Thailand tourist arrivals may drop six million this year due to coronavirus - tourism authority

 

 

BANGKOK (Reuters) - The number of foreign tourists in Thailand may fall by 6 million this year to 33.8 million, the lowest in four years, due to growing fears over the coronavirus outbreak, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) said on Monday.

 

That was downgraded from last month’s forecast for 35 million visitors this year, down 12% from last year’s record 39.8 million.

 

Visitor numbers in February likely slumped 40%, with a deeper contraction expected in March and April, TAT Governor Yuthasak Supasorn told Reuters.

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-03-02

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Drop by 6 million?  And the rest...

Arrivals does not equal tourists

9 minutes ago, Yorkshire Tea said:

Drop by 6 million?  And the rest...

Have to use the old double it and add 10 million rule.

Well that ain't too bad...so they have time to improve the standards and fix everything.

That's the beauty of this virus.

 

Each time.... they have to lower whatever "target" they talk about.

 

And then they feel compelled to "revise" the forecast.

 

And the month after, rince repeat.

 

With the proper lose of face as a bonus, of course.

 

I'm wondering when we will reach the point where TAT... will just stay silent ?

 

Their whole world of pseudo "control" and "numbers" and "savant forecasts" is falling apart.

 

Despite the human tragedy, there is some silver lining in this virus.

 

It's a powerful BS dissolvent.

Edited March 2, 20206 yr by christophe75

Amazing this country is all think about is tourism and how much money they can milk from them.

I suspect that these figures quoted may well end up being on the low side, I have had two friends send pictures from the airport (air side) over the last couple of days, both saying it is like a ghost town, both at different times on the same day.

Edited March 3, 20206 yr by Mattd

But some government wiz kid at the TAT just said the figures were up for January !

3 minutes ago, Mattd said:

I suspect that these figures quoted may well end up being on the low side, I have had two friends send pictures from the airport (air side) over the last couple of days, both saying it is like a ghost town, both a different times on the same day.

Could just be the cost of the food in that area !

I call this "positive thinking", for 2019 the number of "39 million tourists" was 3,250 million per month, 6 million fewer tourists is not that tragic.
I hope that for you!

18 minutes ago, RichardColeman said:

Could just be the cost of the food in that area !

Indeed, certainly doesn't help................

Both were on different airlines, both planes were virtually empty, admittedly both were leaving and not arriving though.

Hard times ahead for all businesses, especially airlines and those related to.

It isn't just Thailand, the whole world is going to suffer economically.

6 million tourists, they should be so lucky!

Soon they will realise that the virus doesn't transmit easily in hot countries like Thailand.

Second phase transmission is minimal and will get less as the hot season comes.

It will not get out of control. 

To hit their tourist number targets they need to.....    erm too late. 

42 minutes ago, Mattd said:

I suspect that these figures quoted may well end up being on the low side, I have had two friends send pictures from the airport (air side) over the last couple of days, both saying it is like a ghost town, both at different times on the same day.

Yeah but how about pics of the Immigration lines ? That would tell the real story ! ???? 

(Of course Immigration could just cut the number of IOs manning the counters so that the lines remain as long as ever, despite having fewer people arriving/departing.) 

37 minutes ago, RichardColeman said:

But some government wiz kid at the TAT just said the figures were up for January !

January hotel occupancy rate

 

This shows that the hotel occupancy rate was down about 5%, there is worse to come of course. If the crisis lasts until the early northern summer as many expect (even though it could be worse) we may well see numbers down by a lot more than the current speculations. Wouldn't even call it speculation as the current government doesn't communicate, they just make noise.

Also remember that it was the same Tourism Authority (and Minister) that claimed the number of arrivals would double in the last half of the year and that would make up for the the reduced number of arrivals in the first half of the year ! 

So instead of 3.25 million arriving per month (on average, based on last year's numbers), they think there will be 6.5 million arriving per month for the last 6 months of the year !

At least, at last, we see the numbers moving in a more sustainable direction 

Lets focus on the Covid19 which has killed 1 person and not the pollution Apocalypse killing 10s of 1000s and scaring away tourists for good.

14 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

may fall by 6 million this year to 33.8 million

The usual optimistic BS from TAT. I think the 6 should be a 12 or more and the 33.8 down graded accordingly. Let's see what they say a month from now. I have my suspicions.

 Now the Government will have to start looking after those

working in the Tourist industry....as they do for the Farmers.

regards Worgeordie

 

 

The baht. The virus. Whatever the cause, the downturn in the tourism industry is inevitable, in my opinion. Perhaps, during this low-traffic period, the tourism industry - everyone from the powers-that-be to front-liners - can take the opportunity to re-evaluate, re-strategise and re-launch. Ramp up on quality once again, treat tourists the way you'd treat guests in your own homes and not like ATM machines and trash, cut down on the xenophobia, racism, demographic segregation (and discrimination), cheats and scams - in short, erase the Land of Smirks and bring back the real Land of Smiles. I've always talked about a hard reset the tourism industry needs to go through. Maybe this is it. The fact of the matter is this - Thailand has lost its lustre way before the baht shot up and the virus came a-calling. It's up to you guys to emerge from this refreshed and ready to fight to be the place everybody wants to come to, or forever be in the shadow of your former self.

39 minutes ago, Ketyo said:

Soon they will realise that the virus doesn't transmit easily in hot countries like Thailand.

 

Well Singapore is just as hot and it spreads fast there.

 

 

If you are an arrogant man who thinks they don't need to take care of themselves and smokes cigarettes or an old coot with pre-existing conditions like CVD, diabetes, COPD and high blood pressure from eating bad food like a pig and not exercising---YOU are at risk of dying from COV-19.

 

Wise decision not to come to Thailand, ya <deleted>. ????

14 hours ago, Yorkshire Tea said:

Drop by 6 million?  And the rest...

Drop by or to ... The drop will for sure increase throughout the year - this is just a temporary and optimistic update ...

14 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

That was downgraded from last month’s forecast for 35 million visitors this year, down 12% from last year’s record 39.8 million.

Keep downgrading, Thailand will have to admit to the true Corvid 19 figures soon, that'll screw up the rest of the year!

you will see a spin, that thailand is contributing to less pollution because of this

 

they will find a way to save face

 

who in their right mind would go travel FOR FUN right now with the risks involved ?

 

I am a "tourist arrival" against my will, 5 times a year because of some stupid visa

never trust a statistic that don't manipulated by your own.

 

would be interesting to hear,if they believe in their figures or even in santa claus.

The tourist arrivals numbers are about as reliable as the virus infection numbers. They are whatever the government wants them to be.

Maybe there will be a big influx of Chinese as this may be the only country that wants them.  That and Thailand will be virus free after Songkran, according to the health minister.