Tourist Arrivals On Samui Down 50%

[mattias33]

Unfortunately when they sit on meetings and hold their head high saying that samui tourism is doing better and better, it´s not lightlely such changes will come.

I don't know where you're getting your (incorrect) information (which seems to be second-hand), but I know a lot of people in the hotel and tourist industry on the island (including members of the various organizations), and ALL of them are saying how bad business has been this year- nobody is claiming that things have been better in recent times.

That incorrect information is from a samui forum poster called "Highdiver". He goes to this meetings and the report he gave us in another thread a few days ago is that samui hotels and tourism assosiation had a meeting and according to that. tourism is looking better this year than last year. He even specified better with (you know figures).

I know its not facts. Dont worry.

[Boater]

.e where is charlie hut and the back packers that filled its rooms

its still there no????

there a few places just after IT Complex in Lamai on the beach for 200 THB a night.... always full as well

[maccaroni man]

Unfortunately when they sit on meetings and hold their head high saying that samui tourism is doing better and better, it´s not lightlely such changes will come.

I don't know where you're getting your (incorrect) information (which seems to be second-hand), but I know a lot of people in the hotel and tourist industry on the island (including members of the various organizations), and ALL of them are saying how bad business has been this year- nobody is claiming that things have been better in recent times.

That incorrect information is from a samui forum poster called "Highdiver". He goes to this meetings and the report he gave us in another thread a few days ago is that samui hotels and tourism assosiation had a meeting and according to that. tourism is looking better this year than last year. He even specified better with (you know figures).

I know its not facts. Dont worry.

same type of pie in the sky post regarding housing prices and sales in samui "better get it now before they are sold out and prices go up even more"

[Nirvana]

The big problem with maintaining or increasing tourist numbers ( let's ignore the economic situation for a moment ) IMO, is quite simple. CUSTOMER CARE. The local govt caring about providing infrastructure to support development. Hotel owners offering reasonable accommodation at a fair price. Taxi drivers who don't view potential customers as potential victims to be fleeced. Etc etc....

Too many people take the short term view of a quick profit which eventually leads to the demise of the local tourism industry. Once a destination has a reputation as a "rip off" joint it'll take many many years to recover, if ever. So the choice is simple, provide a quality product with customer care and reap the rewards or watch the ship sink.

Merely my opinion.

i read a stat once that said: for every complaint recieved there were 70 others who felt the same way but did not take the time to complain. If numbers like that are applied to samui it is no wonder that tourisim is on the decline. The Tsunami was a window of opportunity to show a huge influx of new tourist the best side of samui and it was waisted due to many of the reasons in previous post i.e. short sighted view towards long term business. SAD

MM

that is a very good point

[JustCruising]

In agreement with boater, something needs to be done............Not so much a matter of the devastating effects of delation, its about the price elasticity of demand - drop the price and demand will increase. Case study of Phuket response to Tsumani to bring back tourism, hotels slashed prices to encourage travel. Quoted ibis, new hotel player on the island offering 3* accommodation for 800bht and good occupancy.Samui doesn't seem to respond to what else is going on in the world, economic crisis, no one traveling, make the island financially appealing to all budgets. Its about being competitive and internationally even locally samui is expensive and for what, shit smelling, pot hole infested roads with aggressive local business owners who want to rip you off, not exactly the boutique impression pitch first thought of.

[JustCruising]

and sorry on another note, don't all get worked up on the statistics, if you want count them off the aeroplane for a more accurate self opinion i'm sure you could do so. Face it, the truth is never told. The majority of people especially the TAT won't ever admit the're not doing there job probably, business owners likewise won't confessed to being broke and defeated and we'll all plod along waiting for the next high season when we'll log on again and moan that business was down from last year....this will keep going until the appeal of our homelands draws us back to a steady wage and healthy liver and we'll look back and accredit the time spent to a "good experience" , talk about all the birds we've shagged with our mates just to make the whole "good experience" slightly less soul destroying. Theres nothing we can do........but enjoy!!!

