Not just Chinese travellers staying away as virus shakes Thai tourism

Matthew Tostevin, Aradhana Aravindan

 

FILE PHOTO: A Chinese tourist wears a mask as he arrives at Suvarnabhumi Airport during a welcome ceremony of Chinese Lunar New Year travellers in Bangkok, Thailand January 22, 2020. REUTERS/Soe Zeya Tun/

 

BANGKOK/SINGAPORE (Reuters) - As a driver of one of Thailand’s renowned “tuk tuk” motorised rickshaws, Amonchai Laodoungdee is used to busy days ferrying tourists around Bangkok, but on Tuesday he waited for four hours at a shopping mall without a single customer.

 

Since word of the new coronavirus spread from China last month, he’s seen his daily income drop from about 1300 baht ($41) per day to around 400 baht. At first, he noticed not as many Chinese tourists were around. Now, there are few tourists from any country.

 

“Not too many foreigners come to visit Thailand now,” Amonchai said. “Now is very difficult.”

 

Such laments are becoming more common across Asia’s tourism industry, from street food hawkers to luxury tour operators, as more countries advise citizens to be cautious as the coronavirus toll surpassed 1,000 deaths, most of them inside China.

 

Many Asian tourism professionals say the drop in tourism has spread from Chinese tourists to visitors from other Asian and Western countries now also staying away, raising fears that much of the 2020 travel season may be severely diminished.

 

“It’s not just China. Travellers from other countries are also postponing or cancelling visits not just to Singapore, but we are seeing evidence across Asia,” Keith Tan, chief executive of the Singapore Tourism Board, told reporters.

 

Some tourism officials says the market is resilient and may well bounce back once the virus is contained.

 

Still, as the number of total confirmed cases surpassed 40,000 this week, many worried that the slump would continue for months.

 

“We forecast an overall decline of up to 50% in the number of bookings for the first half of the year, compared with same period last year,” Alicia Seah, director of communications at travel agency Dynasty Travel, based in Singapore.

 

SHARP DECLINE

Tourism-heavy economies like Thailand, which derives around 12% of its GDP from foreign visitors, are especially affected by travel restrictions and warnings.

 

“Today the impact has not been just on Chinese tourists but on all tourists,” Chairat Triratanajaraspon, president of the Tourism Council of Thailand, told Reuters.

 

The Tourism Authority of Thailand has predicted a revenue loss of 95 billion baht ($3.05 billion) from fewer Chinese tourists from January to April, but that number could rise higher as travellers from other countries are now staying away.

 

The decline has been swift and sharp. From Feb. 1 to Feb. 10, arrivals booked by the Association of Thai Travel Agents dropped by were down 71 percent from last year overall and 99 percent from China, according to the associations.

 

Chairat said 50-60% of the usual 3 million expected tourists for February are expected to now stay away, adding “This situation is likely to continue into March.”

 

In Indonesia, the tourist island of Bali alone has seen 20,000 cancellations, said Hariyadi Sukamdani, head of Indonesia’s hotels and restaurants association.

 

He did not know how many were from Chinese tourists or from other countries, but he said there is concern of a sustained slump because from now until April is usually when bookings for summer holidays usually are made.

 

“IN THE TOILET”

In Vietnam, cancellations are coming in for well into the year.

 

The official state-run Vietnam News Agency (VNA) said last week that many inbound tours to Vietnam scheduled for March and April had been cancelled.

 

The Vietnam National Administration of Tourism estimated the damage to Vietnam’s tourism sector from the virus will range from $5.9 billion to $7.7 billion, VN Express reported on Friday.

 

A tourism source in Hanoi, who did not wish to be identified given the sensitivity of the situation, said hotels were suffering from a 20% drop in budget in terms of occupancy.

 

“It’s really pretty bad. We are re-forecasting now. But February and March are of course in the toilet.”

 

Thai tour operator Virat Chatturaputpitak, managing director of Marwin Tours (Asia) Co. Ltd., said he has seen a reduction of tourists from Canada, the United States, and also the United Kingdom.

 

“For me, the Easter outlook in April is also not good,” Virat said.

 

“We simply don’t know how long it will take to contain this virus and every day the news of more infection mean more people are reluctant to travel,” he added.

