Chiang Mai forecasts surge in tourist numbers after Christmas

CHIANG MAI: -- The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) today predicted a sharp rise in foreign tourists visiting the country's northern province of Chiang Mai in the post-Christmas holiday season.

Mr. Junphong Sannak, director of the TAT's Chiang Mai office, said that visitor numbers to the province had recently risen by seven percent, but that this increase had been mainly fuelled by domestic tourism.

He also noted that domestic tourists were increasingly displaying higher purchasing power than their foreign counterparts, with the province earning estimated tourist revenue of over Bt100 million per day.

Nonetheless, he predicted that the province was likely to see a surge in foreign visitors after Christmas, with foreigners flocking to the province to celebrate New Year.

--TNA 2004-12-14

Need to get a move on with those nice new 5 star hotels......and err... maybe a sky train.....underground

Any TAT numbers/views on tourism in the South? What others have said on the subject:

Narathiwat Chamber of Commerce Chairman Panya Hongtrakul said the Royal Princess Hotel in Narathiwat's capital will close on Jan. 1. It was not immediately clear if or when the hotel will reopen.

Another southern hotel closed last month due to lack of business, Panya said.

Narathiwat's roughly 50 small and medium-size hotels have suffered heavy losses in the past six months, with less than 20 percent occupancy rates, said Sompoje Janepanich, owner of the Kenting Hotel in Sungai Kolok town on the Malaysian border.

"Sungai Kolok is like ghost town now, and I think all hotels and other businesses will close soon because we cannot stand the losses," Sompoje said. "More than 3,000 people will lose their jobs."

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How many work here at this beautiful, empty place?:

http://www.dusit.com/hotel/pnn/index.html