[Boater]

spot on JustCruising

[spacebass]

I love Samui but now two typical resort cliches that had become entrenched on my last visit, 1) Many Taxi drivers harassing you as to whether you want a taxi at 1000 in the morning, and many Tailors practically dragging you into their shops as you walk down the street in the evening, are enough to make the whole experience exactly what I do not want.

So in common with other Thai resorts that do not ultimately get anywhere near the "quality market" they aspire to, if I can get a cheap deal I will go to Samui but pay a premium, not worth it!!

[Bizz]

during a crisis, most stable and normal thinking econmies will act IE reduce prices to attract buiness

so with this, to save Samui they must do the following

1) lower the airfare into Samui, start a 99 THB one way deal similar to AirAsia

2) hotels should heavily reduce rooms rates, take Ibis as an example 800 THB a night for a 3 star hotel ( they are fully booked cause of it ! )

3) restaurants should offer 20 - 50 % discounts on food, or run special offers and buffets..

4) bars and clubs should lower prices, instead of charing 100 THB - 150 THB a drink ( that is morre then the UK !! ) lower the prices to 50 - 70 THB

5) bring in proper public transport and BAN the taxis from ripping people off the moment they enter samui..

Anyone else care to add

The powers that be at the TAT can IMPLEMENT this !!!.........

But i suppose pig might fly !

Are you kidding? Do you think they have the power to dictate what the rates/prices of private businesses will be?

The problem with your plan is that it takes five minutes to knock down prices, but it takes years to bring them back up again- if your rate is currently 5K per night for a room and you drop it to 3K, good luck trying to get it back to 5K in anything approaching a reasonable period of time.

There is nothing wrong with a promotion that offers good deals, but slashing prices across the board is not the answer.

better to have promotions and survive than sink down the hole, time to wake-up before it is to late.

edit:

*** after I wrote this I came across an interesting article..explaining the deflation danger:

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2008-1...n-problem_N.htm

LaoPo

Sorry to say LaoPo no one is really listening or will they till it is to late.

[Boater]

during a crisis, most stable and normal thinking econmies will act IE reduce prices to attract buiness

so with this, to save Samui they must do the following

1) lower the airfare into Samui, start a 99 THB one way deal similar to AirAsia

2) hotels should heavily reduce rooms rates, take Ibis as an example 800 THB a night for a 3 star hotel ( they are fully booked cause of it ! )

3) restaurants should offer 20 - 50 % discounts on food, or run special offers and buffets..

4) bars and clubs should lower prices, instead of charing 100 THB - 150 THB a drink ( that is morre then the UK !! ) lower the prices to 50 - 70 THB

5) bring in proper public transport and BAN the taxis from ripping people off the moment they enter samui..

Anyone else care to add

The powers that be at the TAT can IMPLEMENT this !!!.........

But i suppose pig might fly !

Are you kidding? Do you think they have the power to dictate what the rates/prices of private businesses will be?

The problem with your plan is that it takes five minutes to knock down prices, but it takes years to bring them back up again- if your rate is currently 5K per night for a room and you drop it to 3K, good luck trying to get it back to 5K in anything approaching a reasonable period of time.

There is nothing wrong with a promotion that offers good deals, but slashing prices across the board is not the answer.

better to have promotions and survive than sink down the hole, time to wake-up before it is to late.

edit:

*** after I wrote this I came across an interesting article..explaining the deflation danger:

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2008-1...n-problem_N.htm

LaoPo

Sorry to say LaoPo no one is really listening or will they till it is to late.

have you got the link again

NewsTravelMoneySportsLifeTechWeatherThe requested document was not found.

[Bizz]

LINK worked for me

[Boater]

LINK worked for me

works now

[Samuian]

Unfortunately when they sit on meetings and hold their head high saying that samui tourism is doing better and better, it´s not lightlely such changes will come.

