TAT: Foreign tourists to arrive from October - 10 million targeted for 2021, total tourism spend 1.2 TRILLION baht!

 

 

Thailand's tourism supremo told Channel 7 that he is expecting foreign tourists to begin returning to Thailand in the third quarter - that's October. 

 

Governor of the Tourism Association of Thailand Yuthasak Suphasorn thinks that with foreign countries offering vaccine programs the foreign tourists will start flooding back but not until later in the year. 

 

He said he is targeting ten million foreign tourists this year. 

 

Thaivisa notes that with little prospect of any large numbers of foreign tourists arriving before later in the year, for the TAT to hit that target they will need to see similar numbers of foreign visitors enter Thailand as did in 2019 before the pandemic. 

 

In that year they claimed that the country had just short of 40 million visitors. Channel 7 did not appear to press the governor on this rosy assessment. 

 

Instead they printed his figures without comment and they were as follows:

 

In 2020 there were 6.7 million foreign tourists. This was 83% down on 2019's 39.9 million. 

 

They spent 332 billion baht compared to 2019's 2 trillion. 

 

 

 

Domestic tourism trips in 2020 were 90 million, down from 172.7 million in 2019 or 72.7%. Domestic spending was down from 1.1 trillion to 481 billion, a fall of 56%.

 

So in total, revenue from tourism went from just over 3 trillion to 813 billion. 

 

Targets for 2021 are 10 million foreign tourists spending 500 billion baht. 

 

The domestic target is 120 million trips with revenue at 700 billion baht. 

 

Thus, the total tourism revenue target is 1.2 trillion baht. 

 

As always the devil is in the details, suggests Thaivisa. The fact that there was any appreciable revenue from foeign tourism in 2020 was due to arrivals before the pandemic struck in January and early February of last year.

 

After that foreign tourism was obliterated. Yutthasak and tourism minister Pipat Ratchakitprakan's attempts to woo tourists with the Special Tourist visa targeted just 1,200 arrivals per month from last October. 

 

Even this modest target proved impossible with only a few hundred taking up the offer each month. Many observers said that not only were people around the world reluctant to travel but the 14 day quarantine in Thailand with all the hoops and expense that involved, put off visitors. 

 

With the second wave of the pandemic now in Thailand any foreign tourism has ground to a halt along with domestic tourism that had shown some positivity in the second half of last year as the country dealt successfully with the first wave. 

 

Domestic tourism has now stopped as much of Thailand is in a virtual lockdown as thousands of more cases of Covid-19 have emerged. 

 

Yuthasak said that he hopes domestic tourism to pick up in March and foreign tourism in October. 

 

Even this may prove to be optimistic despite his assertion that vaccine programs will facilitate travel. 

 

He added that Thailand must provide a secure Covid free environment in tourism areas to inspire tourist confidence. 

 

Source: Channel 7

 

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2021-01-19

 

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Good news at last,bring on the dancing girls.

6 minutes ago, webfact said:

Governor of the Tourism Association of Thailand Yuthasak Suphasorn thinks that with foreign countries offering vaccine programs the foreign tourists will start flooding back but not until later in the year. 

Oh for goodness sake - take a day off, will you!  ????

Next month I'm going to earn 1.5 million baht. We can all pluck numbers out of our a-holes, but it doesn't make it true.

12 minutes ago, webfact said:

Instead they printed his figures without comment and they were as follows:

was missing TAT weekly BS postings, where the heck they find this BS stuff

18 minutes ago, webfact said:

Many observers said that not only were people around the world reluctant to travel but the 14 day quarantine in Thailand with all the hoops and expense that involved, put off visitors. 

 

This, and also the fact that Thailand has lost its veneer, even before CVD19 struck. Also I am sure the less-than-friendly gestures, narratives and undertones towards foreigners (particularly westerners), as well as half-ar$ed and insincere attempts, did not go unnoticed. My guess is, tourism in Thailand was already on a down-cycle, despite the grovelling at China's feet, pre-CVD19. CVD19 just accelerated it.