 

(Additional reporting by James Pearson in Hanoi, Orathai Sriring and Panu Wongcha-um in Bangkok, and Gayatri Suroyo in Jakarta. Writing by Kay Johnson, Editing by William Maclean)

 

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-02-12

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But according to all the data released by the Thai government there is no real virus problem in Thailand - only 34 cases and most of them are all recovered 

 

So what is wrong with these people - do they not believe what the Thai Government are saying ???????  

Well these xenophobic comments by the Thai Public Health Minister which have now been viewed by over 700,000 people certainly didn't help the cause as it shows what the Thai Government really think of us behind the scenes. Karma at it's best!

 

 

A lot of people on social media complaining about Hotels not refunding booking cancellations so i was wondering at what point legally they will have to start issuing refunds.

when you have govt ministers abusing westerners and refusing to apologize to them, calling for them to be removed from the country and asking the thai people to help him it doesnt help especially when the pm lacks the balls to make him retract his statement  and apologize, they hate farangs then they reap what they sow

And we are in early days. Another month or so, and we will see the true state of affairs. My bet? It is going to look much uglier.

Just now, timendres said:

And we are in early days. Another month or so, and we will see the true state of affairs. My bet? It is going to look much uglier.

Well I hope so. The baht is ridiculously overpriced. We need to see this country suffer an economic collapse so that it can rebuild itself into a better one at a slower pace. I really do feel for the local business owners but the way the country has operated in the last 20 years it is just not sustainable.  

15 minutes ago, monkfish said:

A lot of people on social media complaining about Hotels not refunding booking cancellations so i was wondering at what point legally they will have to start issuing refunds.

Legal and Thailand in the same sentence? 

The virus and then rude government officals spouting dislike for foreigners and the mass shooting should just about finish all the tourism off. Well done! and it is all connected to the military one way or the other. 

The ordinary Chinese in China are suffering too.  Many businesses have not opened yet as they fear contracting the virus.

 

On a minor note I have noticed the downturn here as I order things on Aliexpress and the majority have not been shipped.  One order goes back to Jan 16.

 

You really cannot blame these people as they are sh!t scared and the Chinese government is not telling the truth about the situation.  The true situation is far worse than reported.

 

I was watching a video a couple of days ago where the presenter is married to a chinese doctor (until very recently they lived in China).  He asked his wife why the death numbers were not much higher.  Her answer was if a person is admitted for another ailment and subsequently dies from the coronavirus it is not counted. A lot like here when a person involved in a vehicle accident and subsequently dies in hospital is not counted as a death from the accident.

 

And then there is the case of the chinese civilian reporter who was telling like it really is suddenly disappeared.

4 minutes ago, holy cow cm said:

The virus and then rude government officals spouting dislike for foreigners and the mass shooting should just about finish all the tourism off. Well done! and it is all connected to the military one way or the other. 

Nothing to do with the military as it's not just Thailand effected 

4 minutes ago, lujanit said:

I was watching a video a couple of days ago where the presenter is married to a chinese doctor

That was SerpentZA on YouTube.

5 minutes ago, mrwinner said:

Well I hope so. The baht is ridiculously overpriced. We need to see this country suffer an economic collapse so that it can rebuild itself into a better one at a slower pace. I really do feel for the local business owners but the way the country has operated in the last 20 years it is just not sustainable.  

 

I am with you. These stories give me great delight and I hope the entire tourism industry is decimated.

 

But, tourism will recover, and any hope of them learning or rebuilding tourism and treatment of tourists any better are probably not realistic. 

 

They will pick up where they left off, with even more focus on the Chinese.

Just now, SteveK said:

That was SerpentZA on YouTube.

Yes

28 minutes ago, monkfish said:

A lot of people on social media complaining about Hotels not refunding booking cancellations so i was wondering at what point legally they will have to start issuing refunds.

I bet Zero.

There is no official international traveling warning regarding Thailand.

No refunds.

4 minutes ago, DLock said:

 

I am with you. These stories give me great delight and I hope the entire tourism industry is decimated.

 

 

What a horrific comment and way of thinking.  Many many legit tourism related industries and people here.

Your "hope" will destroy many peoples and families lives.  And you get great delight from that?