I don't know where you're getting your (incorrect) information (which seems to be second-hand), but I know a lot of people in the hotel and tourist industry on the island (including members of the various organizations), and ALL of them are saying how bad business has been this year- nobody is claiming that things have been better in recent times.

That incorrect information is from a samui forum poster called "Highdiver". He goes to this meetings and the report he gave us in another thread a few days ago is that samui hotels and tourism assosiation had a meeting and according to that. tourism is looking better this year than last year. He even specified better with (you know figures).

I know its not facts. Dont worry.

These "Organizations" should stop whining how bad things are but start moving to get the Bangkok Air Monopoly out of the way, it will bring competition in, lower the air fares, many from the industry are complaining about and get a plug on the number of beds in - prosperity will follow other secondary adjustment, like infrastructure, "GREEN SAMUI", safe Samui.....

[LaoPo]

These "Organizations" should stop whining how bad things are but start moving to get the Bangkok Air Monopoly out of the way, it will bring competition in, lower the air fares, many from the industry are complaining about and get a plug on the number of beds in - prosperity will follow other secondary adjustment, like infrastructure, "GREEN SAMUI", safe Samui.....

..are you serious ?

What would you say if the "authorities'' would move you out of your own house because you have a monopoly, living there ?

Absurd; sorry to say.

Koh Samui, Phangan and Tao OWE everything to Bangkok Airways and now that they are operational for 20 years they should give up their own airport...the airport they BUILT and share the cake they built themselves with others and allow them to eat from that same cake ?

I would fight till death to prevent they take away from me what's mine and your suggestion is absurd...grotesque.

And, if you don't believe tourism is decreasing dramatically, why don't you study the link I supplied a bit more before commenting ?

Writing that statistics are incorrect and that everything they write is not true is the same as denying that carsales in the USA are down -31% to -47% in November because that's the truth also.

I don't know whether you follow the news a bit but the world is in a VERY SERIOUS CRISIS and that, Samuian, is having it's toll on Samui as well, whether you deny or like it or not.

LaoPo

[LaoPo]

Replying to Tourist Arrivals On Samui Down 50%

says the "highly reputeable Samui Express in low season" very bad journalism keep on pouring oil in the flames!

It is absolutely normal this time of the year for samui, nothing of the extraordinary, nobody mentioned in this connection the oversupply of rooms and construction of many new places is still going on this article is 89.9% BS!

In October it ws claimed down some 20-30% we have been "down" 8% that is compared to last year, same time....

If you have been down -8% that doesn't mean that everybody is down 8%, or more...or less.

We are speaking generally here I think.

Here is a link from incoming tourists via Suvarnabhumi in October:

THAILAND_Tourist__arrival_at_Suvarnabhumi_October2008.xls ***

If you study that list a bit (sorry no other lists available yet) you can see that especially tourism from Asia is down dramatic -24% overall but some countries are down even much more. Grand total via Suvarnabhumi is -11%

European tourism isn't down that much...yet, and the upcoming Christmas holidays are probably still ''holding'' but I fear that the numbers will drop substantial in 2009.

However, the grand picture is that tourism is sliding.

But, if you don't agree, that's fine with me because I hope you will have a very good year. Maybe you rely on customers/visitors from a special country that's holding up, I don't know; care to tell ?

PS: if you have any numbers from the Samui tourism board, or whatever the organization is called I would love to see them, so please ?

*** From: http://www.tourism.go.th/index.php?option=...0&Itemid=25

LaoPo

[BusyBee123]

I have my moans about Samui but tourist numbers coming down are nothing to do with poor roads, the odd bad attitude and expensive prices at some places. The world is currently screwed at the moment and it is mainly due to the economies of the people that are coming to thailand giving money to any tom dick and harry that wanted it and now can't pay it back. Consumers in our oh so smart countries are in debt up to their eyeballs and there is no way out. The exchange rates have dropped and we are getting up to 20% less bang for our buck which make the resorts seem more expensive but that isn't their fault. Thailand learnt from it's crash 10 years ago and didn't throw money around like it was going out of fashion, now it is in a better position than most economies to ride out the recession, though some on here seem to be waiting for a crash so their holidays are cheaper, it isn't going to happen anytime soon that is for sure. Maybe we should be moaning about our own economies rather than the resort island of Samui as that is a major reason why people are unable to go on holiday and tourist numbers are down.

