Thailand's entire tourism industry will collapse if foreign tourists are not allowed back, industry leader

[webfact]

Thailand's entire tourism industry will collapse if foreign tourists are not allowed back, industry leader

 

Picture: Thai Rath

 

Thai Rath reported some of the most dire warnings yet about the state of Thailand's tourism industry.

 

They quoted the chief of the Tourism Council of Thailand as saying that the situation in the country's tourism sector is so serious that if foreign tourists are not allowed back the entire industry will collapse. 

 

And it appears that much will now depend on the views of Phuket residents about the much mooted "Phuket Model" for opening up the country. 

 

If they give plans that include 14 day quarantine and one mile radius restrictions the thumbs down, then the industry could be doomed. 

 

In a stark assessment of the state of tourism in the country Thai Rath indicated that the issue was at the very top of the political and economic agenda at this time. 

 

They suggested that Thai domestic tourism is just not the answer. Even if government stimulus measures in this regard were 100% successful the revenue shortfall would mean far more closures of businesses and far more redundancies of workers in the sector.

 

They talked about money from foreigners making up two thirds of all tourism revenue. This has dried up completely.

 

TCT chief Chairat Trairattanajarasporn pulled no punches. 

 

The Phuket Model was a testing ground but the locals had to agree otherwise a host of problems would follow. 

 

If they don't agree and foreign tourists are kept out long term he predicted that the entire tourism industry faces collapse. 

 

He said that 4 million people in the sector are already out of work. That could soon be ten million. 

 

He predicted a large number of businesses would go under, far more than have already done so. 

 

He is a proponent of the Phuket Model. He said that even if the scheme attracts only 100,000 foreign tourists a month that would be an important start.

 

If that could continue for three or four months it would at least be something. 

 

He intimated that government help and action in propping up the sector had addressed only the start of the pandemic. 

 

Now there was much more need for government help and he suggested such measures as soft loans and tax breaks to keep businesses afloat. 

 

Source: Thai Rath

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2020-08-28

 

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[ThomasThBKK]

No it won't totally collapse, same as airlines, the planes will be just bought by companies that know how to run a business.

 

Some will benefit from this "cleanup". Time to reposition yourself if you work in tourism. 

[CelticBhoy]

"They suggested that Thai domestic tourism is just not the answer."

 

That's a shame. I enjoy celebrating Songkhran every month.

Probably going to have to work a full month in October . . . . ????

[RotBenz8888]

9 minutes ago, webfact said:

Thailand's entire tourism industry will collapse

It has already collapsed, and it started long before covid19. 

[Orton Rd]

So what, nothing lasts forever

[connda]

 So some Thais in high places are starting to take off the rose-tinted goggles and look at reality, 'eh? 

[Laughing Gravy]

Finally someone with the *alls and vision to say it as it is. This means that if this is true then the PM and TAT have been lying all the time.

 

It probably has already collapsed but the longer it gores on the less likely hood of a speedy recovery. It is a shame either way.

 

[twocatsmac]

Tourism was up the creek long before corvid 19.

Creating a Phuket leper colony will only serve the rip off merchants preying on tourists, few of whom paid much tax if any at all.

[2 is 1]

28 minutes ago, webfact said:

TCT chief Chairat Trairattanajarasporn

Thanks and bye bye soon unemployment chief! You just can't use own brain and say how things really are!

[Saint Nick]

26 minutes ago, ThomasThBKK said:

No it won't totally collapse, same as airlines, the planes will be just bought by companies that know how to run a business.

 

Some will benefit from this "cleanup". Time to reposition yourself if you work in tourism. 

Care to explain how - in the current situation - millions who are working in tourism or in fields, profitting from tourism, should "reposition" themselves?

[Metropolitian]

Karma , for all the double pricing and not letting Thais enter

your avenues without being accompanied with a foreigner.

 

Now foreigners are not there,

and Thais going elsewhere.

 

Som nam na.

 

[Somtamnication]

It really is a catch 22. I think the Thais are realizing that the GDP was grossly understated when it comes to how much tourists actually do for the economy. Wake up call!

[John Drake]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

And it appears that much will now depend on the views of Phuket residents about the much mooted "Phuket Model" for opening up the country. 

 

If they give plans that include 14 day quarantine and one mile radius restrictions

Club Alcatraz.

[petermik]

When it starts to hit them in their pockets Thailand begins to wake up....

[Mavideol]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

They talked about money from foreigners making up two thirds of all tourism revenue. This has dried up completely.

but before they kept saying that tourism was not an important source of income for Thailand, what made them change their view

[Mavideol]

2 hours ago, ThomasThBKK said:

No it won't totally collapse, same as airlines, the planes will be just bought by companies that know how to run a business.

 

Some will benefit from this "cleanup". Time to reposition yourself if you work in tourism. 

please explain how the bar girls, soapy massage, hookers and so forth will reposition themselves

[Mavideol]

somebody once told me that ""things happen for a reason"" maybe this situation it's an ""open eyes"" for the Thais working in the tourism industry that will help them to improve their services. attitude and overall approach towards the millions of tourists they may (maybe not) come in a near future.... I do hope, they learn the lesson or something from the current situation, same applies to the IMO boss

[RichardColeman]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

They quoted the chief of the Tourism Council of Thailand as saying that the situation in the country's tourism sector is so serious that if foreign tourists are not allowed back the entire industry will collapse. 