 

Khun Yuthasak Suphasorn and gang - try to do something more credible than your daily/weekly tourists-will-come-flooding-back twaddle. Claiming rosy figures and painting pretty scenarios are one thing - even if they could be achieved, ever thought about the 'how' of it? No, your cockamamie scams and half-cooked ideas don't count.

 

7 hours ago, Mavideol said:

was missing TAT weekly BS postings, where the heck they find this BS stuff

He went to a fortune teller and she assured him so it must be true....

Plenty of choice in the lucky number TAT lottery  this week

22 minutes ago, webfact said:

Yutthasak and tourism minister Pipat Ratchakitprakan's attempts to woo tourists with the Special Tourist visa targeted just 1,200 arrivals per month from last October. 

 

Even this modest target proved impossible with only a few hundred taking up the offer each month.

 

This might explain just how off the beam they are! It would be nice to vaccinate them with a dose of reality!

6 minutes ago, outsider said:

 

This, and also the fact that Thailand has lost its veneer, even before CVD19 struck. Also I am sure the less-than-friendly gestures, narratives and undertones towards foreigners (particularly westerners), as well as half-ar$ed and insincere attempts, did not go unnoticed. My guess is, tourism in Thailand was already on a down-cycle, despite the grovelling at China's feet, pre-CVD19. CVD19 just accelerated it.

 

Of course, it could work in their favour if the day to day stories of tourists being fleeced have become old news. I'd like to see some action taken when the country does re-open to tackle to scams and reset the reputation. The future could be very bright with clean beaches and businesses hungry for customers (plus some ladies in need of cash!)

And they're all going to come in the last week of December.

 

 

1 minute ago, outsider said:

 

This, and also the fact that Thailand has lost its veneer, even before CVD19 struck. Also I am sure the less-than-friendly gestures, narratives and undertones towards foreigners (particularly westerners), as well as half-ar$ed and insincere attempts, did not go unnoticed. My guess is, tourism in Thailand was already on a down-cycle, despite the grovelling at China's feet, pre-CVD19. CVD19 just accelerated it.

 

Apply to your country based unfriendly Thai embassy for a CoE, and on arrival  that will be 300bt per person on the way in ..thank you !!  Exchange has not changed, operators will increase prices to try and recovery their massive losses .. possibly higher airfares, 2 days of your holidays 'lost' travelling  .. Greece, Spain or Thailand ??

Yeah, sure, just keep telling yourself that, Yuthi -- if it helps you sleep easier at night (or at the office). 

33 minutes ago, webfact said:

He added that Thailand must provide a secure Covid free environment in tourism areas to inspire tourist confidence. 

Scrap the draconian rules and devalue the Baht... Maybe a few will come. 

And I am targeting $10 million with my business this year. Will it happen? Very unlikely. But, it sure sounds good!

 

I predict 320,000 tourists this year, if the restrictions are loosened dramatically. 

10 million arrivals from Cuckooland expected.

While it is impossible to predict the future, setting a target of 10 million sounds about right IMHO. 
I know of about 30+ people back home who are chomping at the bit for a Thai holiday now, and about half of them usually come around September and October due to school holidays. 
 

I reckon 10 mill this year.

20 million in 2022

And back to normal by 2023.

 

Thailand always bounces back quickly. After the tsunami the doomers and gloomers were all claiming that nobody would ever visit Phuket again. 
 

A year later they totally recovered.
 

 

1 minute ago, Natai Beach said:

While it is impossible to predict the future, setting a target of 10 million sounds about right IMHO. 
I know of about 30+ people back home who are chomping at the bit for a Thai holiday now, and about half of them usually come around September and October due to school holidays. 
 

I reckon 10 mill this year.

20 million in 2022

And back to normal by 2023.

 

Thailand always bounces back quickly. After the tsunami the doomers and gloomers were all claiming that nobody would ever visit Phuket again. 
 

A year later they totally recovered.
 