[koheesti]

4. Trimming 10% of fuel surcharge will not cut the cake, sorry !

Thanks for reminding me about this...

I have a Samui Express from October lying around (next to the toilet in case of an emergency) and one of the front page stories is about "Bangkok Airways slashes fares" and goes on to mention how on some routes the fuel surcharge has been cut to $40 from $45 and to $25 from $30. Decreasing the fares by FIVE WHOLE DOLLARS is considered SLASHING??! You know, I should go interview for the job of editor over there. I have zero experience in the field but obviously none is required.

[highdiver]

Unfortunately when they sit on meetings and hold their head high saying that samui tourism is doing better and better, it´s not lightlely such changes will come.

I don't know where you're getting your (incorrect) information (which seems to be second-hand), but I know a lot of people in the hotel and tourist industry on the island (including members of the various organizations), and ALL of them are saying how bad business has been this year- nobody is claiming that things have been better in recent times.

That incorrect information is from a samui forum poster called "Highdiver". He goes to this meetings and the report he gave us in another thread a few days ago is that samui hotels and tourism assosiation had a meeting and according to that. tourism is looking better this year than last year. He even specified better with (you know figures).

I know its not facts. Dont worry.

mattias this is slander.

1. one would expect to you to get the facts right or at least have the courtesy to understand them..i know English is not your chosen language but it seems comprehension is not either.

2. i never said that hotels were not complaining.. on the contrary i said they DID!! and they do because the growth rate of the hotels rooms on the island has acceded the growth of tourists.

i said that all those investors who have over developed along with the 5000 rooms they are building now expect to fill up the hotels and that this over development of hotels has led to a decrease in hotels average occupancy.

since you know obviously don't understand it then i will for your benefit explain it again.

the more hotels rooms the less relative occupancy there is on each hotel. is it so difficult to understand.

so while tourist numbers are UP!!! each business is getting less because they are spread out more.

while 5 years ago most tourists were located in Chaweng and Lamai they are now spread out more in Ban rak, manaham etc...

so why should all those hotels expect more occupancy, why should you expect more ocupency based on what??

if you build 5000 more rooms (that are now in construction)you will need to fill them up and the math is very simple.

5000 rooms x 365 days = 1,825,000 room nights per year. divide that to an average stay of 7 days is 260,714 room arrivals per year.

if the average room is 1.5 people (average of double and single occupancy) its 260,000 x 1.5 = 391,000 tourist needed to fill those rooms up

but if only 200, 000 more tourists arrive then each hotel statistically will be at 50% occupancy.

but since we allready have hotels then the occupency rate will be even lower.

while Samui has more tourist ?(the growth rate is about 150-220,000 for the past 3 years)) the growth rate of hotels at the same time was for 400-500,000 and now with the new hotels been built there is going to even more.

According to you.. and some others its Bangkok airways fault, and the government fault, and the samui tourist board fault, the weather fault, the economy fault and everyone else fault ........everyone is to blame apart from those idiots who built hotels before checking the numbers and each of those idiots thought that because his hotel is going to be different and special they will be able to fill them up.

3. this is not the first time you express views and ideas on topics which you have no knowledge or experience, while defaming me personly with out any grounds apart from personal hate derived by the fact that i have proven you wrong on many occasions and exposed you for the fool you are.

A person with your IQ should at least have a low voice as well.

[mattias33]

Hd, first of all, when it comes to my bad English, don´t throw stones in glass houses.

Secondly, there is no reason for you to make a long post explaining about the many hotelrooms they are building and the affect on that, because i totaly agree on this. I think maybe everybody do.

