Tourism confidence in Thailand plummets amid economic jitters

[webfact]

 

The tourism confidence index in Thailand has taken a hit, with figures sliding from 91 in the same period of 2019 to 69 in the third quarter of this year, according to the Tourism Council of Thailand (TCT).

 

The third quarter’s number also represents a decline from 74 and 72 recorded in the first and second quarters of 2021 respectively. Despite welcoming around 20 million foreign visitors from January to September, the tourism industry is yet to see a significant economic boost, largely due to global economic jitters and high household debt levels.

 

TCT’s president, Chamnan Srisawat, stated that household debt was the most significant factor affecting tourism confidence in the third quarter. A confidence level of 100 is considered “normal.” The current index implies that the industry has not yet returned to normalcy. The TCT is hopeful that the visa-free scheme for Chinese tourists could create positive momentum in the fourth quarter.

 

In terms of arrival numbers, Malaysia topped the list with 3.28 million tourists, followed by China with 2.5 million and South Korea with 1.19 million. Despite the increase in arrivals, the tourism sector’s revenue recovery rate was just 54% of the 2019 level in the third quarter. A significant 76% of operators reported income levels lower than those of 2019.

 

by Alex Morgan

Photo: Sakchai Lalit/DPA/Picture Alliance

 

Full story: The Thaiger 2023-10-04

 

- Cigna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here.

 

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[tjo o tjim]

Based on other sources, the tourists are still active.  They just aren't going to Thailand in the same volumes as before.

 

Counting on China to provide more tourists in the near future might be a bit of a challenge.

[stoner]

10 minutes ago, webfact said:

the tourism industry is yet to see a significant economic boost, largely due to global economic jitters and high household debt levels.

Let's pretend this bs is real. 

[2baht]

12 minutes ago, webfact said:

The tourism confidence index in Thailand has taken a hit

But we dreamed so big??? ???? Trillions! ????

 

 

[ezzra]

Every time i read such articles i find myself scratching my head as to who writes such rubbish, nowadays they can write anything and it will be taken as the gospel truth while we all know too well that the only people who knows the truth probably either bend it or keeping it from us...

[JonnyF]

49 minutes ago, webfact said:

The TCT is hopeful that the visa-free scheme for Chinese tourists could create positive momentum in the fourth quarter.

I doubt the fatal shooting of the Chinese lady in Siam Paragon is going to help...

[PJ71]

1 hour ago, JonnyF said:

I doubt the fatal shooting of the Chinese lady in Siam Paragon is going to help...

I doubt the fatal shooting will stop many tourists from coming either.

[Ben Zioner]

Just cancelled my week in Koh Chang, decided  to go to Penang. Found out that hotels are cheaper. If I get taxed, all our holidays will be out of Thailand. 

[ChaiyaTH]

35 minutes ago, Ben Zioner said:

Just cancelled my week in Koh Chang, decided  to go to Penang. Found out that hotels are cheaper. If I get taxed, all our holidays will be out of Thailand. 

Same we usually go to another country, Vietnam is populair among my Thai friends (in their twenties) too. No wonder, we can get 10 beers for like 300 baht there, a very nice room for only 400-500 (or they just book the entire dorm with 6 people for 80 each). 

 

But how are people surprised, same to blame covid, this down trend already started before covid. And it is the result of the Thai their actions. Will only get worse for them, Vietnam will basically do everything better than Thailand. They already produce 40K IT students yearly now, that are way better than Thais are. So far our company hired 2, in Thailand we found 0 in a decade.

 

Many people just endlessly defend Thailand, because they so far were not the target, or because they are stuck here regardless, while not being objective at all. Anyone who has a bit of brains, and is realistic, knows this is all true.

 

The USA could not even beat Vietnam, let alone Thailand.

[retarius]

Really Thailand never had any strategy for tourism. Thaksin tried with his wealthy tourist gambit, but it was extremely poor value for a visa that could be withdrawn at any time. The only strategy Thai have is numbers....let's get 20 million or 30 million....no matter where from. If I were czar of all czars of Thai tourism, I would be researching how to upgrade the length of European or US visitors' stay; researching the impact of upgrading the tourists' experience by say getting rid of the filth, sewerage etc that plagues the place; deporting drunks and lowlives; eliminating scams or a combination of these. The issue is a strategy has to be built from knowledge that comes from researching attitudes and opinions, not just some numbers dreamed up by TAT. TAT gives us wishful thinking and as the old saying goes: hope is not a strategy.

