Really Really Slow Right Now

[highdiver]

My husband goes to town every day so gauges his idea of "no people" by how many farangs he sees on the roads. He sees almost none. So, even if more people were "spread around", Koh Phangan is hardly large enough to hide them. Our resort had an excellent high season, best ever. And we are slow this slow season. But, and here is the big but, we don't owe the bank money or have to pay rent. So, for those who borrowed money to build or (in many local cases) to rebuild falling down bungalows, the lack of tourists is difficult. Was there overbuilding on Koh Phangan? Absolutely, but I don't believe the lack of tourists has much to do with them being spread out over many new places. As I said, Koh P is pretty small and its fairly easy to gauge tourist numbers by driving around on the main roads or going to the pier at noon.

Also, a friend of a friend is currently trekking in CM and told her that it is very quiet there as well, guesthouse owners etc are talking about how quiet it is.

I suspect the enforcement of the visa rule requiring border travellers to have an onward plane ticket may be dampening things. Many backpackers travel overland to Singapore and get a ticket out of there.

I agree with you it is very quiet nearly everyone says so except highdiver. Pop into Chaweng or Bophut and you will see I am not sure what colour glasses Highdiver has on maybe the blacked out type.

I simply do not buy the arguement that numbers are up compared to this time last year and it is just a case of them being more spreadout or simply hiding.

Also how do TAT compile their numbers I have made 5 trips out of Thailand this year does that mean I am 1 tourist or 5?

I think Samui has become very complacent in recent years thinking it had a godgiven right to tourists. We have the worst infrastructure out of any resort destination I have ever been to in Thailand the roads now are criminal yet no-one is ever held to account.

Along with the high prices maybe tourists are starting to vote with their feet!

I did not argue it was not slow. I did say it is slow every year in this season and has been for the past 9 years that I have been on samui.and every year in this season and in novemeber people complain that it slow.

its a cycle that repeats itself every year.

I do argue that the past 2 years have brought an extensive development in areas of samui that before did not have development and as such the tourises are now more spread out.

5 years ago most tourists came to Samui were staying only in Lamai and Chaweng. and a very small percent in bophud and manahm.

over the past 2 years I have noticed that with the spread of development that the tourists were now spread around more and that samui is now offering more destinantions then just Chaweng.

The fact is Samui and KPG had more tourists this year then the the year before and still there were posts even in January asking where the tourists are.

just to remind you this was discussed in great detail on the following post only 2 months ago.

What Happened The High Season? http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=102037

please read that post and see what i said back then.

I said then what I am saying now. there are more tourists but they are not centred anymore in the main spots as before.

I am not using dark or rosy glasses. I see reality on this Island every day.

[Samuian]

I wholehaertedly agree with highdiver.. it is as it is - every year!

Besides it has been reported that in fact there was an increase of visitors by 4% only in January till April. Annual total of 14.8 Mill bringing in a total of 547 Mill. Baht sorry if they don't spen it on any particular beach on KPG!

Fact is that ever more Shops, Bars, restaurants open up - - most of them run the Hobby-Type way, no previuos experience in the field, no financial backup, but on the trial and error trail, aahh well....

It's NOT easy to run a business ANYWHERE in the world!

And the worst case scenario is, that i've set up my business and then realize that there are too few customers...

Is like trying to sell sand in the dessert.

Sorrrrrryy, but that s my 3 Cents..

Edited May 26, 2007 by Samuian

[highdiver]

I wholehaertedly agree with highdiver.. it is as it is - every year!

Besides it has been reported that in fact there was an increase of visitors by 4% only in January till April. Annual total of 14.8 Mill bringing in a total of 547 Mill. Baht sorry if they don't spen it on any particular beach on KPG!

Fact is that ever more Shops, Bars, restaurants open up - - most of them run the Hobby-Type way, no previuos experience in the field, no financial backup, but on the trial and error trail, aahh well....

It's NOT easy to run a business ANYWHERE in the world!

And the worst case scenario is, that i've set up my business and then realize that there are too few customers...

Is like trying to sell sand in the dessert.

Sorrrrrryy, but that s my 3 Cents..

