 billion. 

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/Tourism/30367355

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2019-04-09

[Fex Bluse]

16 minutes ago, webfact said:

“The hotel occupancy rate for Songkran this year is expected to decrease by 5 per cent year on year due to the impact of the smog crisis. This has led to lower reservations by foreign tourists compared to the same period last year,” she said. “Hotel operators hope to see more last-minute bookings in the days leading up to the Songkran festival.”

So, despite the dangerous air quality, they hope tourists come anyway. Typical people who only care about money and not tourists health and safety.

[madmen]

So, despite the dangerous air quality, they hope tourists come anyway. Typical people who only care about money and not tourists health and safety.

What planet [emoji290] are you from? It's called bussiness.!

[bluesofa]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has forecast tourism levels during Songkran to drop by 10 per cent, partly due to the northern haze problems. 

I thought the PM demanded the issue sorting out within seven days. Time must nearly be up by now.

 

[sammieuk1]

3 minutes ago, bluesofa said:

I thought the PM demanded the issue sorting out within seven days. Time must nearly be up by now.

 

You thought wrong it did not rain as forecast that appears to have been 99% of the plan????

[cyril sneer]

what kind of wet blanket would cancel holiday plans over 'haze'

[Lupatria]

Thank Buddha it's just haze and no smoke!

[bluesofa]

1 minute ago, Lupatria said:

Thank Buddha it's just haze and no smoke!

Must be those 'hazing rituals' we keep hearing about at universities.

 

[blazes]

Strange how the lower income-quality of tourists (from India and China, for example) has no effect on the increase in revenue from tourism.

 

In La La Land, everything always goes up (well, barring alcoholic drooping).

[manhood]

Never i read in my life that much of speculations on tourism matters. At the end you only can trust a statistic that has been manupulated by yourself!

[Hayduke]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has forecast tourism levels during Songkran to drop by 10 per cent, partly due to the northern haze problems. 

 

But....when Songkran is over the government will report that, thanks to forward-thinking and enlightened Junta leadership, tourism increased by 123.7% and each tourist spent...."many, many million Baht".

 

 

[sammieuk1]

9 minutes ago, bluesofa said:

Must be those 'hazing rituals' we keep hearing about at universities.

 

They have been suspended here until a clear way around the town reappears???? 

[worgeordie]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

it is expected that the number of tourists will drop by more than 10 per cent

Yes more like 20-25 %,

regards worgeordie

[sandmonster]

33 minutes ago, blazes said:

Strange how the lower income-quality of tourists (from India and China, for example) has no effect on the increase in revenue from tourism.

 

In La La Land, everything always goes up (well, barring alcoholic drooping).

Strange how the TVF ferang keep perpetuating the myth that the Chinese spend less than the western cheap charlies 

http://www.thaiwebsites.com/tourism-income-Thailand.asp

 

 

[blazes]

4 minutes ago, sandmonster said:

Strange how the TVF ferang keep perpetuating the myth that the Chinese spend less than the western cheap charlies 

http://www.thaiwebsites.com/tourism-income-Thailand.asp

 

 

Well, since their tours are booked entirely and paid for in China, they do tend to spend a tad less than the average cheap charlie.

[bluesofa]

3 minutes ago, sandmonster said:

Strange how the TVF ferang keep perpetuating the myth that the Chinese spend less than the western cheap charlies 

http://www.thaiwebsites.com/tourism-income-Thailand.asp

 

 

C'mon out of all those figures, we can all pick the ones that suit our argument.

 

The Chinese spend more per day than Europeans, but stay for less than half the time. The Europeans spend more per per visit.

 

I note that  all data as numbers provided by Department of Tourism.

[SiSePuede419]

Positive Thinking *

 

 

 

* is all we got, besides face masks & air purifiers

[johng50]

Now that BJ has a new job, TAT can have his calculator to show new figures, 

[blazes]

1 hour ago, SiSePuede419 said:

Positive Thinking *

 

 

 

* is all we got, besides face masks & air purifiers

Nash???

[Millcx]

5 hours ago, Fex Bluse said:

So, despite the dangerous air quality, they hope tourists come anyway. Typical people who only care about money and not tourists health and safety.

55555 I would love to know where they get their figures ... With the little drop in occupancy there will be a big increase in money made 5555 ... also Because the baht is mighty .. all Thais must go abroad 55555 ... This is one economy that’s heading for disaster .... I think they should bring back tourism “;0)

[khunpa]

5 hours ago, Fex Bluse said:

So, despite the dangerous air quality, they hope tourists come anyway. Typical people who only care about money and not tourists health and safety.

 

Hopefully it can create a boom in medical tourism. First you visit CM and then later you come back to fix your lung cancer.

 

A win-win

[TMNH]

5 hours ago, Fex Bluse said:

So, despite the dangerous air quality, they hope tourists come anyway. Typical people who only care about money and not tourists health and safety.

Exactly...who would in their right and rational mind book a visit when their health is at risk? Yet, just like the 36 Chinese tourists who lost their lives, it's a question of assuring prospective tourists that their holiday will go as planned. Needless to say that the German media "should" question why anyone would want to consider coming to Thailand after the typically insecure male raped her and bludgeoned her to death. "If" I were either a Chinese, German, or other national embassy where tourists were either ripped off, abused, or in this case raped and murdered, I would "explicitly" say: stay away from Thailand. Yet the embassies look the other way and God knows "why" that's so.

 

A joke, yet par for the course with a 3rd world country disguised as being different.

[Rimmer]

An off topic rant has been removed

[randy723]

3 hours ago, bluesofa said:

I thought the PM demanded the issue sorting out within seven days. Time must nearly be up by now.

 

yes but he is not God he only thinks he is

[Greenhill]

That's no 'haze' up North, that's filthy, heavily polluted air, well above ANY world safety levels and clearly dangerous to health!!!

[GAZZPA]

good ness, more crap. Anyway i am out of this craphole forever in just 2 weeks,, yeeeeeaaah!

 

 

[raccos21]

Tourism’s percentage going down or up is also related to their immigration rules and regulations problem. Not just only one factor.????

[essox essox]

4 hours ago, bluesofa said:

I thought the PM demanded the issue sorting out within seven days. Time must nearly be up by now.

 

have you not read that THEY are going to stop the burning of fields within the next 3 yrs??

[bluesofa]

3 minutes ago, essox essox said:

4 hours ago, bluesofa said:

I thought the PM demanded the issue sorting out within seven days. Time must nearly be up by now.

have you not read that THEY are going to stop the burning of fields within the next 3 yrs??

Ha ha, must be Thai time.

 

[GAZZPA]

Just now, cyril sneer said:

what kind of wet blanket would cancel holiday plans over 'haze'

Tourist numbers are waaaay down anyway, dont care what their official bulshit is. they are using this as a silly excuse. Nothing new for these stupid people.