The only thing i dont agree on is the fact that YOU presented a FACT a week ago that tourists numbers are increasing. Even in your latest post you still claim the nr is up. It´s not. It´s down to 50 %.

You claimed another "fact" that bkk air is flying people in with the maximum qoute and the only way to increase it is to put in more flights because all their flights are full. You infact posted this the same day as samui express with the article was released, 28 of november. (hope you remember so i dont have to go back and pick up your qoute, in the bkk air thread). That "fact" is also denied by airport personell who says they are coming in with planes not even half-full. (Offcourse they are sold out now for some days since they been stranded for a week+). Then you say that I am talking about thing i dont have knowledge about and my iq is low and so on. When i all most of the tie add to my posts that its not facts its my oppinion, you are the one that from these latest threads turn out with low knowledge. Answer the question and avoid the slander: How can you sit and say you are deeply involved in tourism and go to meetings with the tourism assosiation, and the tourist numbers are up? How can you say Bkk air is bringin in people to the max when they themself claim they are half full? And how can you think we will not catch on to this. Obviously we all have computers and internet otherwise we would not be on this forum.

These are the "facts" you presented and i comment on here. Your other comments of too many hotelrooms we are agreed upon so no reason to bring it up further. The island IS overdeveloped and more to come.

Edited December 4, 2008 by mattias33

[highdiver]

Hd, first of all, when it comes to my bad English, don´t throw stones in glass houses.

its nice to see you are getting better at English

Secondly, there is no reason for you to make a long post explaining about the many hotelrooms they are building and the affect on that, because i totaly agree on this. I think maybe everybody do.

it was in response to your posting in the context of hotel rooms

The only thing i dont agree on is the fact that YOU presented a FACT a week ago that tourists numbers are increasing. Even in your latest post you still claim the nr is up. It´s not. It´s down to 50 %.

they are increasing. and they are not 50% down and if you believe Samui express i can understand your factual basis.

November arrivals were down compared to November last year but 2008 is still up from 2009

You claimed another "fact" that bkk air is flying people in with the maximum qoute and the only way to increase it is to put in more flights because all their flights are full. You infact posted this the same day as samui express with the article was released, 28 of november. (hope you remember so i dont have to go back and pick up your qoute, in the bkk air thread). That "fact" is also denied by airport personell who says they are coming in with planes not even half-full. (Offcourse they are sold out now for some days since they been stranded for a week+).

once again please go and look at our previous debate and comprehend!!! i claimed that your request for BKK to fly more can not be done as they are limited to the full extent of the airports capabilities. the BKk staff was referring once again the the latest month or so when they are not full in flights but the samui aiport 2008-2007 has a growth in tourist arrivals. and BKk ishas flown this year to Samui more people then last year.

These are the "facts" you presented and i comment on here. Your other facts of too many hotelrooms we are agreed upon so no reason to bring it up further. The island IS overdeveloped and more to come.

[mattias33]

Do i have to bring in your previous posts or can you go back and read it yourself?

You said that tourism is up COMPARED TO THIS TIME LAST YEAR.

Now you gave us a new fact. 2008 is up compared to 2009.

So, tourism is getting down then?

And how would you be able to know this "fact"? Are you a fortune teller?

[koheesti]

The exchange rates have dropped and we are getting up to 20% less bang for our buck which make the resorts seem more expensive but that isn't their fault.

I think you meant to write, "20% less bang for your quid" because the buck/dollar is up almost 5% against the baht since I left two months ago. I'm coming back though so I'm sure it'll start going back down.

[koheesti]

A person with your IQ should at least have a low voice as well.

Now I'm confused. After all that back and forth with matthias33 you're paying him a compliment? I mean, don't the more intelligent people speak more calmly and softly whereas the morons amongst us are usually shouting?

So what's the bottomline to all this for those who don'tfeel like wading through all the spinning? That the tourist levels have dropped from recent years? Or that the number of tourist FLYING in have dropped?