[Samuian]

..... there are more tourists but they are not centred anymore in the main spots as before...

I sign that!

I live for the last 17 years on 'mui - same, same, same every year. and the story will repeat every year.

The point that the development is spreading ever more to other beaches is true and an important factor to be considered as well.

[sbk]

Yes, well, girlx and I were discussing Koh Phangan initially, which, as you know only has two ports onto the island: Thong Sala and Hadrin. There are very few people currently coming over on the boats so it is unlikely that they are spread out on the island. And as girlx has pointed out, Thong Nai Pan is quite enclosed, so it is also unlikely that people are spread out . So its either there are no people going there or the low season is lower than usual

She was asking if other places were equally dead, and so far, except for a couple of posters, has gotten a pretty unanimous yes, and not just from Koh Samui.

I have already agreed with you that every low season gets people complaining, absolutely. But, I seriously doubt my husband is making up stories about how there were only 3 farang on the noon Raja Ferry boat last week. This is one of the main boats for people coming over to the island from the mainland and usually (even in the off season) has more than 3 farang on it.

[Jet Gorgon]

Yes, I've seen the slowdowns on Samui and KPG since 1995. KPG usually had one constant: the week around the FM Party, when biz filtered out to areas ex-Haadrin.

In recent years, big hotels and resorts started their full-package deals, with meals included; this hurt smaller restaurants and other trade. As others noted, Chaweng beach road is horrid, but the other villages aren't much better. Did Bophut make its road pedestrian-only at night yet? Shame about the shophouses knocked down for concrete blocks there. Heard there's hardly any wooden shops left in Maenam village, either.

[Rooo]

Yes, I've seen the slowdowns on Samui and KPG since 1995. KPG usually had one constant: the week around the FM Party, when biz filtered out to areas ex-Haadrin.

In recent years, big hotels and resorts started their full-package deals, with meals included; this hurt smaller restaurants and other trade. As others noted, Chaweng beach road is horrid, but the other villages aren't much better. Did Bophut make its road pedestrian-only at night yet? Shame about the shophouses knocked down for concrete blocks there. Heard there's hardly any wooden shops left in Maenam village, either.

What's funny Jet, is after a few years , they say OOOPS ,tourists did like the old atmosphere, let's go & try & recreate it.Sad to see them go,I'm sure that if they have redirected their ressources in restoring some of them, it would have been great.Oh well , I'll go on dreaming.

[Rooo]

If you guys want to see the recorded figures for 2005 in comparison to 2006,I have found them here for the Suratthani Samui areas. Some of it in Thai, it's a spread sheet so you have to open the pages.

Just type the year.

http://www2.tat.or.th/stat/web/static_tst.php

[seville]

I can't say too much about Samui, as I'm not there that often. So what ever numbers the TAT has come up with may be true or maybe not. But they are not true for KP. The 200-400 bt. are mostly on KP and they are doing okay. Those businesses will be able to ride out just about anything, because frankly that's where most people want to stay.

As for Havanna Girlx, I agree with one one hunderd percent. We all knew it was a joke and bad idea before he ever broke ground and the place just kept getting bigger and uglier. It just breaks my heart to see it. Did he ever even get the Indian food on the menu. I went there to give it a try and they didn't even have the Indian food on the menu yet.

[Beachedwhale]

..... there are more tourists but they are not centred anymore in the main spots as before...

I sign that!

I live for the last 17 years on 'mui - same, same, same every year. and the story will repeat every year.

The point that the development is spreading ever more to other beaches is true and an important factor to be considered as well.

I agree .. it is low season it always drops off dramatically after songkran / easter

My 3 tourism related businesses are running at 107% of last year (based on daily figures up to yesterday) ... it is not as good as I hoped, but it is at least an increase. It took me 3 years to build up the businesses and now we are in the 6th year of operation, I am happy with the growth. The problem I have is the fact too many people came for the quick return and walk away disappointed ... that is nothing to do with Koh Samui, that is naivety (which I admit, I had at the beginning but was fortunate enough to have enough backup cash to get through the early rough stages). I am feeling quite confident about Samui and that is primarily because I feel that the (supposed) downturn will result in less naïve people coming in and a few more will go away ... the place will settle down and the “fast-money” projects will not start up and we will have more investors that are here for the long-term.