Shameful..

 

Well... Singapore, mentioned above won't be too pleased with this:

 

Coronavirus: 300 evacuated from MBFC Tower 3 after confirmed case at DBS Asia Central

 

https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/coronavirus-300-evacuated-from-mbfc-tower-3-after-confirmed-case-at-dbs-asia-central

20 minutes ago, madmen said:

Legal and Thailand in the same sentence? 

I think they call that an oxymoron.

 

7 minutes ago, DLock said:

am with you. These stories give me great delight and I hope the entire tourism industry is decimated.

Just wow. 

 

Carrying that level of hate is sick 

9 minutes ago, bkk6060 said:

I bet Zero.

There is no official international traveling warning regarding Thailand.

No refunds.

Yes I guess the Hotels would have been fully booked this time of the year so likely they still have income even if they're half empty.

26 minutes ago, timendres said:

And we are in early days. Another month or so, and we will see the true state of affairs. My bet? It is going to look much uglier.

I am predicting the virus drama will run for at least 1 year.....Time to crack down on the remaining nasty farang that are still here...

11 minutes ago, DLock said:

 

I am with you. These stories give me great delight and I hope the entire tourism industry is decimated.

 

But, tourism will recover, and any hope of them learning or rebuilding tourism and treatment of tourists any better are probably not realistic. 

 

They will pick up where they left off, with even more focus on the Chinese.

That is a terrible way of thinking. There are many things that are very wrong in Thailand, but wishing for the whole country to collapse is just plain evil. I hope no one wishes your life to be ruined like that just to teach you a lesson.

2 minutes ago, madmen said:

Just wow. 

 

Carrying that level of hate is sick 

I don't think he means anything personal to the families that will suffer. But unfortunately it is them that WILL suffer due to the actions of the elite and their distain for foreigners (particularly 'farangs' who apparently should be kicked out). An economic collapse in Thailand may be good for the country and wake some people up. 

Those refunds are based on hotel policies and many times are based on travel agencies. A bit of a catch 22 with your money. Some hotels I know are actually refunding due to a general understanding that should be done to avoid negative feedback on TA and other online agencies and it is no one's  fault.

42 minutes ago, tomazbodner said:

That is a terrible way of thinking. There are many things that are very wrong in Thailand, but wishing for the whole country to collapse is just plain evil. I hope no one wishes your life to be ruined like that just to teach you a lesson.

 

I didn't say a whole country.

 

Tourism is only 12% of GDP...and yep, love to see every one of those 12% decimated.

 

They don't deserve a tourism industry for the myriad of reasons constantly documented on Thaivisa.

 

If I treated my customers the way Thailand treats it's tourists, then I deserve to be ruined also.

 

1 hour ago, webfact said:

The Tourism Authority of Thailand has predicted a revenue loss of 95 billion baht ($3.05 billion)

 

1 hour ago, webfact said:

The Vietnam National Administration of Tourism estimated the damage to Vietnam’s tourism sector from the virus will range from $5.9 billion to $7.7 billion

Ok.  So Thai tourism will potentially lose X, Vietnam tourism will potentially lose 2X+ of what Thailand will.  Question: is Vietnam's tourist revenue 2+ times that of Thailand, or is there that much "shrinkage" in reported tourism revenue in Thailand?  

1 hour ago, madmen said:

Legal and Thailand in the same sentence? 

Add common sence and logic  to that????

A post with a link to the Bangkok Post has been removed as per forum rules. 

53 minutes ago, fforest1 said:

I am predicting the virus drama will run for at least 1 year.....Time to crack down on the remaining nasty farang that are still here...

for once it is all over (just like the post ww2 thai amnesia)

- only the falang will have the head for talking about the past

7 minutes ago, CanuckThai said:

 

Ok.  So Thai tourism will potentially lose X, Vietnam tourism will potentially lose 2X+ of what Thailand will.  Question: is Vietnam's tourist revenue 2+ times that of Thailand, or is there that much "shrinkage" in reported tourism revenue in Thailand?  

Unfortunately the figures that Thailand quote are unreliable at best, just like the corona virus figures. If people seriously think that the Thai economy is doing as well as being reported then there will be quite a few shocks in coming months and years.