[Ben Zioner]

9 minutes ago, ChaiyaTH said:

They already produce 40K IT students yearly now, that are way better than Thais are.

Yes this isn't new, I used to outsource my IT projects to India, the Philippines and from 2010 onwards to Vietnam.  There was zero presence of Thai companies, I think they didn't exist, or couldn't even read our RFPs.

[ChaiyaTH]

9 minutes ago, Ben Zioner said:

Yes this isn't new, I used to outsource my IT projects to India, the Philippines and from 2010 onwards to Vietnam.  There was zero presence of Thai companies, I think they didn't exist, or couldn't even read our RFPs.

Yes, India etc is horrible too as they nowadays all play middle men there, resulting in low quality or well, so many things, you know. My dream 12 years ago was always to start a Thai company, I already saw it before me, 4 staff and me, a work permit. 

Yeah sure, could have hired the staff the same week 12 years ago, but none had any skills, it would just cost me money, to then still need to hire more elsewhere. The ones that can do it, cost as much as someone in Europe cost.

 

Even businesses here that do something else and make money, could make much more money, if the staff wast just slightly more competent.

[hellohello123]

my god,

one minute, "tourists are returning in droves"

next minute, "tourist confidence is at a all time low"

 

as much drama as a thai soap drama

[Willy Wombat]

So ‘soft power’ isn’t working ?

[alexlm]

I don't understand this article. If someone could explain?

I'm planning my 2 months trip to Thailand from December to February.

Everything is already fully booked.

My Pattaya hotel told me they are fully booked for December 10th when I arrive, until April. How to find an hotel? Will I be stranded in the street with all the hotels booked??

My car rental guy said they are booked until April too at 99% and they are not sure they can provide me with a rental car.

His partner told me there are so many Foreigners right now.

When I lived in Thailand from 2014 to 2018, I could just walk into my favorite hotels and get a room in 3 minutes.

Ask for a car some morning and get the rental car 3 hours later the afternoon.

Has it changed so much since 2018???!

It seems it's full of Foreigners.

So why this article seems to indicate the opposite?

Or I didn't understand something I'm sure.

If someone could explain...

Thanks ????

Alex LM

[hotchilli]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

The tourism confidence index in Thailand has taken a hit, with figures sliding from 91 in the same period of 2019 to 69 in the third quarter of this year, according to the Tourism Council of Thailand (TCT).

And still sliding.

[Bangkok Barry]

4 hours ago, tjo o tjim said:

Based on other sources, the tourists are still active.  They just aren't going to Thailand in the same volumes as before.

 

Counting on China to provide more tourists in the near future might be a bit of a challenge.

Especially when one was shot dead while shopping. Doesn't go down well, that sort of thing.

[shackleton]

I thought according to reports Phuket and Koh Samui were full of Russians and Chinese tourists hotels full ect ????

Bangkok and Pattaya okay more Chinese welcome to come there ????

[Sqoop]

Look to the future, tourism is going to decline. Economic problems in the US, Europe and China. The c40 cities loonies in the west plan to limit flights. At the same time the Thai establishment tax plans will impact expats. Time to set up that plan B.

[SiSePuede419]

"Global economic jitters"?

 

Doesn't exist anymore than ghosts, The Holy Ghost, Easter Bunny, Tooth Fairy, Free Lunch, Checks in the mail and Just the Tip, Mamn.

 

It's imaginary.  All in the head. Not real.  Fake News. ????

[spidermike007]

And they should be nervous. Very, very nervous. The extreme hubris and arrogance on the part of the officials seems to result in a level of blindness that is nearly total. They literally seem incapable of learning. The fact they this administration picked department heads from the absolute bottom of the barrel, never considering merit for even a moment, did not help. Covid could have been a great opportunity for a reset. There is nothing to suggest anything like that happened. And talk to us about the sacrifices you fools are willing to make, to get tourism back. It is not magic. You will not open your doors and have millions pouring in again. Get that? When you kick an animal that is already ill enough times, it eventually dies. Your industry is dying. You have sabotaged it to no end. And this started long before Covid, so stop with the excuses. Real men take responsibility for their mistakes. Punks, juveniles, and men with undeveloped emotional natures refuse to take responsibility for anything, and it makes them look like more of a fool.

