COVID: Will European tourists return to Southeast Asia?

[hottrader77]

4 hours ago, ftpjtm said:

ANSWER - Not until quarantine and insurance restrictions for vaccined tourists are scrapped, curfews are ended, and nightlife is re-opened. 

 

Meanwhile the army in charge of land of smile , is scratching its head as no wealthy tourists arrive , good bye I go to Philippines 

[dunroaming]

32 minutes ago, StayinThailand2much said:

At least they bring € and £, not yuan...

But it all ends up as Baht in the end.

[Tonypandy]

Once european tourists start to come it will only take a little while for it to filter back that all the hassle required is not worth it. 

With most tourist business's boarded up, finished and places not looking so charming these days the numbers will soon dry up and back to a trickle. 

[CygnusX1]

1 hour ago, bananafish said:

There will be no normal tourism until the whole world is normal. That means no mask mandates anywhere, no vaccine requirements anywhere. Once everything is as it was in 2019, only then will tourism come back to normal. 

 

2023.

I’d agree with you except that vaccine status is going to be required for many years. The need to show proof of yellow fever vaccination doesn’t seem to have deterred people from visiting South America very much. I certainly won’t be going anywhere while I have to wear a face mask on a plane.

Your estimate of 2023 is exceedingly optimistic, I’d be delighted if it turns out to be correct!

[StayinThailand2much]

13 minutes ago, dunroaming said:

But it all ends up as Baht in the end.

If they travel to Thailand, yes.

 

But as foreign currency reserves, I'd think are € and £ a bit more useful than yuan.

[ChipButty]

5 minutes ago, CygnusX1 said:

I’d agree with you except that vaccine status is going to be required for many years. The need to show proof of yellow fever vaccination doesn’t seem to have deterred people from visiting South America very much. I certainly won’t be going anywhere while I have to wear a face mask on a plane.

Your estimate of 2023 is exceedingly optimistic, I’d be delighted if it turns out to be correct!

Many African countries you need yellow fever vaccination didnt seem to put people off going same with India taking malaria tablets, 

[CygnusX1]

2 minutes ago, ChipButty said:

Many African countries you need yellow fever vaccination didnt seem to put people off going same with India taking malaria tablets,

And malaria tablets seem to have way more undesirable side effects than vaccines.

[dunroaming]

Thailand is still an easy call for most Europeans when it comes to vacations.  The more adventurous will head for other South east Asian destinations but anyone with younger kids may think twice about that.  If you go into any pub in the UK and say "Anyone here been to Thailand?" , at least 50% of the people will raise their hands.  It's a safe bet for most people who will put up with the long flights.

 

And Thailand has always been a good starting point for long haul travelers.  Cheap flights and a good infrastructure with  hotels coming in all budgets with different levels of comfort.  And of course tourists and travelers are not the same thing.  For a family with kids looking at their annual holiday, they will have different priorities to travelers looking for adventures.

[Dont confuse me]

2 hours ago, Cake Monster said:

All the Nations in S E Asia will be looking at the Tourism Industry.

Many will be picking up the pieces from Thailand,s demise in the Sector.

Nations such as Vietnam, Cambodia, Indonesia, and Malaysia are going to have increased Tourist numbers because Thailand has played a greed game, that now will bite them in the A55.

All the other Nations can offer more bang for the buck than Thailand, and also a better Vacation Experience.

As with Business,s, Covid has given many an opportunity, and time to stand back and do a reality check, and the results are going to surprise many for sure in the Tourism sectors of SE Asia.

Thailand playing a 'greed game'  my dear Sir surely your not suggesting Thai's being greedy?  

???? ???? 

[PoorSucker]

1 hour ago, fabruer said:

Am I missing something?

Guess westerners spend more money in the unofficial sector.

They can only make statistics on money that is taxed.

[tomyami]

Why u not send money to me this month? why u not take care?

