File photo: REUTERS

 

Thailand will not see leisure travellers visiting in any significant numbers until next year, a leading figure in the tourism industry has predicted.

 

Despite Thailand having now reopened to vaccinated foreign tourists, it may be some time before the country sees an influx of leisure travellers or vacationers.

 

According to Suthiphong Pheunphiphop, president of the Thai Travel Agents Association (TTAA), Thailand’s leisure tourism sector will pick up only when it becomes easier for people to travel globally and quarantine and other measures which tourists consider a hassle were no longer required.

 

Meanwhile, Sasithorn Kittidhrakul, president of the Krabi Tourism Association said tourists are unlikely to commit to holidays while mandatory quarantine is still in place upon return to their home country, which is currently still a requirement for Chinese nationals returning home.

 

The news comes as Thailand on Monday revealed that over 20,000 tourists had entered since it reopened on Nov 1. 

 

By comparison, over 100,000 tourists per day visited Thailand pre-pandemic. 

 

And while the arrival of tourists since Nov 1 had seen a slight rise in hotel occupancy rates in some areas, the average occupancy rate at hotels throughout Thailand remains at 23.5%, up from 15.5% in September, according to a survey conducted jointly by Thai Hotels Association (THA), said that the Thai Hotels Association and the Bank of Thailand.

 

The survey also found that approximately 33% of hotels throughout the country remain closed, with owners reporting that the low demand is not enough to cover operating costs on utilities and staff salaries.

 

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Until there are no entry requirements and all entertainment is open, there will be no (or few) tourists.

No medical tests.

No documents (beyond a passport).

No insurance.

No forced bookings in special hotels.

No restrictions on tourist activities (free to drink alcohol with friends round your pool, etc.)

Restaurants, bars and nightclubs all open and selling alcohol.

Got two mates booked in for the second week in April......so things are looking up for Thailand.

They should give a bite of the reality-cake to the clowns-in-charge at TAT

Looking at some expat Facebook groups, some already came and are already looking for advice about their stunning new 29 year old fully tattooed virgin.

 

That 29yo also turned out to be a ladyboy. I wish I was joking. The post was quickly removed after some of his new found love pictures were posted. 

 

Oh they will come in droves. The power of ????

They are shooting themselves on the foot with all these requirements..

The OP is a the voice of reason, the goverment needs to listen.

There is another thread just started. 

"Koh Samui has welcomed 366 since reopening, zero have tested positive for COVID19"

I also read some place that they only had 6 cases of imported covid in BKK. 

They need to vaccinate their people , and stop distracting from the real issue with all of these turism regulations.

  Greece . a country of 10 million, opened up this summer  to vaccinated tourism, and required only a negative test, In the there month summer season they had 7 million tourists. and very little imported covid by tourists. 

34 minutes ago, webfact said:

Thailand will not see leisure travellers visiting in any significant numbers until next year, a leading figure in the tourism industry has predicted.

No duh Sherlock.  The man should be given a Pulitzer for hos writing

21 minutes ago, Pravda said:

Looking at some expat Facebook groups, some already came and are already looking for advice about their stunning new 29 year old fully tattooed virgin.

 

That 29yo also turned out to be a ladyboy. I wish I was joking. The post was quickly removed after some of his new found love pictures were posted. 

 

Oh they will come in droves. The power of ????

I noticed over the last couple of weeks some LB's around treetown in Pattaya getting very angry loud and rude (more so than usual), I think the reason is they are being generally ignored by farangs and getting no business - I've actually heard them say as much in Thai as they hang around the area talking, they are now resorting to throwing insults at people which won't do anything to improve their situation 

Just now, smedly said:

I noticed over the last couple of weeks some LB's around treetown in Pattaya getting very angry loud and rude (more so than usual), I think the reason is they are being generally ignored by farangs and getting no business - I've actually heard them say as much in Thai as they hang around the area talking, they are now resorting to throwing insults at people which won't do anything to improve their situation 

 

 

Last week I witnessed a German guy and a LB 'toe to toe' near the old Dre bar.

1 minute ago, smedly said:

I noticed over the last couple of weeks some LB's around treetown in Pattaya getting very angry loud and rude (more so than usual), I think the reason is they are being generally ignored by farangs and getting no business - I've actually heard them say as much in Thai as they hang around the area talking, they are now resorting to throwing insults at people which won't do anything to improve their situation 

That could sound quite appealing to certain sections of the expat community......555

"Everything is under control" - That's what they said - believe it.

 

What's happening now is happening because that's what they want to happen.

 

They're not stupid, they have applied multiple constraints into the system because they don't want mass tourism to return right now.

