COVID-19 is “worst crisis in Thai tourism history”: TAT spokesman

[webfact]

Foreign Correspondents Club of Thailand holds panel discussion on future of Thai Tourism

TAT Newsroom

 

 

Bangkok, 05 July, 2020 – The Foreign Correspondents Club of Thailand (FCCT) held a panel discussion on the future of Thai tourism on 1 July. The event was livestreamed over the FCCT’s Facebook page.

 

The panelists were Mr. Tanes Petsuwan, Deputy Governor for Marketing Communications, Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), Mr. Varong Israsena Na Ayudhaya, Bangkok Airways Vice President for Mmarketing; Mrs. Marisa Sukosol Nuntibhakdi, Vice President, Thai Hotels Association (THA), Chairman THA’s Environment Committee and Executive Vice President, Sukosol Hotels; Mr. Michael Marshall, Chief Commercial Officer, Minor Hotels and Ms. Jeninne Lee-St. John, Editor-in-Chief, Travel+Leisure Southeast Asia.

 

Speaking first, Mr. Tanes said that the Thai tourism industry has passed its worst phase and is now set to make a slow and steady back to normalcy.

 

He outlined a range of measures being taken by TAT from the intensive promotion of domestic tourism to a revamping of the annual Thailand Travel Market (TTM) to help the industry recover from what he called the “worst crisis in Thai tourism history.”

 

“I have been working for TAT for more than 30 years, during which we have faced many crises; such as, SARS, Bird Flu, MERS, the tsunami, even our own political crises, but we have seen nothing like this,” he said.

 

Mr. Tanes said it will be a long time before Thailand again chalks up the 2019 record visitor arrivals of nearly 40 million. However, he said, the crisis had created an opportunity for the Thai tourism industry to reform itself in preparation for the “New Normal.”

 

“This is the best time to make it right,” he said. “We have to move away from quantity to quality.”

 

He said TAT had been closely monitoring the situation in coordination with the government agencies and the private sector ever since the COVID-19 pandemic crisis began in January 2020. The Royal Thai Government provided extensive help to companies and employees affected by the crisis, which alleviated the social impact.

 

Mr. Tanes Petsuwan, Deputy Governor for Marketing Communications, TAT

 

Mr. Tanes outlined the many TAT projects; such as, the Safety and Health Administration (SHA) safety and hygiene certification scheme, the information-sharing webinars, ongoing market research to identify potential source market and demographic segments, and especially the recent focus on reviving domestic tourism following the easing of the lockdowns.

 

“Nothing is going to be the same again,” Mr. Tanes said. “Even consumer behaviour will change entirely.” However, one key target segment would be the health and wellness sector.

 

He said that TAT is hoping to see a resumption of international flights soon. If that happens, it is possible that some short-haul tourism from the neighbouring countries could restart by the end of this year.

 

One very important plus point is that the country’s “Amazing Thailand” brand image remained strong, bolstered by the positive publicity being generated by the success in keeping the pandemic under control.

 

“We will come back,” Mr. Tanes said. “As soon as the international flights are restored, the entire industry will follow with special offers and deals.”

 

The other panellists all agreed that it would be a long and difficult recovery period, especially under the new health and safety restrictions faced across the entire travel process; such as, monitoring, certification, and possible quarantine on either one or both sectors of the journey.

 

Mr. Varong cited the challenge of having to ground the Bangkok Airways’ entire fleet of 40 aircraft during the period of the aviation restrictions. He said that some of the aircraft were resuming flights to Ko Samui, Bangkok Airways’ primary domestic destination, but even these were operating at restricted capacity due to the social distancing regulations.

 

Mrs. Marisa said the entire Thai hotel sector had been heavily impacted, especially the small- and medium-sized hotels. She thanked the Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha for his personal visit to the Thai Hotels Association (THA) headquarters and his prompt action of some of the items on the assistance wish-list presented to him by the THA.

 

Mr. Marshall noted that the Minor Group had 550 hotels across multiple brands worldwide, including 56 in Thailand. Nearly all of them had to be shut down during this period, but were now slowly reopening again. He said all the staff had been temporarily laid-off and those who were retained had to take salary cuts. Ms. Jeninne Lee-St. John, Editor-in-Chief, Travel+Leisure Southeast Asia, talked of the global impact but noted that travel was a resilient industry and would bounce back, as it had after many previous crises. She forecast that the health and wellness sector would be one of the first to comeback.

 

 

 

[ozz1]

I thought that they expected  billions  of baht coming from tourists  this year someone is telling porkies  and  if they dont let anyone to enter there stuffed

[mr mr]

not a single representative in this picture is wearing a mask. good thing i still wear a mask to go into 7/11 to buy a bottle of water.

 

 

[andy72]

quality over quantity

 

tell that to the almost half a million girls who prop up theit tourist industry

 

or the foul polluting tuk tuks 

take more than covid to change the ways of Thailand

how can it not be hurting over 20% of GDP plus its almost annual not seasonal

the EU opens while SE ASIA has not allocated a single travel bubble

Thailand is over the quality thing

been there done that once you have the low rent reputation it lingers

you is what you is 

 

Edited July 6, 2020 by andy72

[petermik]

Mr Tanes said that "Thai tourism had passed its worse phase and now set to make a slow steady return to normalicy"....perhaps when the authorities announce a firm date when international travelers will be allowed back in potential visitors will then be able to book flights with some confidence...until then they can forget about it.....excepting of course for their Chinese cousins who will be welcomed with open arms

[anchadian]

We've heard it all before.

