Thailand bets on Diwali season & Indians to boost its tourism

[webfact]

Visitors at Bangsaen Beach in Chonburi, Thailand | Bloomberg File Photo

 

PRIM CHUWIRUCH 

 

With outbound Chinese travel not expected to resume anytime soon, Thailand is betting on travellers from other countries to take advantage of its relaxed rules for tourists

 

Bangkok: Thailand is looking to attract Indian travelers during the traditional holiday season to boost its tourism-reliant economy that’s been hit hard by the absence of mass holidaymakers from countries including China.

 

The Thai tourism industry expects Indians to resume travel in large numbers next month during Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights, said Somsong Sachaphimukh, vice president of the Thai Tourism Council. That should help spark a tourism revival as it coincides with the planned waiver of quarantine for vaccinated visitors from Nov. 1, she said.

 

With the outbound Chinese travel not expected to resume anytime soon, Thailand is betting on travelers from other origins to take advantage of its relaxed rules for tourists. Indians, who made up the third-largest group of visitors to Thailand before the pandemic, may head again to Thai beaches for holidays, conferences and destination weddings, Somsong said.

 

“If Thailand plans to reopen the country and many of our tourism hubs in November, this year’s Diwali may be a great opportunity,” Somsong told an online briefing on Tuesday. “Indian travelers have a lot of spending power and a lot of potential.”

 

Full story: https://theprint.in/economy/thailand-bets-on-diwali-season-indians-to-boost-its-tourism/742018/

 

-- © Copyright The Print 2021-09-29

 

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[RichardColeman]

 

5 minutes ago, webfact said:

“If Thailand plans to reopen the country and many of our tourism hubs in November, this year’s Diwali may be a great opportunity,”

Important word there is 'IF', and nobody - not even Indians - are booking flights and hotels on 'ifs' , 'maybes' and 'mights' 

[Gold Star]

Someday, someone is going to clue in on the idea that perhaps they should focus on the foreigners that are living here already to stimulate the domestic tourism market instead of dreaming up schemes to attract this group or another from other lands. We would love to go places but don't want to put up with the hassles, so we are kept waiting.

  

Treat us as the local residents that we are, and give us a reason to go somewhere. We want places that are open without curfews or jail time, to have a drink with meals or a beer on the beach, see some national parks that are open, no covid testing requirements every few days, easy convenient flights between provinces without provincial quarantine so we can get around, and drop the useless 90 day reporting once and for all.

 

Did I miss something?

[Crossy]

38 minutes ago, Gold Star said:

Did I miss something?

 

Dual pricing?

 

Agree 100%.

 

[klauskunkel]

Quote

Thailand bets on Diwali season & Indians

Gambling is illegal

[RotBenz8888]

1 hour ago, Gold Star said:

Did I miss something?

Reality 

[vandeventer]

2 hours ago, RichardColeman said:

 

Important word there is 'IF', and nobody - not even Indians - are booking flights and hotels on 'ifs' , 'maybes' and 'mights' 

If, Maybe, Perhaps, should be, Chances are, Possible, Wait and see, Might happen, You can take that to the bank. We seem to hear all these sayings and more, but only when it comes to Tourism or Vaccines.

[ryane66]

16.8% fully vaccinated. Good pick, good bet.

Edited September 28, 2021 by ryane66

[hotchilli]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

Bangkok: Thailand is looking to attract Indian travelers during the traditional holiday season to boost its tourism-reliant economy that’s been hit hard by the absence of mass holidaymakers from countries including China.

Not again please.

[hotchilli]

2 hours ago, Gold Star said:

Someday, someone is going to clue in on the idea that perhaps they should focus on the foreigners that are living here already to stimulate the domestic tourism market instead of dreaming up schemes to attract this group or another from other lands. We would love to go places but don't want to put up with the hassles, so we are kept waiting.

  

Treat us as the local residents that we are, and give us a reason to go somewhere. We want places that are open without curfews or jail time, to have a drink with meals or a beer on the beach, see some national parks that are open, no covid testing requirements every few days, easy convenient flights between provinces without provincial quarantine so we can get around, and drop the useless 90 day reporting once and for all.

 

Did I miss something?

Getting fully vaccinated to do all the above?

[Keesters]

2 hours ago, Gold Star said:

Someday, someone is going to clue in on the idea that perhaps they should focus on the foreigners that are living here already to stimulate the domestic tourism market instead of dreaming up schemes to attract this group or another from other lands. We would love to go places but don't want to put up with the hassles, so we are kept waiting.

  

Treat us as the local residents that we are, and give us a reason to go somewhere. We want places that are open without curfews or jail time, to have a drink with meals or a beer on the beach, see some national parks that are open, no covid testing requirements every few days, easy convenient flights between provinces without provincial quarantine so we can get around, and drop the useless 90 day reporting once and for all.

 

Did I miss something?

A bird in the land is worth two overseas. 

[spermwhale]

The naivety of Thailand's government never ceases to amaze me. It's like 3rd graders are running the show. None of the people responsible for the borders and tourism have any experience in the field. They fly by the seat of their pants. 

 

[Paul Henry]

India currently has an AIR BUBBLE with 18 countries to allow Indians to travel overseas. Thailand IS NOT one of the countries listed. So how does the Thai Government get the idea tourists will come from India. Another half baked idea full of dreams and self promotion.