 

I'm seeing all the signs that the massive winter 2021/22 onslaught of COVID is about to really kick off in most of Europe - when that happens I sepect them to scale back tourism again.

 

53 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

Until there are no entry requirements and all entertainment is open, there will be no (or few) tourists.

No medical tests.

No documents (beyond a passport).

No insurance.

No forced bookings in special hotels.

No restrictions on tourist activities (free to drink alcohol with friends round your pool, etc.)

Restaurants, bars and nightclubs all open and selling alcohol.

Indeed. Thing is though BritMan, they automatically think people will come in droves despite the major hassles and everything being closed, because it’s Thailand and the whole world loves it right. Total delusion. World has changed, prices up wholesale and most don’t want to travel even without restrictions. Thailand will have to do A LOT to woo anywhere near previous figures post pandemic panic. 

1 hour ago, webfact said:

while mandatory quarantine is still in place upon return to their home country,

That is for sure, but there are quite a few countries not imposing quarantine upon return whose vaccinated Nationals will not come because of the quarantine and the administrative difficulties they would have to go through to set foot in Thailand

 

1 hour ago, webfact said:

since Nov 1 had seen a slight rise in hotel occupancy rates in some areas,

Well, that does include the mandatory hotel quarantine for vaccinated people who would, otherwise, choose to stay at their Thai homes.

I usually visit at Christmas but not this year. Too many hassles and no entertainment available so I can't be bothered. It shouldn't be difficult to find someplace else 

Maybe the gov't can get their Thailand Pass sorted by then.

no bars no booze no, bless their cotton panty, entertainment ....why would you bother coming to Thailand?

49 minutes ago, daveAustin said:

Indeed. Thing is though BritMan, they automatically think people will come in droves despite the major hassles and everything being closed, because it’s Thailand and the whole world loves it right. Total delusion. World has changed, prices up wholesale and most don’t want to travel even without restrictions. Thailand will have to do A LOT to woo anywhere near previous figures post pandemic panic. 

I dont think prices have increased

Whats  happened is the value of your counties currency has decreaced making Thai goods look expensive, but there not.

28 minutes ago, wombat said:

no bars no booze no, bless their cotton panty, entertainment ....why would you bother coming to Thailand?

Thats only a small excuse I don't come to Thailand for the beer .

20000 "tourists" since 1 November.

NO not at all. 20k entries. From which mass are Thai returning finally or viditing family. 

The rest over 90% expats who have family here or property. 

Tourists close to ZERO 

2 hours ago, webfact said:

Thailand will not see leisure travellers visiting in any significant numbers until next year Thai Pass removed,

There, corrected

53 minutes ago, gp2002 said:

I usually visit at Christmas but not this year. Too many hassles and no entertainment available so I can't be bothered. It shouldn't be difficult to find someplace else 

Northern Finland is nice during Christmas.

1 hour ago, smedly said:

I noticed over the last couple of weeks some LB's around treetown in Pattaya getting very angry loud and rude (more so than usual), I think the reason is they are being generally ignored by farangs and getting no business - I've actually heard them say as much in Thai as they hang around the area talking, they are now resorting to throwing insults at people which won't do anything to improve their situation 

Perhaps they should hang around near gyms instead!

"Tourists will not be coming in any numbers till next year ! " What a brave statement to make in November !!

1 hour ago, daveAustin said:

Thing is though BritMan, they automatically think people will come in droves despite the major hassles and everything being closed, because it’s Thailand and the whole world loves it right. Total delusion.

The delusion lies with those that think politicians ever say what they mean.

Tourism will never be the same again, but something has to be said, and the chances of it reflecting what they expect is very slim.

No smart traveler will come here while the policy of hospitalizing someone for 2 weeks after a positive test exists. Even with insurance, the problem is lost holiday time. 

24 minutes ago, PoorSucker said:

Northern Finland is nice during Christmas.

That's when the mosquitoes take time off to celebrate the holidays.

hang on   !!    wasn't it suppose to be 30,000  a day coming .....   LOL

bs .....  bs .....  bla bla bla

People who wish to holiday want open hotels, resorts, restaurants, ferries, day trips, bars, restaurants, nightclubs, shows, island hoping, massages, and the list goes on . . at present there is very little open from reports so what are holiday makers suppose to do on their holidays. . plus from reading on here it sounds like a big hassle to get the approvals and quarantine hotels and all the red tape.  

Finally, a sense of realism sets in.

 

A regular tourist without any special connection to Thailand simply won't be motivated enough to go through the Thailand Pass process and pay extra money for Covid tests etc.

 

There's a reason why Thailand introduced visa exempt and visa on arrival in the past - anything that needs to be done before the trip, including applying for a tourist visa, is off-putting to many if not most potential visitors. The Thailand Pass is arguably even worse.