What about KPG? I would guess most of their tourism is for the FMP and seems many of them take the much cheaper $30 bus/ferry route instead of shelling out almost $300 for the plane/ferry via Samui. Maybe Thai Airways will build an airpot on KPG and offer cheap enough prices to eat into the Samui Airport's biz?

[thaierless]

Unfortunately when they sit on meetings and hold their head high saying that samui tourism is doing better and better, it´s not lightlely such changes will come.

I don't know where you're getting your (incorrect) information (which seems to be second-hand), but I know a lot of people in the hotel and tourist industry on the island (including members of the various organizations), and ALL of them are saying how bad business has been this year- nobody is claiming that things have been better in recent times.

That incorrect information is from a samui forum poster called "Highdiver". He goes to this meetings and the report he gave us in another thread a few days ago is that samui hotels and tourism assosiation had a meeting and according to that. tourism is looking better this year than last year. He even specified better with (you know figures).

I know its not facts. Dont worry.

mattias this is slander.

1. one would expect to you to get the facts right or at least have the courtesy to understand them..i know English is not your chosen language but it seems comprehension is not either.

2. i never said that hotels were not complaining.. on the contrary i said they DID!! and they do because the growth rate of the hotels rooms on the island has acceded the growth of tourists.

i said that all those investors who have over developed along with the 5000 rooms they are building now expect to fill up the hotels and that this over development of hotels has led to a decrease in hotels average occupancy.

since you know obviously don't understand it then i will for your benefit explain it again.

the more hotels rooms the less relative occupancy there is on each hotel. is it so difficult to understand.

so while tourist numbers are UP!!! each business is getting less because they are spread out more.

while 5 years ago most tourists were located in Chaweng and Lamai they are now spread out more in Ban rak, manaham etc...

so why should all those hotels expect more occupancy, why should you expect more ocupency based on what??

if you build 5000 more rooms (that are now in construction)you will need to fill them up and the math is very simple.

5000 rooms x 365 days = 1,825,000 room nights per year. divide that to an average stay of 7 days is 260,714 room arrivals per year.

if the average room is 1.5 people (average of double and single occupancy) its 260,000 x 1.5 = 391,000 tourist needed to fill those rooms up

but if only 200, 000 more tourists arrive then each hotel statistically will be at 50% occupancy.

but since we allready have hotels then the occupency rate will be even lower.

while Samui has more tourist ?(the growth rate is about 150-220,000 for the past 3 years)) the growth rate of hotels at the same time was for 400-500,000 and now with the new hotels been built there is going to even more.

According to you.. and some others its Bangkok airways fault, and the government fault, and the samui tourist board fault, the weather fault, the economy fault and everyone else fault ........everyone is to blame apart from those idiots who built hotels before checking the numbers and each of those idiots thought that because his hotel is going to be different and special they will be able to fill them up.

3. this is not the first time you express views and ideas on topics which you have no knowledge or experience, while defaming me personly with out any grounds apart from personal hate derived by the fact that i have proven you wrong on many occasions and exposed you for the fool you are.

A person with your IQ should at least have a low voice as well.

you mean "lible"...."slander" is spoken defamation, lible is published defamation.

you mean "exceeded"...not "acceded"

But now you are both right!...thank goodness for global economic depression, international airport take over and closure and blind hypergreed development to bring you two to meeting of minds

[Samuian]

These "Organizations" should stop whining how bad things are but start moving to get the Bangkok Air Monopoly out of the way, it will bring competition in, lower the air fares, many from the industry are complaining about and get a plug on the number of beds in - prosperity will follow other secondary adjustment, like infrastructure, "GREEN SAMUI", safe Samui.....

..are you serious ?

What would you say if the "authorities'' would move you out of your own house because you have a monopoly, living there ?

Absurd; sorry to say.