 

Maybe in "normal" times but seeing how uncertain the world economy will be

for a few years nothing is sure.

 

Don't you just love those talking heads with their pie in the sky numbers and figures, yes, Thailand will be back to normal or close to normal but the when and the how is still anyone guess... 

He has gone to see the Native Americans, entered the sweat lodge, taken some peyote and been given dreams of grandeur which he understood to be the future instead of the past as the vivid dreams really are.  He did however find his spirit animal, the Cuckoo bird...just saying

Which fortune teller did they consult?? Was it the same Frog like the one the boss uses??

15 minutes ago, Natai Beach said:

While it is impossible to predict the future, setting a target of 10 million sounds about right IMHO. 
I know of about 30+ people back home who are chomping at the bit for a Thai holiday now, and about half of them usually come around September and October due to school holidays. 
 

I reckon 10 mill this year.

20 million in 2022

And back to normal by 2023.

 

Thailand always bounces back quickly. After the tsunami the doomers and gloomers were all claiming that nobody would ever visit Phuket again. 
 

A year later they totally recovered.
 

 

I dont think you can compare the Tsunami to Covid, To start with nobody was stopped from entering Thailand and the place was already busy and it was not a world wide problem

1 hour ago, webfact said:

He said he is targeting ten million foreign tourists this year. 

Target as you may we all know you will still miss the board and hit the wall ???? 

14 minutes ago, ChipButty said:

I dont think you can compare the Tsunami to Covid, To start with nobody was stopped from entering Thailand and the place was already busy and it was not a world wide problem

4812 dead and 4499 missing in 1 hour of the tsunami and everyone dug in (excuse the pun) and collectively managed an awful situation.

 

C-19, 62 dead in 1 year and parts of the country in lockdown, difficult to leave / enter the country and business failures in the thousands?

 

I’m 99% with the Thai government and world governments in trying to deal with Covid, but 1% of my thoughts on resolving the situation just don’t add up.

TAT as accurate as lottery numbers based on lucky frogs and turtles or monks.

Few believe them really, but why pop the illusion.

 

I spent 406.50 baht at Big-C Supercenter yesterday...not to mention 50 baht at Bittersweet coffee in the Food Court. I'm practially supporting Thailand myself

I'm still hoping for summer vacation in July to Samui after I got my shots, but I'm not so optimistic, so it's Feb 2022 if summer fails.

 

It all depends how Thailand will still restrict those people that has been vaccinated. 

 

If they still do quarantine, tests and apps for vaccinated people, they can kiss their 10 millions goodbye. 

 

Since it's very likely that vaccinated people can carry the active virus in nose/throat without they get sick , I think most countries has to finish their vaccination programs, before they are comfortable opening up. 

 

And I'm not so sure Thailand will finish their program at the end of Q3, so 10 millions are a bit much. 

Why should those who are vaccinated be able to travel ?

 

Nobody has proven that vaccination does not mean you cannot be a carrier ? You might be asymptomatic but able to carry and pass on to someone else.

 

Quarantine and  PCR testing has to remain in place for 2021 for everyone........vaccinated or not.

2 hours ago, Natai Beach said:

While it is impossible to predict the future, setting a target of 10 million sounds about right IMHO. 
I know of about 30+ people back home who are chomping at the bit for a Thai holiday now, and about half of them usually come around September and October due to school holidays. 
 

I reckon 10 mill this year.

20 million in 2022

And back to normal by 2023.

 

Thailand always bounces back quickly. After the tsunami the doomers and gloomers were all claiming that nobody would ever visit Phuket again. 
 

A year later they totally recovered.
 

 

A totally predictable if somewhat skewed reply.

3 hours ago, TEFLKrabi said:

Of course, it could work in their favour if the day to day stories of tourists being fleeced have become old news. I'd like to see some action taken when the country does re-open to tackle to scams and reset the reputation. The future could be very bright with clean beaches and businesses hungry for customers (plus some ladies in need of cash!)

wishful thinking