Thailand expects $39.5 billion in tourism revenue in 2020

 

FILE PHOTO: Immigration officers stand in front of an empty arrivals hall at Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi International airport amid the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), Thailand, June 3, 2020. REUTERS/Athit Perawongmetha/File Photo

 

BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thailand expects to generate 1.23 trillion baht ($39.5 billion) (31.70 billion pounds) in tourism revenue this year, mainly driven by local holiday makers, the tourism minister said on Friday, after a drop in international tourism due to the coronavirus pandemic.

 

The cabinet recently approved a $722 million (579.45 million pounds) package of measures to boost domestic tourism and ease travel restrictions in the country in the wake of the pandemic.

 

In the first five months of the year, Thailand booked tourism revenue of 350 billion baht.

 

Tourism is crucial to the economy, although much of it comes from international visitors. A record 39.8 million foreign tourists visited the country last year and spent 1.93 trillion baht, accounting for 11% of the country's GDP.

 

The Ministry only expects 3.3 million foreign tourists for the rest of this year, however, after recording 6.7 million in the first five months.

 

The Tourism Council of Thailand, an industry group, on Tuesday urged the government to sign “travel bubble” agreements with other countries over fears that revenue would further decline.

 

Foreign travelers will initially include medical tourists who have a history of treatment in Thailand, Minister of Tourism and Sports Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn said.

 

For general tourists the government is in discussion with its coronavirus task force, he said, adding that if the pandemic situation improves the ministry could propose allowing in more tourists in August and September.

 

Initially, foreign tourists would be focused on islands like Koh Tao and Phuket and would not be required to observe a 14-day quarantine although they would have to be virus-free, he said.

 

Thailand has recorded 3,180 infections and 58 deaths, but no local transmission cases for 39 days.

 

(Reporting by Kitiphong Thaichareon; Writing by Chayut Setboonsarng; Editing by Hugh Lawson)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-07-04

 

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LOL, tingtog expectations.

 

13 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

The Ministry only expects 3.3 million foreign tourists for the rest of this year.

 

 

Expect all you like, with all the obstacles in place , nobody is going to come.

 

Look at that arrivals hall.  That is wild - usually there's about 300 people in that little space and you can hardly move.  

Better get those high-spending foreign private jet owners in quickly to even have a remote chance of approaching the vicinity of that optimistic $39.5bn figure. Good luck.

 

 

Edited July 4, 20206 yr by Misterwhisper

i think it's way too optimistic  ....   there isn't the same money around so domestic travelers aren't as plentiful that's for sure. 

I think this 2020 year should be basically written off. Plan for when the hordes arrive in 2021.

 

Pretending is not fooling many.

 

As for Thais travelling; I don't think they will.

Domestic tourism is only recycling money that is aready in Thailand, much of it going from the pockets from the poor and middle class into the coffers ot the same large family corporations. It gets people spending so is a boost to the economy but not in the same way as tourists from overseas, who bring in money from outside.

 

But 3.3 million foreign tourists for the rest of the year? Unless they plan on opening the borders freely then it ain't gonna happen.

1 minute ago, owl sees all said:

As for Thais travelling; I don't think they will.

Depends where you are looking
there are many places where domestic tourism booms with little foreigners
Try booking a room in any of the more popular places in Khao Yai or khao kho this weekend......
all the nicer places are fully booked
and usually busy every weekend with people from BKK

Is that $39.5 Billion all from the one super affluent super new type of superior tourist that TAT yearn for in the future?

Edited July 4, 20206 yr by DaLa
Missed ? mark.

3 minutes ago, innosiem said:

Depends where you are looking
there are many places where domestic tourism booms with little foreigners
Try booking a room in any of the more popular places in Khao Yai or khao kho this weekend......
all the nicer places are fully booked
and usually busy every weekend with people from BKK

Totally agree. We have a business in Nonthaburi and retain a place down in Cha Am. Over the last few weeks the journey there has become increasingly busier and the beach there  is full of Thai (  not local, it's dead during the week ). Hua Hin is packed and the main highway is bumper to bumper.