[zzaa09]

1 minute ago, spermwhale said:

The naivety of Thailand's government never ceases to amaze me. It's like 3rd graders are running the show. None of the people responsible for the borders and tourism have any experience in the field. They fly by the seat of their pants. 

 

Rather reflective as to how the oversaw and mismanaged the Covid Era.

[KhaoYai]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

The Thai tourism industry expects Indians to resume travel in large numbers next month during Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights, said Somsong Sachaphimukh, vice president of the Thai Tourism Council.

What, no mention of how many billion baht they will be spending?  Oh I see, this is the TTC not the TAT.

 

Edit:  Almost, I missed this on the first read.

 

3 hours ago, webfact said:

“Indian travelers have a lot of spending power and a lot of potential.”

Edited September 29, 2021 by KhaoYai

[DPKANKAN]

2 hours ago, klauskunkel said:

Gambling is illegal

And the bar girls are 'wetting' themselves in anticipation!!!! 5555????????????????

[Oxx]

8 minutes ago, DPKANKAN said:

And the bar girls are 'wetting' themselves in anticipation!!!! 5555????????????????

The article is about Diwali, not Songkran, so they should be powdering themselves.

[smedly]

Phuket started reporting bookings as room nights rather than actual tourists in order to make the numbers look bigger - 

 

- 10 tourists staying for 2 weeks was 140 room nights

 

The indian numbers will look slightly different

 

- 10 Indian tourists staying 2 weeks will be 14-28 room nights, they like to share lol

[Orinoco]

42 minutes ago, spermwhale said:

The naivety of Thailand's government never ceases to amaze me. It's like 3rd graders are running the show. None of the people responsible for the borders and tourism have any experience in the field. They fly by the seat of their pants. 

 

Please stop insulting the intelligence of 3 grade students.

 

 

 

[Blumpie]

Indeed the Chinese will NOT be coming anytime soon.

May as well go for it - nobody else will come.  Indians will be desperate to leave that covid filled land.  

[10baht]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

Thailand is betting on travellers from other countries to take advantage of its relaxed rules for tourists

What? The only relaxed rule that will make a diff is eliminating the COE.

[10baht]

13 minutes ago, smedly said:

10 Indian tourists staying 2 weeks will be 14-28 room nights, they like to share lol

Same same for Chinese IF they can ever escape from Chinaville

[thailand49]

Just yesterday it was the Indians and Russians today?  what is it with the leaders who really gives a rat butt who comes as long as they come in legally and follow the rules of their stay. All this money being spent to attract a particularly group it is just senseless and a waste of time and money.  ????

[Seeall]

4 hours ago, Gold Star said:

Someday, someone is going to clue in on the idea that perhaps they should focus on the foreigners that are living here already to stimulate the domestic tourism market instead of dreaming up schemes to attract this group or another from other lands. We would love to go places but don't want to put up with the hassles, so we are kept waiting.

  

Treat us as the local residents that we are, and give us a reason to go somewhere. We want places that are open without curfews or jail time, to have a drink with meals or a beer on the beach, see some national parks that are open, no covid testing requirements every few days, easy convenient flights between provinces without provincial quarantine so we can get around, and drop the useless 90 day reporting once and for all.

 

Did I miss something?

u DIRTY FARANG, ITS ALL YOUR FAUL;T!

[Hayduke]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

Bangkok: Thailand is looking to attract Indian travelers during the traditional holiday season to boost its tourism-reliant economy that’s been hit hard by the absence of mass holidaymakers

 

Yes, that’s the ticket….all Thailand needs is more ‘mass holidaymakers’. It's all so simple, why didn’t anyone think of this before?

 

 

 

Edited September 29, 2021 by Hayduke

[vandeventer]

33 minutes ago, smedly said:

Phuket started reporting bookings as room nights rather than actual tourists in order to make the numbers look bigger - 

 

- 10 tourists staying for 2 weeks was 140 room nights

 

The indian numbers will look slightly different

 

- 10 Indian tourists staying 2 weeks will be 14-28 room nights, they like to share lol

Is that with or without a girl?

[Zack61]

3 hours ago, klauskunkel said:

Gambling is illegal

Must have made the announcement from across the border,

[Guderian]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

Thailand is betting on travellers from other countries to take advantage of its relaxed rules for tourists

Lol, that just doesn't come across right, it makes it sound as if the rules are so relaxed that anyone can just hop, skip and jump into the country without a thought or a care! I assume what the writer really means is that the entry rules have been relaxed slightly, from their former draconian level to merely punitive. And do they really expect the Indians to be a lot happier about the wretched CoE, multiple expensive PCR tests, as well as $100K Covid medical insurance, than Western tourists are?

[mjakob007]

1 hour ago, Blumpie said:

Indeed the Chinese will NOT be coming anytime soon.

May as well go for it - nobody else will come.  Indians will be desperate to leave that covid filled land.  

its September now.

you seem to be reading news from 6 months back!

[mjakob007]

1 hour ago, 10baht said:

Same same for Chinese IF they can ever escape from Chinaville

doesnt really matter, does it?

2 or even 3 in a room would be welcome, when hotel occupancy is in single digits..