I never trust government statisticians, but I feel that the tourists are certainly still coming – perhaps it is more of the Korean and Japanese package tourists who stay in five star hotels, get taken to specific restaurants and spas and shops by their guides and less likely to be out in Chaweng partying.

Samui needs a bit of a shake up, but it is still humming along OK…

In my humble opinion….

[candoman89]

Well; if it is slow business it will separate the wheat from the chaff; just use the tried and true Thai economic doctrine- just raise the prices. Same as Elite cards; works every time.

[ClaudeFeller]

Maybe Samui, KPG are more quiet because tourists are going back to Phuket and Ko Lanta area?

I think we will grow compared to the years before Tsunami, but 2005 and 2006 were an exception.

Unfortunately, too many businesses were open, too many holiday homes were built and too many resorts had been planned. This will maybe lead to a reduced prices in the comming years.

Cheers from Nathon,

Claude Feller

[sangfroid]

Very strange. A couple of days ago TAT just reported that the number of tourists has increased by about four percent this year. Hmm.

TAT come up with all sorts of figures to show that tourist numbers are increasing, this way they can demand even bigger budgets from the government.

[Samuian]

.... I feel that the (supposed) downturn will result in less naïve people coming in and a few more will go away ... the place will settle down and the “fast-money” projects will not start up and we will have more investors that are here for the long-term.

I never trust government statisticians, but I feel that the tourists are certainly still coming – perhaps it is more of the Korean and Japanese package tourists who stay in five star hotels, get taken to specific restaurants and spas and shops by their guides and less likely to be out in Chaweng partying.

Samui needs a bit of a shake up, but it is still humming along OK…

In my humble opinion….

Yep, sign that wholeheartedly as well, quite a few people out here who see it just the same way and conduct business as usual - KEEP on GOING!

Edited May 27, 2007 by Samuian

[Rooo]

..... there are more tourists but they are not centred anymore in the main spots as before...

I sign that!

I live for the last 17 years on 'mui - same, same, same every year. and the story will repeat every year.

The point that the development is spreading ever more to other beaches is true and an important factor to be considered as well.

I agree .. it is low season it always drops off dramatically after songkran / easter

My 3 tourism related businesses are running at 107% of last year (based on daily figures up to yesterday) ... it is not as good as I hoped, but it is at least an increase. It took me 3 years to build up the businesses and now we are in the 6th year of operation, I am happy with the growth. The problem I have is the fact too many people came for the quick return and walk away disappointed ... that is nothing to do with Koh Samui, that is naivety (which I admit, I had at the beginning but was fortunate enough to have enough backup cash to get through the early rough stages). I am feeling quite confident about Samui and that is primarily because I feel that the (supposed) downturn will result in less naïve people coming in and a few more will go away ... the place will settle down and the “fast-money” projects will not start up and we will have more investors that are here for the long-term.

I never trust government statisticians, but I feel that the tourists are certainly still coming – perhaps it is more of the Korean and Japanese package tourists who stay in five star hotels, get taken to specific restaurants and spas and shops by their guides and less likely to be out in Chaweng partying.

Samui needs a bit of a shake up, but it is still humming along OK…

In my humble opinion….

Beach, last year I posted on this forum,your exact thoughts. At the end end of the day, when it all goes though the sifter, it will be survival of the fittest.The hobby businesses will just fall by the wayside.

[cmsally]

Last year when I was in the UK I had time to kill before a lunch date and found myself outside a travel agent.

So thought I'd go in there and kill a bit of time. Someone came and asked if they could help me so thought a bit of lunchtime Thailand research might be fun.

I told them I wanted an approx 2 week holiday in Thailand - BKK, CM. Phu & Koh Samui.

She came up with an itinerary, sorry can't remember price, but I noticed that Koh Samui was missing. When I asked her why ,she pointed out that by staying in Phuket (name of the resort escapes me) for 3 nights I was entitled to another 7 nights free.

I immediately assumed she must of got her brain in a muddle. So asked her to confirm again and sure enough I got 7 nights free.