 

One must always remember, there were countless issues plaguing the industry, years before Covid, and NONE of them were ever addressed by the lathargic ones. And there were countless other countries with alot of appeal, who were and are trying much harder. There are countless issues here, which prevent wealthy people from visiting, much less living here. The most common complaints I have heard from wealthy friends who visit, is that we will never return to Thailand, because the wife cannot shop. She refuses to get taken for a ride, and will not spend $12,500 on the new handbag she has her eyes on, as it is $4,500 at home, and elsewhere. Rich people tend to be savvy and smart. The Thai authorities continue to insist, based on their policies, that these people are dumb. Go ahead. Continue with your nonsense. And there are a few wealthy ex-pats living here, in retirement. Maybe 150?, not counting the ones who work here. Likely, most of them are single. 

 

The fact is Thailand could be doing a dozen different things to make itself more attractive to both tourism and investment. But, all the things it could do, to make itself a better version of its current self, would require sacrifice and vision. Not something this army led govt. nor Sretta and the PT seem capable of. Major tax breaks, drastic lowering of luxury and wine taxes, allowing ownership of land and homes by foreigners, relaxation of inane visa laws, ridding the administration of xenophobic ministers, beginning a program of hiring based on merit, improving traffic safety, paying attention to the air and the environment. The list goes on and on and on. Will any of this happen? One can hope. But, it is unlikely as this administration is likely to be another in a continuing chain of backward thinking, non progressives.

 They love projections, prognosticactions, declarations and platitudes. But when it comes to the nuts and bolts, and practical improvements, so far, they appear to be absolutely lost in space.
 

Thailand has been moving backwards, from being the tiger of SE Asia, to bring a pathetic, sickly, anemic alley cat, begging for scraps, for the past decade. Nothing is changing, despite Sretta's $800,000,000 smile.

[SiSePuede419]

31 minutes ago, alexlm said:

So why this article seems to indicate the opposite?

Economists aren't scientists, they have no control to eliminate confounding variables. ????

[JimboB4]

Another reason why obviously nothing is going to change in the cannabis industry 

[Irish star]

5 hours ago, tjo o tjim said:

Based on other sources, the tourists are still active.  They just aren't going to Thailand in the same volumes as before.

 

Counting on China to provide more tourists in the near future might be a bit of a challenge.

Well one was murdered in mall in bkk and kidnapping stories abound , Chinese on Alert and scared 

[kingstonkid]

5 hours ago, stoner said:

Let's pretend this bs is real. 

I think it is but it is also real that Thailand no longer provides a family experience that people are looking for at the same price as 2019.  For single guys the bars are the same but last time I went to a walking street there were a lot of closed bars.  Just imagine what it is going to be like after all the prices start to rise with the new wage increase.

 

Somebody can correct me but I am under the impression that the girls in bars get min wage guaranteed is that correct?

[Irish star]

3 hours ago, PJ71 said:

I doubt the fatal shooting will stop many tourists from coming either.

China terrified already with kidnappings etc 

[GarryP]

39 minutes ago, Willy Wombat said:

So ‘soft power’ isn’t working ?

I think it is called limp dick energy. 

[maddox41]

What about the Russians taking over the country the tourists that dont leave ???? 

The go destination in 23 for Australians is Bali again and Greece not Thailand and with the new tax debacle even more expats will consider leaving Thailand for another country also 

This country cant get anything right but they think they have it sussed ???? ???? 

[Bobydog]

5 hours ago, ezzra said:

Every time i read such articles i find myself scratching my head as to who writes such rubbish, nowadays they can write anything and it will be taken as the gospel truth while we all know too well that the only people who knows the truth probably either bend it or keeping it from us...

The scribes that are producing all the BS just don't understand that Thai press is distributed globaly, accordingly travellers will weigh up their options and go elsewhere. 

[Irish star]

19 minutes ago, Sqoop said:

Look to the future, tourism is going to decline. Economic problems in the US, Europe and China. The c40 cities loonies in the west plan to limit flights. At the same time the Thai establishment tax plans will impact expats. Time to set up that plan B.

Look at the dollar ffs