By Peter Roche

 

Thailand’s tourism numbers are rocketing back, although in ways that were not predicted even a year ago.

 

According to a government official, the tourism sector is “gaining momentum”, and as a result, the government expects about 6 million foreign tourists to arrive in the first quarter of the year, a remarkable recovery when compared to last year.

 

The Tourism Authority of Thailand is projecting a total of 25 million to 30 million foreign tourists to visit this year, with an estimated spending of 1.5 trillion baht. The first quarter’s results have provided a solid foundation for this prediction to be achieved.

 

Full story: https://phuket-go.com/phuket-news/phuket-travel/thailands-tourist-numbers-are-rocketing-back-but-a-different-mix-of-nationalities/

 

-- © Copyright Phuket GO 2023-03-24

 

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Just love the use of the term Rocketing along with a Different Mix of nationalities....must be aliens arriving from space or is that how the Russians are arriving....

Quote

Russians (47,525) were the most numerous arrivals, followed by Chinese (21,414) , Indians (14,320), Kazakhs (9,703) and Germans (9,602)

What's so different? And how can they manage to reach their horrific mass visitor numbers without Chinese and Indians?

In Pattaya the Chinese were still few compared to the Russians.

And that Germans outnumber Brits won't happen there

Edited March 24, 20233 yr by KhunBENQ

I "expect" to win the lottery.

 

It will take full coordination and I will have to buy tickets, but I still "expect" to win.

I "expect" many fellow posters will be crying as Thailand becomes even more unaffordable. 2 baht Chang beer hike here we come!

I do see a lot of back packers at the yaba/weed  shops, so quantity may be going up but spending I doubt , there a lot of Russians as well as they are not welcomed in western Europe thus Thailand may be their only other option, wonder if they remove the Russians from their estimates if the numbers would look that good

1 hour ago, webfact said:

According to a government official, the tourism sector is “gaining momentum”, and as a result, the government expects about 6 million foreign tourists to arrive in the first quarter of the year, a remarkable recovery when compared to last year.

Due mostly to two reasons, China opening up the country & Phutin trying to draft in half the Russian male population.

Thailand will reap later what it now regards as a boom time... wait for the bust to come.

1 hour ago, webfact said:

the government expects about 6 million foreign tourists to arrive in the first quarter of the year,

The first quarter ends next week.

33 minutes ago, KannikaP said:

The first quarter ends next week.

6, 12, 18, 24, far from 30 that they believe they will see if you do the numbers exponentially, yet if you take into consideration the low season it will be more like 6 , 9, 12, maybe a total of 18 for the year....hmmm, Maybe I have a job waiting for me with TAT.

AND ... if you click on link in OP:

????

"by Tim Newton 

Don’t count on Russian tourists saving Phuket’s fragile tourism recovery any time soon. In fact it’s going to become increasingly difficult for Russians to travel as the war-related economic sanctions continue to bite and the battles in Ukraine drag on."

 

Edited March 24, 20233 yr by KhunLA

3 minutes ago, morrobay said:

These german jerks in Naklua think they own the place.

But they do, whatever me/you/we/they like it or not. It was quite amazing back in 1990s - tropical Germany just from that junction near Dusit to the right. Kartofel salad.

21 minutes ago, morrobay said:

"And that Germans outnumber Brits won't happen there" - . Anyway - Anyone except these obnoxious cigarette smoking german oafs is alright with me. These german jerks in Naklua think they own the place. I charter my private songkow just to get out of Naklua without putting up with them. Of course it also has some other advantages 

My my... and what nationality are you an oaf or jerk of ?

3 hours ago, ThailandRyan said:

Just love the use of the term Rocketing along with a Different Mix of nationalities....must be aliens arriving from space or is that how the Russians are arriving....

Written by a Faranger. 

They like fluffing it up.

2 hours ago, Mavideol said:

wonder if they remove the Russians from their estimates if the numbers would look that good

No need to wonder. I can tell you.

If they remove the Russians the numbers will be lower.

Simple Maths. Called "subtraction"

 

Russians are quite big spenders generally.

 

Anyway isnt it great that Thailand is rebounding so quickly. A lot of Thais have had a hard three years so this is to be welcomed.

Good on em.

2 hours ago, hotchilli said:

Due mostly to two reasons, China opening up the country & Phutin trying to draft in half the Russian male population.

Thailand will reap later what it now regards as a boom time... wait for the bust to come.

Chinese will be here in big numbers from July onwards. I wont explain how I know, but I know.

 

Remember you heard that here first from the Goat. 

Rocketing, but not as many as expected... so in normal words tourism is going up again, slowly but up

No-one seems to have noticed that January was the first month since reopening that tourist numbers actually dropped month on month to 2.1 million, wouldn't be surprised if the February number released next week is lower again than January. 6 million in Q1 shows numbers have plateaued pre a significant Chinese arrival recovery.

 

It's all down to the level of that Chinese recovery from now to the year end where they end up between their low 24 million and high 30 million range for 2023.

As I suspected February's official numbers showed another month on month drop from January.

Dec 2022 - 2,241,195

Jan 2023 - 2,144,948

Feb 2023 - 2,113,550

 

Whilst it's in line with the low end of the govt 2023 target range seems like there is a different narrative that can be taken in interpreting the figures with respect to " rocketing back ".

31 minutes ago, kinyara said:

As I suspected February's official numbers showed another month on month drop from January.

Dec 2022 - 2,241,195

Jan 2023 - 2,144,948

Feb 2023 - 2,113,550

 

Whilst it's in line with the low end of the govt 2023 target range seems like there is a different narrative that can be taken in interpreting the figures with respect to " rocketing back ".

Feb figure actually looks impressive  factoring  28 Days Vs 31 Days.

Appear they will get 20-30 millions in 2023. 

1 hour ago, kinyara said:

As I suspected February's official numbers showed another month on month drop from January.

Dec 2022 - 2,241,195

Jan 2023 - 2,144,948

Feb 2023 - 2,113,550

 

Whilst it's in line with the low end of the govt 2023 target range seems like there is a different narrative that can be taken in interpreting the figures with respect to " rocketing back ".

Rocketing Backwards slowly into the low season? but then you don't like my views on tourism as I am always wrong....

Really?

 

In dead center Bangkok and on the BTS MRT I'm noticing fewer tourists than let's say in the past 30 days perhaps 45.

 

In fact I noted that to myself just a day or two ago

1 hour ago, ThailandRyan said:

Rocketing Backwards slowly into the low season? but then you don't like my views on tourism as I am always wrong....

Well you certainly were last year, hopelessly wrong.

26 minutes ago, kinyara said:

Well you certainly were last year, hopelessly wrong.

We can agree to disagree on TAT one........pun intended.

In Pattaya now I see mostly older white guys, a good number of Russians, some Chinese, and lots of Indians...

1 hour ago, StayinThailand2much said:

In Pattaya now I see mostly older white guys

the more things changed, the more they stay the same. ????