Then I insisted I wanted to go to Koh Samui and she said " well I suppose you could go for a few days keep your room and back to Phuket for the remainder and collect your luggage".

So maybe there's your answer.

[pyros]

This sounds nice to me . Everything back to where it was in 2005 ... I don't think it will happen ever again but maybe a bit of the charm can come back. Since i'm not there right now i cannot judge but i'm always going in february , june/july and octobre/november (which basically are all low season ) , as as far i have seen it it has gone down a little bit but not huge . In fact , it is still a lot higher then in 2004 pre tsunami . The prices are now at Phuket level and this makes compatition more difficult . Also , not to forget , it isn't hard to go to Cambodia and Vietnam which are now at a level of Thailand 10 years back or something . And prices up there , well , you can figure it out for yourself . Thry to remember why Thailand became a holiday estination and you will see that many of those thing are gone and are around now in Cambodia and Vietnam . Building a Mediteranian coastline maybe serves a lot of costumers at the same time but does not have any charm or grace or level of relaxation . Too much commerce will ruin business .... small scale and big scale .

BTW i agree also on the comments of other posts here , every year same same , low season ..les costumers and they think the world is over and done while in fact it is the same like every year .

Well another 3 weeks for me and i will figure it out myself , can't wait.....

[LaoPo]

I did not argue it was not slow. I did say it is slow every year in this season and has been for the past 9 years that I have been on samui.and every year in this season and in novemeber people complain that it slow.

its a cycle that repeats itself every year.

I do argue that the past 2 years have brought an extensive development in areas of samui that before did not have development and as such the tourises are now more spread out.

5 years ago most tourists came to Samui were staying only in Lamai and Chaweng. and a very small percent in bophud and manahm.

over the past 2 years I have noticed that with the spread of development that the tourists were now spread around more and that samui is now offering more destinantions then just Chaweng.

The fact is Samui and KPG had more tourists this year then the the year before and still there were posts even in January asking where the tourists are.

just to remind you this was discussed in great detail on the following post only 2 months ago.

What Happened The High Season? http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=102037

please read that post and see what i said back then.

I said then what I am saying now. there are more tourists but they are not centred anymore in the main spots as before.

I am not using dark or rosy glasses. I see reality on this Island every day.

Hmm Highdiver, I don't know.

I suppose the only people who can confirm or not that there are more people coming to Samui & Phangan is Bangkok Airways and to a lesser extend the Ferry operators but I doubt they will give us numbers....

Your point that they are more spread out now also doesn't make sense. I agree that building is more spread out but where do the tourists go during the daytime...?

Right: Chaweng, Lamai, Maenam, Bophut, Big Buddha, Choeng Mon Bay, Nathon etc.

But the number of beaches are limited and will always be. Last year in July and August we staid in a villa in Bang Po, west of Maenam and the beach -for miles and miles- was absolutely empty, and I mean e-m-p-t-y every single day!

The resort had 7 villa's....all of them were empty (except ours) during the 4 weeks we staid there; just an occasonial couple for 2-3 days.

The same story on the beaches further west, south of Nathon, like Taling Ngam and more south-west: literally empty as well. So: where do they go if tourists 'spread out' ?

We had lunch several times in Lamai.....quiet. The only beach with people was Chaweng but the road behind the beach was even more quiet than normal in the evening.

I know, July and August are the lower season months but for the Europeans high holiday monhs, and the planes to BKK are packed.... so where do they go?

I don't know but time will tell.

Apart from the above, it still doesn't explain Girlx's question and the explanations SBK gave already about the situation in Phangan.

LaoPo

[cmsally]

ท่องเที่ยวเชียงใหม่วิ่งสู้ฟัด หลังนักท่องเที่ยวหดหายอย่างต่อเนื่อง โดยใน 2547 มี 3.9 ล้านคน รายได้จากการท่องเที่ยว 4.5 หมื่นล้านบาท ปี 2548 นักท่องเที่ยว 4 ล้านคน แต่รายได้ลดลงเหลือ 3.1 หมื่นล้านบาท ขณะที่ปี 2549 มีนักท่องเที่ยวถึง 5.6 ล้านคน ปัจจุบันเข้าสู่ไตรมาสสองตัวเลขนักท่องเที่ยวกลับไม่เพิ่มขึ้น เหล่าบรรดาโรงแรม,ทัวร์และบริการ ต่างเปิดตัวกลยุทธ์ทุกรูปแบบออกมาเสริม หวังกระตุ้นต่อลมหายใจช่วงกรีนซีซั่นดึงนักท่องเที่ยวกลับมา ก่อนที่ทุกอย่างจะสายเกินแก้...