 

Immigration should ensure that all those Chinese tourists that enter Thailand eventually should have insurance up to $100,000 including covid-19.  That would make me happy but I doubt it will happen.

Edited July 6, 2020 by anchadian

[ezzra]

Nothing good or bad last forever: a sultan requests of King Solomon a sentence that would always be true in good times or bad, and king Solomon replied, "This too will pass away"...

[ThreeEyedRaven]

Clearly very few active brain cells between the lot of them. I personally thought the Phoenix that sank off Phuket and killed more tourists in one hit than Covid has managed here was a serious low point. With the restrictions they are talking about, they will be lucky to see thousands a week coming in, let alone the hundreds of thousands tourism needs. They need to build up other areas of the economy, because tourism will not generate 20% of GDP ever again.

[Misterwhisper]

It cannot be healthy in the long term for any country (except perhaps micro nations like San Marino or Monaco) when - as in the case of Thailand - almost 20% (some say sources even claim it's as high as 25%) of GDP is solely generated through foreign inbound tourism. So... what a great opportunity to re-structure, de-clutter and revise the tourism sector now, making it healthier and more sustainable in the process.

 

But as I could glean from the panelists presented in the article, they all are rooting for things to return to "the same old". Hence, nothing's going to change and soon enough the country will be caught up in the rather insane tourist numbers race once more. 30 million? Not good enough. Got to be 35 million next year, and 40 million the year after that. Then 45 million and 50 million, and so on and forth. The question is: How many tourists can a country the size of Thailand "stomach" while at the same time keeping up with the necessary infrastructure AND trying to protect the environment?   

[Xonax]

2 hours ago, ThreeEyedRaven said:

Clearly very few active brain cells between the lot of them. I personally thought the Phoenix that sank off Phuket and killed more tourists in one hit than Covid has managed here was a serious low point. With the restrictions they are talking about, they will be lucky to see thousands a week coming in, let alone the hundreds of thousands tourism needs. They need to build up other areas of the economy, because tourism will not generate 20% of GDP ever again.

If they upgrade all hotels and resorts to attract more quality tourists, they could hit 20% again. But I seriously doubt that will ever happen.

[sjaak327]

Oh the quality over quantity again. When do they get it, if you want to go for quality, you need to make sure the infrastructure supports such a move. It doesn't 

 

Meanwhile other countries are re-opening for tourists, and in such a way that it is actually pretty feasible for people to attempt to travel to these countries. Yet Thailand wants outrageuos requirements, as the quarantine in a "government facility" quite clearly is. No normal tourist will contemplate going to Thailand for a four week holiday, and then first go into quarantine for two full weeks. It is ridiculous in any case, especially if the covid-19 free certificate is one of those requirements, that basically puts that traveller in a less likely guilty position as the 66 million inhabitants of Thailand. Yet they are still required to go into 14 days quarantine. It is pretty simple, NOBODY will bother to show up. 

[RichardColeman]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

She thanked the Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha for his personal visit to the Thai Hotels Association (THA) headquarters and his prompt action of some of the items on the assistance wish-list presented to him by the THA.

Wish list

1. open the borders.

2. open the airports

3. let in the foreign tourist

4. Get photo with PM for wall

 

[Justgrazing]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

have been working for TAT for more than 30 years, during which we have faced many crises; such as, SARS, Bird Flu, MERS, the tsunami, even our own political crises, but we have seen nothing

Very delicately handled the bit at the end .. 

 

3 hours ago, webfact said:

We have to move away from quantity to quality.”

and soothe any fears they might have about getting mullered on the roads , gassed by the air pollution , picking up undesirable diseases swimming in the septic tank sea amongst the H Q T's with a bit of doubling pricing at the major attractions .. but as they are H Q they are not expected to be hounded by soi dog's , 6ft Ladyboys or get done by porn watching taxi drivers with inoperative meters or Thai's grasping well worn laminated cards advertising salty sex shows hassling them in Walking St to go and check out the action .. 

Edited July 6, 2020 by Justgrazing
Sp

[RichardColeman]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

“I have been working for TAT for more than 30 years, during which we have faced many crises; such as, SARS, Bird Flu, MERS, the tsunami, even our own political crises, but we have seen nothing like this,” he said.

Hold on a mo' there cowboy !

If you throw Covid into that, your actually saying China is responsible for 60% of all tourism crisis to hit Thailand !!!

 

 

 

 

[Rancid]

Theoretically Thailand with the right guidance could upgrade its tourism sector and attract those that spend more. However it is currently geared to the complete opposite and I am unaware of any tangible moves to either eradicate or improve the problem areas, why list them, we all know what they are.

