Tourist arrivals to Thailand surge in 2022 but still just a fraction of pre-COVID levels

[webfact]

Tourists in Thailand. File photo

 

By Online Reporter

 

Tourist arrivals to Thailand have surged during the first quarter of 2022 compared to the previous year, but still remain far below pre-COVID levels.

 

According to official data from the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), the kingdom welcomed 444,039 foreign tourists during the first quarter of 2022.

 

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This represented a 2,101 percent increase in arrivals compared to the same period a year earlier.

 

In terms of revenue, tourist arrivals in the first quarter of 2022 generated 34 billion baht, a 1,424 percent increase compared to the same period in 2021.

 

Full story: https://www.huahintoday.com/thailand-news/tourist-arrivals-to-thailand-surge-in-2022-but-still-just-a-fraction-of-pre-covid-levels/

 

-- © Copyright Hua Hin Today 2022-04-25

 

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[Fairynuff]

Has anyone told TAT they might have got their estimates wrong?

[sezze]

1st quarter was still far from OK , quite logic the numbers are not even close to before covid numbers . I think 3th quarter is the 1 to lookout for , since it should be low season , but with more easing of rules and many not traveled ( to Thailand) for +2y , i think it might just be a very good number there .

[cheapcanuck]

It's not rocket science. Get rid of the test n go, along with insurance and any other restrictions, then the numbers will increase.

[Isaan sailor]

Remember, quality trumps quantity.

[RandiRona]

I doubt they can go for precovid numbers if they continue to exert control with registration/tracking/approvals and scam Insurance. Situation can only improve if they open the doors like precovid and open tourist attractions.

[Spilornis]

No Chinese tourism, reduced Russian travel and a natural reluctance by many to avoid long distance air travel due to masks, higher fares, lack of flights etc means they have a way to go.

Need to pick a market and go for it.

The obvious one is young backpackers taking a year off studies. They're making decisions right now

[vandeventer]

16 minutes ago, Isaan sailor said:

Remember, quality trumps quantity.

What ever happen to their saying the sky will be black with so many tourist coming?

[law ling]

1. It's not clear how TAT defines "tourist" (as distinct from work visas, informal workers, digital nomads, retirees, family reunions, transit passengers, overnighting airline crew, etc.)

 

2. In the years before covid, so many were forced out by the restrictions placed on repeat-visas.

[TheFishman1]

Get rid of Thai Pass TIT

[bkk6060]

I guess the photo depicts the high end quality tourists they are seeking?

 

[ChrisY1]

Those 2 back packers are not on the 'desired tourist" lists......

12 minutes ago, TheFishman1 said:

Get rid of Thai Pass TIT

What's so bad about the pass....simple to apply for..no problems at all. It's the mandatory PCR, Insurance and hotel stay that is the bug!

[hotchilli]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

According to official data from the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), the kingdom welcomed 444,039 foreign tourists during the first quarter of 2022.

They have official data?

 

[FalangKino]

1 hour ago, cheapcanuck said:

It's not rocket science. Get rid of the test n go, along with insurance and any other restrictions, then the numbers will increase.

Thailand pass also

[Gottfrid]

Looking at the picture, they really attract the big spenders. Everything according to plan.

[RichardColeman]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

 

According to official data from the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), the kingdom welcomed 444,039 foreign tourists during the first quarter of 2022.

Now take out of that number the returning Thais and  us all returning to family and what is it ? From what I see on the beaches there is nobody. 5 of us went to the cinema last week - SF in Pattaya, we were the only 5 in the whole cinema !

[superal]

1 hour ago, ChrisY1 said:

Those 2 back packers are not on the 'desired tourist" lists......

What's so bad about the pass....simple to apply for..no problems at all. It's the mandatory PCR, Insurance and hotel stay that is the bug!

+ vaccination certs and passport copies all uploaded in the correct format , then wait for approval or rejection . Imagine the aggro if you are a family of say 4 . Most families would look at other countries. The PCR , only needed pre flight for non vaccinated tourists . SHA + hotel booking now not needed for vaccinated tourists , Non vaccinated tourists need to rethink their vaccine plans . I think only a matter of time that some airlines will insist on vaccinated flyers only to lessen the risk to their crews .

[Caldera]

That almost amounts to nothing. They probably spent most of that 34 billion baht to keep the TAT funded for those three months.

 

But I do believe that dropping the after arrival tests in May will lead to a significant uptick. No longer having to risk Covid Prison is a game changer. 

[newnative]

2 hours ago, Spilornis said:

No Chinese tourism, reduced Russian travel and a natural reluctance by many to avoid long distance air travel due to masks, higher fares, lack of flights etc means they have a way to go.

Need to pick a market and go for it.