ปัญหาความไม่แน่นอนทางการเมืองผสมกับภาวะเศรษฐกิจที่ผันผวน และภาพลบจากมลพิษทางอากาศที่เกิดขึ้น ส่งผลให้การท่องเที่ยวเชียงใหม่ย่ำแย่ที่สุดในประวัติศาสตร์ เพราะหลังจากเสร็จสิ้นจากงานมหกรรมพืชสวนโลกเฉลิม พระเกียรติฯเมื่อปลายเดือน ม.ค.2550 ที่ผ่านมา จำนวนนักท่องเที่ยว ทั้งไทยและต่างประเทศไร้วี่แววเดินทางเข้าเชียงใหม่ ขณะที่เงินหมุนเวียนจากปกติกว่า 50% กลับลดลงอย่างน่าใจหาย หลายฝ่ายเชื่อว่าท่องเที่ยวเชียงใหม่จะตกต่ำหนักกว่านี้ในช่วงโลว์ซีซั่น หากไม่มีการเปิดเกมรุกส่งแคมเปญกระตุ้นหวังให้มีการเดินทางเข้าสู่จังหวัดเชียงใหม่

สอดคล้องกับที่ ทรงวิทย์ อิทธิพัฒนากุล นายกสมาคมธุรกิจท่องเที่ยวเชียงใหม่ ยอมรับว่ามีความจำเป็นที่จะต้องหาแผนการส่งเสริมการขายมาใช้ และมีเวลาเตรียมตัวน้อยมาก เพราะไม่เช่นนั้นสถานการณ์ท่องเที่ยวเชียงใหม่จะเลวร้ายยิ่งขึ้น

การพยายามช่วยเหลือตัวเองมาโดยตลอดของผู้ประกอบการท่องเที่ยวในเชียงใหม่กำลังถึงขีดสุด แม้จำนวนนักท่องเที่ยวจะไม่กระเตื้องขึ้นมากนัก แต่การหามาตรการเร่งด่วนออกมาครั้งนี้นอกจากจะช่วยเตรียมรับฤดูกาลท่องเที่ยวที่กำลังจะมาถึง หากแผนการตลาดทุกอย่างที่ถูกหยิบนำมาใช้ช่วงโลว์ซีซันครั้งนี้จะกลายเป็นสูตรสำเร็จที่จะใช้ปฏิบัติในทุกๆปีอีกด้วย

การท่องเที่ยวแห่งประเทศไทยเพิ่งเสร็จสิ้นโครงการ อะเมซิ่งไทยแลนด์ ไปหมาดๆ ขณะที่ผู้ประกอบการท่องเที่ยวในเชียงใหม่พยายามใช้โครงการ "อะเมซิ่งเชียงใหม่ เจ้า"มาเป็นจุดขายในช่วงนอกฤดูกาลท่องเที่ยว โดยอาศัยเรื่องของ “ราคา”มาเป็นตัวชูโรงสร้างแพ็คเกจราคาเดียวทั้งจังหวัด

ซึ่งคาดว่าจะมีกลุ่มเป้าหมายนักท่องเที่ยวที่มาจากกรุงเทพฯและปริมณฑล 60% ขณะที่จากภูมิภาคอื่นๆอีกร้อยละ 30 และนักท่องเที่ยวต่างประเทศประมาณ 10% ซึ่งมีอัตราเฉลี่ยนักท่องเที่ยวเข้าเชียงใหม่ประมาณกว่า 1.2 ล้านคน และใช้ระยะเวลาพำนักเฉลี่ย 2 วัน ประมาณการรายได้ไม่ต่ำกว่า 1.2 พันล้านบาททีเดียว นอกจากนี้สมาชิกของสมาคมธุรกิจท่องเที่ยวเชียงใหม่กว่า 218 ราย แยกเป็นบริษัททัวร์ 74 ราย โรงแรม 86 ราย รถเช่า สปา กอล์ฟ ร้านอาหาร แหล่งท่องเที่ยว 58 ราย จะได้อาณิสงค์นี้ไปเต็มๆ