Anyone ever wonder how they can come up with such a number. Do they have a dart board at the TAT office?

58 minutes ago, madmitch said:

Domestic tourism is only recycling money that is aready in Thailand,

Exactly, unless the domestic "tourists" have unlimited funds to spend, from an economic POV it's just taking money away from other sectors!

Seems TOT and the doubtless large staff they employ are getting desperate to justify the huge budget they get!

3 hours ago, rooster59 said:

The Ministry only expects 3.3 million foreign tourists for the rest of this year

I thought the current quote was 1,000 per day.

If so with 180 days left then we are going to attract 180,000 overseas visitors.

US$100,000 health cover for a 73 year old costs over 120,000 baht a year! This will put a kibossh on elderly people visiting Thailand. The ridiculous rules of having covid19 tests are particularly onerous as many countries just won't give tests just if you want a holiday. There are plenty of people in greater need of a test. TAT are whistling in the wind about prospective arrivals. The hurdles are too great. I doubt if tourism will recover for at least two years. 

no surprise here, TAT and their weekly non sense BS

 

3 hours ago, rooster59 said:

Thailand expects $39.5 billion in tourism revenue in 2020

and I expect to win the lottery 555

Why not $40 billion rather than $39.5?

Thailand the hub of randomness.

The only real question is how much of a disaster it will be, being total or unmitigated. Suspect these comments are to try and raise domestic optimism, although perhaps planning for the worst and hoping for the best might be a better path in this case.

 

Covid is still flaring up all over the place, not unexpected but the media is fanning it, so restrictions will probably last a while yet, although their eugenics vaccine may loosen things up eventually.

 

Even if I wanted to holiday in Thailand there are no flights, and even if there were we'd be thrown into quarantine on arrival, sounds appealing. Next year may be more possible, but by then the great depression may have kicked it, if so people who can afford holidays will drop off substantially.

 

Returning to live in Thailand, if crime and xenophobia increase due to a crumbling economy then that appeals even less, more so if the population decides to restart protests. Then of course there is still the death of a thousand cuts dealing with immigration putting you through the infantile hoops. Hmm.

5 hours ago, Blumpie said:

Look at that arrivals hall.  That is wild - usually there's about 300 people in that little space and you can hardly move.  

Photo is from June 3rd

Thai Tink Tank Tink Too Mutt

5 hours ago, rooster59 said:

Thailand expects to generate 1.23 trillion baht ($39.5 billion) (31.70 billion pounds) in tourism revenue this year,

A holiday on Koh Tao !

What Tourist in their right mind would want to go there.

Highly optimistic. There's only so much domestic tourists can travel and spend; they will either get bored or run out of time or money.

 

I think they've made the mistake to base their estimate on the post-lockdown domestic travel numbers, obviously a spike to make up for lost time. Once the new economic reality sets in, far fewer people will be willing and able to travel around.

 

If TAT expects 39.5 billion dollars in 2020, I hope they already have $39.49 billion banked already. Domestic tourists is just Peter to pay Paul. Foreign tourists' dollars are monies that are circulated in the economy without one bit of productivity by a local Thai. Domestic tourists are using money earned by having to produce something--unless they're part of the brown envelope crowd.

4 hours ago, alant said:

I thought the current quote was 1,000 per day.

If so with 180 days left then we are going to attract 180,000 overseas visitors.

Are you counting in your head in  English or Thai?  Me thinks it's English!  ????

good luck with that ,maybe dreaming

 

there maybe some dirty money needed to be laundered tho

Edited July 4, 20206 yr by 3NUMBAS

Is that even possible?

 

10 hours ago, rooster59 said:

Thailand expects $39.5 billion in tourism revenue in 2020

 

Wishful thinking dreamers . 

They can make up as many "expected tourist" figures as they like, but the truth is that there will be no international flights going anywhere this year. You will be surprised when you see how many airlines have gone skint and sacked most of their pilots and crew. There will be no A380's flying and I think no 747's either.