The obvious one is young backpackers taking a year off studies. They're making decisions right now

    Young backpackers would be one of the last markets I would pick.  Maybe 15 years ago but not today, not with today's tourist infrastructure.   I would open the country with no requirements other than vaccination and target Asian countries.  That's where the big tourist numbers were in 2019--14 million tourists from Asian countries other than China.  They were coming then, they'll continue to come if it's made easy--especially after 2 years of no travel.

[superal]

16 minutes ago, newnative said:

    Young backpackers would be one of the last markets I would pick.  Maybe 15 years ago but not today, not with today's tourist infrastructure.   I would open the country with no requirements other than vaccination and target Asian countries.  That's where the big tourist numbers were in 2019--14 million tourists from Asian countries other than China.  They were coming then, they'll continue to come if it's made easy--especially after 2 years of no travel.

It is the western tourists who spend much more money that all of your Asian countries put together . Even the Chinese come on pre-arranged all inclusive holidays / tours and stay at Chinese owned hotels and go touring on Chinese owned fleets of coaches .

[poskat]

3 hours ago, vandeventer said:

What ever happen to their saying the sky will be black with so many tourist coming?

that's racist

[crazykopite]

It’s very simple put a stop to all these money making restrictions then and only then will you see an increase in foreign visitors and allow the the so called restaurants return as bars come midnight the shutters come down but we end up with a lock in so we can enjoy ourselves for a few hours more and the police turning a blind eye as no doubt brown envelopes are a plenty .

[Brickbat]

Tourism spreads havoc and infectious viruses. And we all know Thailand is a haven for horny men 

[NoshowJones]

4 hours ago, law ling said:

1. It's not clear how TAT defines "tourist" (as distinct from work visas, informal workers, digital nomads, retirees, family reunions, transit passengers, overnighting airline crew, etc.)

 

2. so many were forced out by the restrictions placed on repeat-ed visas.before covid,  

 "so many were forced out by the restrictions placed on repeat-ed visas. before covid,"  That's the soldiers for you. no brains, little education, very low intelligence, and as the average Thai IQ says, also very low.

[Mavideol]

4 hours ago, Spilornis said:

No Chinese tourism, reduced Russian travel and a natural reluctance by many to avoid long distance air travel due to masks, higher fares, lack of flights etc means they have a way to go.

Need to pick a market and go for it.

The obvious one is young backpackers taking a year off studies. They're making decisions right now

nearby rich Indians are the best option....  but they already did and none came  555

[Andrew65]

4 hours ago, law ling said:

1. It's not clear how TAT defines "tourist" (as distinct from work visas, informal workers, digital nomads, retirees, family reunions, transit passengers, overnighting airline crew, etc.)

 

2. In the years before covid, so many were forced out by the restrictions placed on repeat-visas.

Three of my friends who lived in Thailand now live in Cambodia.

[LoudHailer]

GREECE is grateful as tourists flock back. Hotels are full, archaeological sites are heaving, shopkeepers are smiling and good luck if you want a table at a decent restaurant. 

 

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/apr/24/all-omens-look-positive-greece-grateful-tourists-flock-back

 

ATHENS IS ALIVE TO THE SOUND OF TOURISTS. "These past few weeks have been something else!" 

 

When asked, tourists say they want 'risk averse' travel. They check things out at a desired destination, make last minute decisions and GO. Choose, book, pay, fly and arrive free of bureaucracy and rules. Everybody is ready and wants to travel! 

[slappy]

Do you need insurance???, if you go back to your home country then return. If you are married to a government officer?

[DefaultName]

We, who have lived through this, see the restrictions as lifting.  Potential tourists however, see "Thailand Pass", "Tests", "Quarantine", and just think "Heck No!".

 

Easing is good, but won't bring back tourists in the numbers needed, only complete removal will do that.

[newnative]

1 hour ago, superal said:

It is the western tourists who spend much more money that all of your Asian countries put together . Even the Chinese come on pre-arranged all inclusive holidays / tours and stay at Chinese owned hotels and go touring on Chinese owned fleets of coaches .

     Any hard statistics to back up your claim?  I can't find any.  What I found was statistics showing that a typical western tourist spent more money than a typical Asian tourist.  For example, a Chinese tourist spent on average around 49,000 baht vs. around 71,000 baht for a North American tourist.  European tourists, around 69,000 baht.  

    Each western tourist is spending more, but their numbers are far fewer.  So, I don't think you can make the claim that '...western tourists spend much more money that (sic) all of your Asian countries put together.'.   Fun fact.  Middle Eastern tourists spend the most, around 81,000 baht each, but their numbers are so few that they rank next to last in their collective impact, just above Africa.

    The graph below shows it clearly.  As you can see, China tourists, alone, collectively spent more than the tourists of all of Europe.  ASEAN country tourists collectively spent over twice as much as the collective amount of tourists from the Americas.  South Asia tourists collectively spent more than Oceania tourists.  And, we haven't even added in 'Rest East Asia', another sizeable figure that is also more than double that of the 'Americas'.