ขณะที่สายการบินก็โดดเข้ามาร่วมวงไพบูลย์ด้วยเช่นกัน อาทิ สายการบินบางกอก แอร์เวย์ส ที่เสนอรายการซื้อตั๋ว 1 ใบแถม 1 ใบ สามารถเปลี่ยนเที่ยวบิน และเปลี่ยนผู้เดินทางได้ หรือโครงการเดอะ พีค ที่ปีนเขาจำลองขายบัตร 1 ใบแถม 1 ใบ และโครงการเชียงใหม่ไนท์ซาฟารี ที่ลดราคาให้กับนักท่องเที่ยวต่างชาติจาก 500 บาทเหลือ 300 บาท และคนไทยลดเหลือ 150 บาท เพื่อเป็นการหาทางออกแก้ปัญหาความซบเซาที่จะเป็นอุปสรรคต่อการขยายตัวทางธุรกิจท่องเที่ยวในเชียงใหม่

ปัจจุบันข้อมูลตัวเลขธุรกิจท่องเที่ยวในเชียงใหม่ที่มีการสำรวจโดยการท่องเที่ยวแห่งประเทศไทย(ททท.) กลับไม่สอดคล้องกับสมาคมธุรกิจท่องเที่ยวเชียงใหม่ ที่เคยระบุว่ามีห้องพักแรมในเชียงใหม่ 1.4 หมื่นห้อง ขณะที่สมาคมฯสำรวจพบว่ามีสูงถึง 2.5 หมื่นห้อง ส่งผลให้ต้องมีการของบสนับสนุนจากหน่วยงานภาครัฐ แต่ก็ไม่ได้รับการสนับสนุนแต่อย่างใด หรือแม้แต่การให้หน่วยงานที่เกี่ยวข้องกับการท่องเที่ยวฯช่วยประชาสัมพันธ์ให้นักท่องเที่ยวทราบถึงข้อเท็จจริงในจังหวัดเชียงใหม่ก็ยังไม่ได้รับความร่วมมือแต่อย่างใด และหากยังไม่มีความเคลื่อนไหวใดๆออกมาเชื่อได้ว่าธุรกิจท่องเที่ยวในจังหวัดเชียงใหม่น่าจะถูกผลกระทบรุนแรงที่สุดในรอบหลายสิบปี

การออกมาจัดแพ็คเกจส่งเสริมการขายของผู้ประกอบการท่องเที่ยวเชียงใหม่ครั้งนี้ ใช่ว่าจะเป็นเพียงการแก้ไขสถานการณ์เฉพาะหน้าอย่างเดียวเท่านั้น หากแต่ถ้าแผนการตลาดประสบความสำเร็จก็จะใช้เป็นโครงการที่จัดขึ้นเป็นประจำทุกปีก่อนที่ฤดูกาลท่องเที่ยวจะมาถึง และถ้าหน่วยงานภาครัฐที่เกี่ยวข้องให้การสนับสนุนด้วยก็จะช่วยเร่งให้ท่องเที่ยวเชียงใหม่ฟื้นตัวได้เร็ว...กว่าที่เป็นอยู่ในปัจจุบัน

From manager.co.th 24 May

Sorry no Eng, I was emailed this about Chiang Mai, presuming the south is the same it is painting a pretty grim picture.

There is a bit in the middle about TAT statistics not being at all correct. Now there's a surprise.