Lot of of taps being switched off sure

 

[NeoDinosaw]

5 hours ago, BadSpottedDog said:

I'm sure Europeans might be 'butt hurt' with this article. Do they seriously believe this?
Quote: "Europeans 'just don't bring much money"

What  they mean is that Europeans do not stay in  up-market hotels so much because they are just like any other up-market hotel around the world.  So the super-rich Hi-Sos who own those hotels do not get as much money as they would like form these tourists. Many European travellers like medium rate (or even bucket-rate) hotels because they have more atmosphere and the people are more friendly and genuine.  The same goes for restaurants. I often used to go to the open-air restaurants on Phetburi road to eat Thai/Issan food washed down with Singha beer at 90 Baht for a BIG bottle !  Can't wait to get back to the old days.

[Uroller]

European tourists will not flock back to Thailand, especially the “New Thailand”! They have too many better options much closer at hand and much easier to travel to! There are many great countries that will welcome tourists without ridiculous entry requirements and limited drinking laws! Thailand seems to have put themselves on a pedestal thinking that tourists will jump through any and all hoops to go there! Wake up Thailand????

[AllanB]

No! After the way we have been treated us and continue to be blamed for the Pandemic, many will never return. I won't be back until things change dramatically, I won't be vaxxed becuase the Thai government tell me I must and I want reassurances that reforms have taken place and that they wont change their minds again and tell me I must leave.

 

Covid originated from China and now the chinese are the ones who are most welcomed in Thailand, go figure that one.

[NeoDinosaw]

5 hours ago, ThomasThBKK said:

 

Nice lie from them, here's the actual numbers from Thailands government website: https://www.mots.go.th/mots_en/more_news_new.php?cid=330&page=3

 

This is from 2018, so not old, but pre covid. 

 

If you look at Tourism receipt numbers in USD or THB you can clearly see that Europeans plus Americans spend more than even China in Thailand, and way way more than the whole of ASEAN combined. 

That is with FAR LESS people and thus causing far less infrastructure problems for Thailand. They also stay the most amount of time here with over 16 days on average. 

 

 

 

 

 

The data shows that a Million tourists from UK generate 2.200 Million US$    

a Million tourists from China generate  1.616 Million US$

This difference may be accounted for by the UK visitors staying longer

If I was the Generalissimo or his Deputy, I know which I would choose

but TIT

 

[johng]

5 hours ago, BadSpottedDog said:

Wow. Thanks for sharing. I knew that was the case. Why does Thailand have China envy? It's bizarre!

Because the "Hi-So"  owners of  the biggest businesses in Thailand are often Chinese/Thai

[multatuli]

I read inbthe Belgian papers: if you want sunshine and clarity, don't go to to SE Asia. Better: costa rica or mexico

[overherebc]

2 hours ago, StayinThailand2much said:

At least they bring € and £, not yuan...

Yawning will be well in fashion if you can't get a glass of wine when you go out for dinner.

Edited October 15, 2021 by overherebc

[Virt]

 

 

6 hours ago, BadSpottedDog said:

I'm sure Europeans might be 'butt hurt' with this article. Do they seriously believe this?
Quote: "Europeans 'just don't bring much money"

Would be interesting to see how much is considered enough pr day if we remove plane tickets and accommodation from the calculation.

 

How mucho dineros pr day for eating, drinking, tours and souvenir pr person is enough?

 

3k, 5k, 10k baht?

 

[Eric Loh]

5 hours ago, ThomasThBKK said:

 

Nice lie from them, here's the actual numbers from Thailands government website: https://www.mots.go.th/mots_en/more_news_new.php?cid=330&page=3

 

This is from 2018, so not old, but pre covid. 

 

If you look at Tourism receipt numbers in USD or THB you can clearly see that Europeans plus Americans spend more than even China in Thailand, and way way more than the whole of ASEAN combined. 

That is with FAR LESS people and thus causing far less infrastructure problems for Thailand. They also stay the most amount of time here with over 16 days on average. 

