Thai Domestic Travel Plummets, Only 57% Plan Local Holidays

[webfact]

 

A recent survey has unveiled a sharp decline in domestic travel intentions among Thai citizens, with only 57% planning holidays within the country for the third quarter of this year. This marks a significant decrease from 64% in the previous quarter and a steep fall from 74% at the beginning of the year.

 

Conducted by the Tourism Council of Thailand (TCT), the survey encompassed 450 Thai nationals earning over 10,000 baht per month. Results showed a striking drop in average spending per person on domestic trips to 2,683 baht in the second quarter, compared to 6,856 baht in the first quarter.

 

Interestingly, the average number of hotel nights per person increased to 4.79 nights in the second quarter, up from 3.38 nights in the first quarter, though projections for the third quarter suggest a slight dip to 4.55 nights.

 

Regarding international travel, the survey found that 16% of respondents plan to travel abroad in the third quarter, consistent with the previous quarter but significantly lower than the 23% reported in the first quarter.

 

The reasons behind this downturn in travel plans are evident: 80% of respondents cited the strain of higher living costs and debt, while 58% pointed to increased travel expenses compared to pre-pandemic times.

 

TCT President Chamnan Srisawat remarked that these survey findings mirror a decline in the tourism business confidence index, which fell to 79 in the second quarter from 81 in the first quarter, though it remains higher than the 72 recorded in the same period last year.

 

Factors contributing to this decline include the off-peak season in the second quarter, despite the April Songkran festival, and limited impact from government economic stimulus efforts.

 

Looking forward, TCT anticipates the confidence index to further decline to 75 in the third quarter. Srisawat also noted that the Thai economy is grappling with reduced purchasing power and unemployment stemming from factory closures, which could lead to increased household debts and non-performing loans, further impacting the domestic tourism sector.

 

Picture courtesy: Wikimedia

 

-- 2024-07-06

 

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[stoner]

the hub of staying home. 

[smedly]

57% of Thais can afford a domestic holiday, wow 

[JimHuaHin]

The TCT has a reality check!!!

 

Most Thai people I know, who are not government officials, do not have holidays.  They cannot afford to have holidays due to their low wages; any proposed wage increases are not supported by big business and employer groups.  Many Thais, ever some government officials I know, are working 2-3 jobs just to make ends meet.

[bkk6060]

Finally realizing their credit cards are maxed out and always making the minimum payment is not the answer.

[Gottfrid]

Not to worry! Out with the artificial cosmetics. This is nothing we can´t cover up with a 10k baht digital wallet. Then we will at least last until the end of year before the total crash is starting to show it´s rear end farting in your face.

[brianthainess]

Where was that Photo taken ? Looks more like Laos. 

[spidermike007]

What these guys really don't want to admit is that the economy here is really suffering, it has not recovered from the Prayuth Decimation yet, plus there is a lot of instability around the world which is causing both chaos, and a lack of consumer confidence. That is a worldwide phenomenon now. 

[hotchilli]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

A recent survey has unveiled a sharp decline in domestic travel intentions among Thai citizens, with only 57% planning holidays within the country for the third quarter of this year. This marks a significant decrease from 64% in the previous quarter and a steep fall from 74% at the beginning of the year.

People can only have so much time off from real work for travel and holidays...

Unlike those on civil servant status who have the time and money for vacations every time there is a national long weekend..

[Almer]

Wake up there is a recession on the horizon, there are many for sale signs going up in the area I live and they are not private sales. 

[Almer]

3 hours ago, Gottfrid said:

Not to worry! Out with the artificial cosmetics. This is nothing we can´t cover up with a 10k baht digital wallet. Then we will at least last until the end of year before the total crash is starting to show it´s rear end farting in your face.

Your terminology of the situation is about perfect, the 10.000 will find it's way to the big names and leave the workers to battle to put the money back in the coffers via tax etc, this is like printing money to solve the problem. 

[mancub]

4 hours ago, brianthainess said:

Where was that Photo taken ? Looks more like Laos. 

Emerald pool Krabi...looks like

[newnative]

     Once the third quarter is over, compare third quarter Thai domestic travel 2024 to third quarter Thai domestic travel 2023 and only then can you say whether third quarter Thai domestic travel 2024 has actually  'plummeted'.   57% might be close to the norm for third quarter travel--we don't know because the 2023 figure was not given.

[Forrests Father]

“the survey encompassed 450 Thai nationals earning over 10,000 baht per month”
 

I call that statistical BS