"Shut up, you're not a general !"

 

2 hours ago, webfact said:

In a stark assessment of the state of tourism in the country Thai Rath indicated that the issue was at the very top of the political and economic agenda at this time. 

After military hardware !

[RichardColeman]

2 hours ago, ThomasThBKK said:

No it won't totally collapse, same as airlines, the planes will be just bought by companies that know how to run a business.

 

Some will benefit from this "cleanup". Time to reposition yourself if you work in tourism. 

1. You cannot run a business like an airline when you cannot fly planes into a country with passengers. Virgin boss and a lot of european cheap airlines  are pretty savvy to me , but even they are struggling and could well go broke if they do not open the skies before long.

 

2. Pilots and air crew are involved in tourism, what exactly do you want 1, 000,000 pilots and aircrew world wide to do ? 

Edited August 28, 2020 by RichardColeman

[RonnyCGN]

100'000 compared to millions? Yes, it can be a start. But it is just a drop of a hot stone and only in 1 area. When the start takes months already, the rescue will come just too late.

 

I have here the image in my head of someone calling out, there is someone drowning and the lifeguards are discussing how best to get to the drowning person without getting wet.

[Fex Bluse]

Every 5 minutes there's someone else crying about foreign tourism. I wonder why they have not seen that the Thais will pick up the slack with domestic tourism and their big spending @sandyf. 

[fxe1200]

Thailand needs more Stryker armoured infantry carriers, subs, attack helicopters, and the recent purchase of 600 TATA army trucks shows, that the Thai government is confident, that it can solve the tourism problem too, but kickbacks first please. Though a lot of money could be saved, if the Government pays kickbacks directly to its generals and politicians without purchasing new weaponry. Why not enact a corresponding law? Then there would be more money to help the tourism industry.

[anchadian]

1 hour ago, Mavideol said:

please explain how the bar girls, soapy massage, hookers and so forth will reposition themselves

By getting an education.

[The Farang]

I doubt many people will want to come to Phuket, pay for an expensive hotel that they are forced to stay at for 14 days, then pay 3000 baht for COVID-19 tests.  Lets not forget the COVID-19 insurance you have to buy as well.  Most locals in Phuket don't want foreigners there because they're afraid of the COVID-19 spread. 

[spidermike007]

Tourism was already going downhill long before Covid. Now? It will never recover even close to its former levels. Not even close. Not even after 10 or 20 years. 

 

I wrote and posted this long before Covid. 

 

Most Westerners are not coming here anymore for a dozen very good reasons. You insulted us. You demeaned us. You accused us of being evil, and you accused us of being criminals. You mounted campaigns touting us as bad for the nation. You demonstrated deplorable amounts of racism and xenophobia, and fear of the outside world.

 

And now you want us to come back? Really? How soon you forget. Sorry, but we have not forgotten what was done and said. What we have forgotten is the nation named Thailand. There are too many alternatives now, and they are not only trying harder, they actually have competent people in charge! Surprise!
Sorry to say, but the high spending tourists are lost for good. They WILL NOT come back to Thailand, for a dozen different reasons. And places like Pattaya, Phuket and Samui will continue to go downhill. So, the goons at the TAT continue to pursue ever higher numbers, regardless of the noxious air, unbelievable congestion on the roads, and woeful service at the airports, that this policy only exacerbates.
 

[The Farang]

16 minutes ago, anchadian said:

By getting an education.

Actually ud be surprised how hard it is even with an education to get a decent paying job in certain parts of Thailand...

[anterian]

No foreign tourist would accept this Phuket model. 

[CGW]

20 minutes ago, anchadian said:

By getting an education.

Do you not need a functioning & affordable education system to achieve that?

[CGW]

6 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

Tourism was already going downhill long before Covid. Now? It will never recover even close to its former levels. Not even close. Not even after 10 or 20 years. 

 

I wrote and posted this long before Covid. 

 

Most Westerners are not coming here anymore for a dozen very good reasons. You insulted us. You demeaned us. You accused us of being evil, and you accused us of being criminals. You mounted campaigns touting us as bad for the nation. You demonstrated deplorable amounts of racism and xenophobia, and fear of the outside world.

 

And now you want us to come back? Really? How soon you forget. Sorry, but we have not forgotten what was done and said. What we have forgotten is the nation named Thailand. There are too many alternatives now, and they are not only trying harder, they actually have competent people in charge! Surprise!
Sorry to say, but the high spending tourists are lost for good. They WILL NOT come back to Thailand, for a dozen different reasons. And places like Pattaya, Phuket and Samui will continue to go downhill. So, the goons at the TAT continue to pursue ever higher numbers, regardless of the noxious air, unbelievable congestion on the roads, and woeful service at the airports, that this policy only exacerbates.

Bet you feel better after getting that out 

Now tell us what you really think 

[john69]

I've seen some callous comments on TV over the years, but these are more callous than most. Amazing how TV readers, many of them pot-bellied guests in this country, make light of millions of Thais being pushed into poverty by this crisis.