 

 

 

 

 

The European and Americans spend more because they stay longer in Thailand. They stay on average about twice as long than the Chinese and Asean tourists for a simple fact that they come from countries further away. Don’t make sense to stay a few days when you fly 12-16 hours; just not a rewarding experience. Chinese and ASEAN tourists prefer shorter stay as they are closer to Thailand and they have less holidays than the Europeans and Americans. 

[Jamusmcscramus]

4 hours ago, RichardColeman said:

double jabbed brits - 24th October. I imagine other countries to follow

Not U.K. England only 

[Millcx]

7 hours ago, BadSpottedDog said:

I'm sure Europeans might be 'butt hurt' with this article. Do they seriously believe this?
Quote: "Europeans 'just don't bring much money"

This is how much of a joke this circus employs … The Europeanssre a lifeline to them but they haven’t got a clue.. They bite the hands that feed them

[cheapcanuck]

2 hours ago, fabruer said:

Am I missing something? The spread sheet you posted shows exactly what the article say: per person spending of Europeans and Americans is less than East Asian/ASEAN. 

 

Most forum members (including me) won't like this, but from a business point of view it makes sense to chase customers that spend approx. 30% more per day per person in comparison.

But the same chats shows the length of stay for EU is 2.5 times longer. 7 days vs 17 days. So more money is being spent over the 17 days in Thailand vs the 7 days. 

[Mavideol]

https://www.dw.com/en/covid-will-european-tourists-return-to-southeast-asia/a-59489912

   "Europeans will always travel and will always be welcome — they just don't bring much money to the overall tourism income," he said.

 

if that is the case then WHY all SE Asia countries are doing anything and everything trying to to get them back

[The Hammer2021]

4 hours ago, bananafish said:

There will be no normal tourism until the whole world is normal. That means no mask mandates anywhere, no vaccine requirements anywhere. Once everything is as it was in 2019, only then will tourism come back to normal. 

 

2023.

No. 'Normality' can not be recouped or regained. You can not un ring the covid bell. In the context of 'Thailand Tourist Normality' it has gone forever, never to return. Freedom from worry, casual minor law breaking, freedom of choice, night life and entertainment, clubbing, partying...all gone.. and the poison dwarf and his unelected panjandrums glory in this loss of freedom and the concomitant total control of the hapless population it brings. Seried, joyless ranks of tour bus fodder from China is the future of Thai tourism.

[The Hammer2021]

4 minutes ago, Mavideol said:

https://www.dw.com/en/covid-will-european-tourists-return-to-southeast-asia/a-59489912

   "Europeans will always travel and will always be welcome — they just don't bring much money to the overall tourism income," he said.

 

if that is the case then WHY all SE Asia countries are doing anything and everything trying to to get them back

But they are not doing 'everything and anything' to get Europeans back. They have made alcohol illegal! Clubbing illegal and the head of  TAT has stated this is future policy. Currently in Pattaya for the minor transgression of drinking a beer in a pub the fine is THIRTY THOUSAND BAHT!!! That is how Europeans are currently being treated. 30,000 baht!

[Caldera]

Some will come, but many won't, until traveling to Thailand will be as easy and as much fun again as traveling elsewhere. It doesn't take an oracle to predict this.

[tomyami]

On the spending chinese style

In a good resturant in pratamnak 1 evening with my gf in walk 4 young chinese 2 couples they sat down took out 711 bag with 4 ready opened bottles of beer ask for a menu the thai treated like royalty they did order food but if we tried to do same would b fkuc out

 

[timendres]

5 hours ago, bananafish said:

There will be no normal tourism until the whole world is normal. That means no mask mandates anywhere, no vaccine requirements anywhere. Once everything is as it was in 2019, only then will tourism come back to normal. 

 

2023.

2023 is very optimistic.

In fact, I doubt tourist numbers will return to 2019 levels in my lifetime.

[tomyami]

going back to lanszarote next week all open aside from mask in shops, taxi and airport/plane