Koh Samui, Phangan and Tao OWE everything to Bangkok Airways and now that they are operational for 20 years they should give up their own airport...the airport they BUILT and share the cake they built themselves with others and allow them to eat from that same cake ?

undeniable that they've build it... but not indisputable to allow others to utilize the arport too, it's a monopoly holding the wanna be samui visitor at random! And Nobody "owes everything to Bangkok Airways" they are utilizing a neat little treasure chest to their unchallengeable advantage, backpackers long before them, if so have put this region on the map!

I would fight till death to prevent they take away from me what's mine and your suggestion is absurd...grotesque.

Well everybody is allowed to have an opinion...it would help samui business in general a lot, now it serves only one company... forget what samui airport was before it became public and who are in the chairs...

And, if you don't believe tourism is decreasing dramatically, why don't you study the link I supplied a bit more before commenting ?

Well, this is very controversial, to what you reply to my thoughts about open up a monopoly and allow competition, maybe you should look with open eyes, I sit behind a hotels desk... and see, for many years what I see, not just refer to some scribes scenario. !

Writing that statistics are incorrect and that everything they write is not true is the same as denying that carsales in the USA are down -31% to -47% in November because that's the truth also.

It's not, as YOU are trying to turn my statement to your advantage to press YOUR point, I wrote that WE are doing well and others not - maybe read again! "I believe only in statistics I have forged myself" -Winston Churchill-

I don't know whether you follow the news a bit but the world is in a VERY SERIOUS CRISIS and that, Samuian, is having it's toll on Samui as well, whether you deny or like it or not.

And BECAUSE of this fact, it would help very much to go down with the prices, open up for competitors, forget about monopoly position, bangkok air has skimmed the cream off for long enough, it certainly would help, I am convinced, no matter what and who has the "earned rights or advantage at the trough! In the long run bkk -air will lose out too, think! And I am not in a state of sheer denial, but in the first row of the whole thing... I hear, I see, I listen... still some are doing well while others wither..and wilt away..

LaoPo

And "highdiver" mentioned a couple of interesting points...regarding the matter of over kill over supply....and well...ah well...

Another very important point is, which many insiders have known, is the fact that with the highly speculative land prices and cost of building per sqm and the resulting ROI is for some simply catastrophic, they have to ask high rates... and then having a global recession, it has been said already, mortgaged housing, next will be hotels and malls....there is much, much more to it!

Edited December 4, 2008 by Samuian

[snakehips]

with respect to all those hard working investors who have put time and money into their businesses there , samui may just be starting to pay the price for the many years of tourists being treated like cash cows rather than being welcomed as visitors to that island.

the appaling road system , the blatant overcharging at almost every opportunity and last but not least the attitude of so many of the thais there towards visitors all have an effect on visitors memories and of their wish to return.

visually , once you step outside your resort/hotel , the place is just one big eyesore.

the island has a reputation now.

with so many other much better run and better value destinations available to try in this region , samui has almost become a "cliche" destination , like benidorm did , it shines brightly for a few years , and then slowly becomes boring , uncool , no fun , a place to avoid.

spot on 100% on the money ,good post.

Yeah i gotta agree...also bangkok airways reducing their fuel surcharge 10% when Oil is at a 5 year low......thats very nice of them...dont you think tourists realize they are getting ripped off...and from every angle??

Most of my friends dont come here no more......too expensive...when will TAT act? surely tehy have soem power over BKKAir/cleaning up the place and the taxi mafia?

[maccaroni man]

with respect to all those hard working investors who have put time and money into their businesses there , samui may just be starting to pay the price for the many years of tourists being treated like cash cows rather than being welcomed as visitors to that island.

the appaling road system , the blatant overcharging at almost every opportunity and last but not least the attitude of so many of the thais there towards visitors all have an effect on visitors memories and of their wish to return.

visually , once you step outside your resort/hotel , the place is just one big eyesore.

the island has a reputation now.

with so many other much better run and better value destinations available to try in this region , samui has almost become a "cliche" destination , like benidorm did , it shines brightly for a few years , and then slowly becomes boring , uncool , no fun , a place to avoid.

spot on 100% on the money ,good post.

agreed and the tourist do not need to be international, what about the domestic tourist? That is really where samui is being handed its hat phuket is a 1,000 baht flight for people in bkk hmmm doesnt anyone think this plays a major factor in the hotels being filled the, restuarants thriving and the entertainment booming. Phucket recovered faster than samui failed. whatever that means

Yeah i gotta agree...also bangkok airways reducing their fuel surcharge 10% when Oil is at a 5 year low......thats very nice of them...dont you think tourists realize they are getting ripped off...and from every angle??