 

Perhaps they would be better taking a heavy handed approach and zone certain areas for different styles of tourism, just as an example if they want to keep the P4P, then make it Pattaya only, change Phuket and other beach areas to family friendly, expel all the rot. However, can't see it ever happening.

 

Seems too many of the rorts are connected to influential people, and no one ever chooses to tread on those toes. In the end it will go in the too hard basket, nothing will be done except the odd speech about how they would like to do it. Given enough years things will probably bounce back to the old anarchy.

[Sundown]

Really? Guess what Europe with thousands of deaths has opened to almost everyone and it's possible to go on the beach without a mask!!! 

 

Thailand with 60 deaths is locked up like during a nuclear crisis! 

 

Kiss goodbye to the good old times Thailand. It's not COVID, it's really over.

[crazykopite]

Why are they happy to allow the Chinese to come back when it was China who started this pandemic in the first place and hushed it up to the rest of the world until it got so bad that they had to come clean. Anyone who thinks only fewer than 4,000 died in China is a fool you only have to look at the numbers around the world.

[crazykopite]

8 minutes ago, Sundown said:

Really? Guess what Europe with thousands of deaths has opened to almost everyone and it's possible to go on the beach without a mask!!! 

 

Thailand with 60 deaths is locked up like during a nuclear crisis! 

 

Kiss goodbye to the good old times Thailand. It's not COVID, it's really over.

I have to question the amount of deaths as only being 60 

[PETERTHEEATER]

This is TIT for TAT. Suck on it????

[BritManToo]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

Speaking first, Mr. Tanes said that the Thai tourism industry has passed its worst phase and is now set to make a slow and steady back to normalcy.

I suspect the closures, bankruptcies and unemployment have only just started.

Too many service providers and not enough customers ........ ever again.

 

Maybe they should start by returning immigration/VISA rules to the 'good old days' where any foreigner can come as often as they like, and stay for as long as they like.

Edited July 6, 2020 by BritManToo

[hansnl]

5 hours ago, ozz1 said:

I thought that they expected  billions  of baht coming from tourists  this year someone is telling porkies  and  if they dont let anyone to enter there stuffed

I am afraid Thailand chose profit for a few big companies instead of profit for many by gambling on Chinese tourism and slowly erasing the goodwill and moneystream from the "farang".

The Chinese, in genetal, book a trip to Thailand in China, travels with a Chinese company, stays in Chinese owned hotels or condos, eat in Chinese owned eateries, and the poor people get nothing.

The only money stream is from China to some big cats in Thailand.

I am so sorry for the people that were able to earn a living out of tourism.

[Sundown]

29 minutes ago, crazykopite said:

I have to question the amount of deaths as only being 60 

Agree with you, they covered up everything (I remember the news in January-February of tourists dying of "pneumonia". Pneumonia, really?). They learnt from their fellow Chinese.

 

60 or 6000000 doesn't change anyway the fact that these people would bankrupt even a 40baht noodle stall, you can imagine what damage they are doing to a whole country.

 

 

[animatic]

“COVID-19 is “worst crisis in Thai tourism history”: TAT spokesman”

Clearly World War Two didn’t register with the Under-Minister of Silly Talks.

Edited July 6, 2020 by animatic

[bodga]

To sum up then, blah  blah  blah  blah  blah  blah.........blah  blah blah

[holy cow cm]

And they still having no retaliation or nothing bad to say about their Chinese Masters who manufactured and released the virus into the world. Utter BS. 

[BritManToo]

33 minutes ago, animatic said:

“COVID-19 is “worst crisis in Thai tourism history”: TAT spokesman”

Clearly World War Two didn’t register with the Under-Minister of Silly Talks.

You're wrong,

WW2 provided Thailand with plenty of high value Japanese visitors.

[soalbundy]

6 hours ago, ezzra said:

Nothing good or bad last forever: a sultan requests of King Solomon a sentence that would always be true in good times or bad, and king Solomon replied, "This too will pass away"...

It will indeed amd nothing will have changed. Once the tourist countries are back to full employment and the debts have been paid the tourists will come back for more of the same and if Thailand is wise that is what they will give them, nobody wants a London, Paris or Berlin in South-East Asia, cheap, chaotic, ungovernable, charming, funny, unashamed sex, the air laden with the unmistakable scent of Bangkok, a mixture of traffic fumes, flowers, sewage and cheap perfume, it's a magnet.

Edited July 6, 2020 by soalbundy

[geisha]

Thailand is not attractive anymore due to its catastrophic infrastructure and kamikaze drivers. The quality tourists will not come to Thailand with its sleazy reputation. 

[TEFLKrabi]

If you were based in Krabi or Phuket I think the tsunami was worse as it hit right at the start of high season. As bad as this year feels, most businesses had 2-3 months of business before they closed down.

[berrec]

6 hours ago, petermik said:

Mr Tanes said that "Thai tourism had passed its worse phase and now set to make a slow steady return to normalicy"....perhaps when the authorities announce a firm date when international travelers will be allowed back in potential visitors will then be able to book flights with some confidence...until then they can forget about it.....excepting of course for their Chinese cousins who will be welcomed with open arms

I recall someone on the panel mumbling the statement that OS run of the mill tourists may not be seen this year!