[ThaiGoon]

ปัจจุบันข้อมูลตัวเลขธุรกิจท่องเที่ยวในเชียงใหม่ที่มีการสำรวจโดยการท่องเที่ยวแห่งประเทศไทย(ททท.) กลับไม่สอดคล้องกับสมาคมธุรกิจท่องเที่ยวเชียงใหม่ ที่เคยระบุว่ามีห้องพักแรมในเชียงใหม่ 1.4 หมื่นห้อง ขณะที่สมาคมฯสำรวจพบว่ามีสูงถึง 2.5 หมื่นห้อง ส่งผลให้ต้องมีการของบสนับสนุนจากหน่วยงานภาครัฐ แต่ก็ไม่ได้รับการสนับสนุนแต่อย่างใด หรือแม้แต่การให้หน่วยงานที่เกี่ยวข้องกับการท่องเที่ยวฯช่วยประชาสัมพันธ์ให้นักท่องเที่ยวทราบถึงข้อเท็จจริงในจังหวัดเชียงใหม่ก็ยังไม่ได้รับความร่วมมือแต่อย่างใด และหากยังไม่มีความเคลื่อนไหวใดๆออกมาเชื่อได้ว่าธุรกิจท่องเที่ยวในจังหวัดเชียงใหม่น่าจะถูกผลกระทบรุนแรงที่สุดในรอบหลายสิบปี

From manager.co.th 24 May

Sorry no Eng, I was emailed this about Chiang Mai, presuming the south is the same it is painting a pretty grim picture.

There is a bit in the middle about TAT statistics not being at all correct. Now there's a surprise.

It's the number of hotel rooms in Chiang Mai that TAT got wrong. I don't see any suggestion that the number of tourist arrivals by TAT has been inaccurate.

Edited May 28, 2007 by ThaiGoon

[southwest19]

Does anyone actually know how TAT compile their figures? I stated in a previous post that I had made 5 trips this year in and out of Thailand do I count as 1 or 5. The fact that I live here I am not really a tourist anyway i.e. I do not stay in a hotel or hire a car or jet ski. If they are simply counting the airport arrival cards then their numbers are about as accurate as the ones we used to get from the former Iraqi Information Minister!

[LaoPo]

Does anyone actually know how TAT compile their figures? I stated in a previous post that I had made 5 trips this year in and out of Thailand do I count as 1 or 5. The fact that I live here I am not really a tourist anyway i.e. I do not stay in a hotel or hire a car or jet ski. If they are simply counting the airport arrival cards then their numbers are about as accurate as the ones we used to get from the former Iraqi Information Minister!

You will be accounted for as 5 tourists, not 1.

It is highly unlikely that TAT check the names on the arrival cards and compare them with your previous arrivals and say: "Hey, this guy did 5 trips this year so we count him as 1 tourist...."

I travelled in and out of LOS through many years as well during any particular year like many other travellers.

Therefore TAT numbers have to be taken with a grain of salt.

LaoPo

[naomisri]

cmsally, I've been looking for packages for my brother for this year. My Mum is coming and she will be staying in her house over here so she suggested my brother find something in Chaweng with a pool so that we would have another base on the island and get to swim too. I've been looking for packages on Samui - found tons of great deals for Phuket, but nothing that would save you any money for Samui. We're not typical "package" kind of people, tend to make our own arrangements usually, but we thought if he got accommodation and flights for practially the same price as the airfare alone then it might be worth it.

[highdiver]

Does anyone actually know how TAT compile their figures? I stated in a previous post that I had made 5 trips this year in and out of Thailand do I count as 1 or 5. The fact that I live here I am not really a tourist anyway i.e. I do not stay in a hotel or hire a car or jet ski. If they are simply counting the airport arrival cards then their numbers are about as accurate as the ones we used to get from the former Iraqi Information Minister!

You will be accounted for as 5 tourists, not 1.

It is highly unlikely that TAT check the names on the arrival cards and compare them with your previous arrivals and say: "Hey, this guy did 5 trips this year so we count him as 1 tourist...."

I travelled in and out of LOS through many years as well during any particular year like many other travellers.

Therefore TAT numbers have to be taken with a grain of salt.

LaoPo

TAT counts every tourist entrance. if you come 5 times youre counted as 5 times.

this is very important as TAT allso measures the amount of returning tourists.

a tourist that returns 5 times is great for whatever reson.

[Rooo]

The Phuket package theme has been in place for years.This is how I discovered Phuket at the time, through Royal Orchid holidays.

Now you have to bear in mind , that most packages on offer are initiated through Thai Airways & their Royal Orchid holidays.