Most of my friends dont come here no more......too expensive...when will TAT act? surely tehy have soem power over BKKAir/cleaning up the place and the taxi mafia?

[Samuibound]

Samui is no different from any other vacation destination. People do not mind paying high prices as long as they are getting value for their money. This means convenience, service, and quality. What they will not pay for is hassling with taxis, feeling ripped off by establishments that cater to tourists, and general dirtiness and mayhem. Not all of Samui is this way, not even the majority, but a high-end tourist will not tolerate these conditions a second time. He will never return and, even worse, he will relate his experience to his friends and warn them when they come to Samui to expect some bad situations. Don't get me wrong, I love Samui and can deal with it but most of my friends who have visited Samui tell me it is too much hassle and there are lots of other nice places to go to for their 10 day vacation.

It is not only the responsibility of the TAT but also of the entire Samui community to clean up the Island and offer the luxury experience that high-end tourists are more than willing to pay for - they simply want to enjoy the Coconut Paradise. Otherwise the Samui community will become poorer as a direct result of inaction and shifting the blame.

[highdiver]

Do i have to bring in your previous posts or can you go back and read it yourself?

You said that tourism is up COMPARED TO THIS TIME LAST YEAR.

Now you gave us a new fact. 2008 is up compared to 2009.

So, tourism is getting down then?

And how would you be able to know this "fact"? Are you a fortune teller?

Mattias you have been forgetting your medicen again or that long stay in the gohst road has cluded your mind..

since you didnt bother to read my posts and so you dont state facts with out knowing them... al leat about my posts here they are.

i never said that "COMPARED TO THIS TIME LAST YEAR." i said that this year has more tourist then last year.

and i appologise for the 2009 it was 2007. but anyone reading the post and comprehanding would understand that.

just for the record here is my posts.

1.oh Samui has an increas of more tourists coming in since the new terminal has opened and for those who wish to argue please see the TAT office for statistics as well as the Samui Tourist association. there are more tourist this year then the year before... that is a fact.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?s=...t&p=2364164

2. Once again i beg to differ. i am very involved in Samui tourist association as well as being invested in tourist related business.. it is a fact that there are more tourist this year then last year. if you care to dispute this please do provide facts.. not hear say from bar owners..

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?s=...t&p=2364301

so once again you prove that you don't give facts, you have no idea about this, you are not involved in tourist and your posts are at most an ongoing failure to discredit me.

i suggest that if you are really interested in Samui and its future take time to learn the facts.

[highdiver]

Samui is no different from any other vacation destination. People do not mind paying high prices as long as they are getting value for their money. This means convenience, service, and quality. What they will not pay for is hassling with taxis, feeling ripped off by establishments that cater to tourists, and general dirtiness and mayhem. Not all of Samui is this way, not even the majority, but a high-end tourist will not tolerate these conditions a second time. He will never return and, even worse, he will relate his experience to his friends and warn them when they come to Samui to expect some bad situations. Don't get me wrong, I love Samui and can deal with it but most of my friends who have visited Samui tell me it is too much hassle and there are lots of other nice places to go to for their 10 day vacation.

It is not only the responsibility of the TAT but also of the entire Samui community to clean up the Island and offer the luxury experience that high-end tourists are more than willing to pay for - they simply want to enjoy the Coconut Paradise. Otherwise the Samui community will become poorer as a direct result of inaction and shifting the blame.

totally agree with you.