Thai has combined international , local & great packages,which IMHO have greatly benefited Phuket & other areas where they fly to within Thailand.

International wholesalers also tend to push Phuket,due to the very attractive rates they can procure.

So someone maybe, should give The Head of Samui Tourist Association a wake up call & bring him into the 21ST century.

You know you read in all the local papers, what they are going to do & patting each other on the back.

Read some of the conflicting interviews he has had regarding Bangkok Air & see how quick he dances to the tune.

Low season happens every year,to attract tourists here , regardless of high or low seasons , you have to give them a REASON to come & VALUE for money.

Every member of the hotel association should get with Bangkok Air & try to work out a reasonable solution,BUT Bangkok Air wants to attract HIGH END CUSTOMERS.

So you can draw your own conclusions & I think pigs might fly.

[LaoPo]

TAT counts every tourist entrance. if you come 5 times youre counted as 5 times.

this is very important as TAT allso measures the amount of returning tourists.

a tourist that returns 5 times is great for whatever reason.

TAT's reason is a larger 'allowance' from the Ministry of Tourism and maybe higher salaries for the Management....telling the Ministry how good a job they did...

LaoPo

[southwest19]

Does anyone actually know how TAT compile their figures? I stated in a previous post that I had made 5 trips this year in and out of Thailand do I count as 1 or 5. The fact that I live here I am not really a tourist anyway i.e. I do not stay in a hotel or hire a car or jet ski. If they are simply counting the airport arrival cards then their numbers are about as accurate as the ones we used to get from the former Iraqi Information Minister!

You will be accounted for as 5 tourists, not 1.

It is highly unlikely that TAT check the names on the arrival cards and compare them with your previous arrivals and say: "Hey, this guy did 5 trips this year so we count him as 1 tourist...."

I travelled in and out of LOS through many years as well during any particular year like many other travellers.

Therefore TAT numbers have to be taken with a grain of salt.

LaoPo

TAT counts every tourist entrance. if you come 5 times youre counted as 5 times.

this is very important as TAT allso measures the amount of returning tourists.

a tourist that returns 5 times is great for whatever reson.

I agree that if a tourist come to Thailand on holiday 5 times they should be counted 5 times my point was though that they have counted me 5 times and I think as I live here though be it on a non-immigrant visa it is totally incorrect to include me in any tourist statistics.

I live in my own house, drive my own car, never rent a jet ski etc so it is totally misleading to class me as a tourist as I am not using the same services as your average tourist here for 2 weeks on holiday.

There are more foreigners living in Thailand then probably ever before and many of my friends who live here are also making many trips a year abroad even if its just a weekend break to Penang or Singapore so if the TAT are counting all these people as just returning tourists on holiday then their figures are not worth the paper they are written on.

Lastly forgive me for being a little cynical but does anyone really believe the TAT would actually admit to a drop in tourist numbers even if it was the case?

[ThaiGoon]

Lastly forgive me for being a little cynical but does anyone really believe the TAT would actually admit to a drop in tourist numbers even if it was the case?

They did report a sizable drop in tourist numbers after the Tsunamis.

[womble]

Lastly forgive me for being a little cynical but does anyone really believe the TAT would actually admit to a drop in tourist numbers even if it was the case?

They did report a sizable drop in tourist numbers after the Tsunamis.

Ofcourse they did as they could use this as an excuse for increased budget to get the tourists back!!!

And look at all the rubbish they blew it on!

[cmsally]

I think it would be very interesting to find out how the statistics are done. By counting arrival cards they must be depending on immigration to give them the numbers.

But TAT also sends out monthly statistic reports for hotels, resorts, guesthouses to fill in. A friend of mine gets them and she bins them every time.

You have to fill in numbers of each nationality and work out percentages and do some horrifically complicated calculations and send them the results.

As she said if she gave it to her staff they would definitely bin it and she doesn't have time to spend at least a couple of hours to fill this out so she has never sent any back and she doesn't know of anyone who has. She still gets one every month and religiously trashes it and has never received a query as to why she hasn't sent it!

So if they don't even know the number of hotels how can they possibly know how many tourists. Where do they get their data?