Tourism plunges 22 per cent

[george]

Tourism hit 49-year low

BANGKOK: -- The tourism industry has hit a 49-year low and is expected to plunge by 22 per cent this year, according to the Tourism Council of Thailand.

Besides the global economic crisis, the country's continuing political turmoil had contributed to the sharp decline in tourism, Tourism Council of Thailand chairman Kongkit Hiranyakij said on Thursday.

The expected number of tourist arrivals had been reduced from 14.1 million to 11, he said.

The A(H1N1) flu outbreak could make tourism contract by three to four per cent, causing the country to lose up to 200 billion baht of tourism revenue this year, he said.

Last year, Thailand gained 540 billion baht in tourism revenue.

"If the government can solve its political problems and is able to host the Asean meetings successfully, tourism should be revived by the end of this year or the beginning of 2010," Mr Kongkit predicted.

However, he said Thai tourists would help generate 430 billion baht in revenue this year.

-- Bangkok Post 2009-07-23

//Edit: updated article as posted on the Bangkok site

Tourism plunges 22 per cent

Writer: BangkokPost.com

Published: 23/07/2009 at 03:07 PM

The tourism industry has suffered its deepest slump in many decades with the number of visitors expected to be down 22 per cent on last year, according to the Tourism Council of Thailand chairman Kongkit Hiranyakij.

It was the biggest plunge in tourism growth in 49 years, he said.

Besides the global economic crisis, the country's continuing political turmoil had contributed to the sharp decline in tourism, Mr Kongkit Hiranyakij said on Thursday.

The expected number of tourist arrivals had been reduced from the expected 14.1 million to 11 million, he said.

The A(H1N1) flu outbreak could make tourism contract by three to four per cent, causing the country to lose up to 200 billion baht of tourism revenue this year, he said.

Last year, Thailand gained 540 billion baht in tourism revenue.

"If the government can solve its political problems and is able to host the Asean meetings successfully, tourism should be revived by the end of this year or the beginning of 2010," Mr Kongkit predicted.

However, he said Thai tourists would help generate an estimated 430 billion baht in revenue this year.

-- Bangkok Post 2009-07-23

Edited July 23, 2009 by Maestro

[mrtoad]

Amazing, it is all going to be solved in the next 4 months. Funny how the benefits of Tourism are always downplayed by the sock puppets, but in reality it is starting to bite. Well done, keep up the scams an other associated nonsense and they might even exceed these figures next year.

[sukeroku]

I really don't think there were more than 11 million tourists 48 years ago in Thailand. Or 47, or 37, or 27, or 17 or even 7 years ago. What a crock of sh#t piece of journalism.

[Briggsy]

I would like to know how they came up with the "49-year low" claim. Weird statistical twisting if true. Perhaps based on the %age year-on-year drop.

[jackr]

I really don't think there were more than 11 million tourists 48 years ago in Thailand. Or 47, or 37, or 27, or 17 or even 7 years ago. What a crock of sh#t piece of journalism.

They're probably referring to the drop percentage wise.

[Scott]

Probably because it sounds better than '50 year low.'

[stumonster]

49 month low perhaps ?

[wrecker]

I think that we may congratulate Foreign Minister Kasit, he considered the airport occupation "fun". We may congratulate the army too for using absurd force and distrusting the police for not being able to do the job. We may congratulate Suthep and Newin fro assembling a shirt of Blue shirted ex convicts who ignited the red shirt mob in Pattaya and we must absolute congratulate the army for screwing up the economy. The bottom line: economic crisis? Sure, but in the case of Thailand: Som Na Naa

[asiawatcher]

Tourism hit 49-year low

"If the government can solve its political problems and is able to host the Asean meetings successfully, tourism should be revived by the end of this year or the beginning of 2010," Mr Kongkit predicted.

However, he said Thai tourists would help generate 430 billion baht in revenue this year.

These guys keep opening their mouths to change feet.....

[Pesche]

Usual blah-blah nonsense comparisons !!

49 years ago > 1960

There where the very first GIs from Vietnam discovering Pattaya for R&R spending 80 Bucks in two days...

But besides that I do wonder how the local tourism will bring 430 Billion Baht to its own economy (?)

"However, he said Thai tourists would help generate 430 billion baht in revenue this year."

Does this mean that they would compensate 80% of the 540 billions coming from abroad ?!?

Always the same: Blame someone or something but NEVER admit. Reacting instead of acting!

Always the same: "Prung-nee dee cuen nae-non" - tomorrow it will improve for sure

The Land of Smiles is turning into the Land of Greek Tragedy - sad but true

And the most true thing is, that it is not stopping but continues to get worst...

Edited July 23, 2009 by Pesche

[WeeGB]

There's definitely something wrong with this article. The only way I can see a 49 year low, is on a comparison of monthly arrivals, e.g. the latest month's figures (June?, May?), were lower than for 49 years. The probability is, in view of the recent worldwide bad press about scams involving King Power, the Police etc, that this figure will continue to plunge further.

Failing that a 49 month low, which is a strange figure to quote, but then again we all know how accurate Thailands' english language papers are.

Tourism plunging, exports declining massively, Thailands Bank reserves climbing, and the baht strengthening, does not add up - and I'm an accountant (retired).

[writeshack]

That story seems to have been corrected Tourism plunges 22 per cent

BangkokPost.com

The tourism industry has suffered its deepest slump in many decades with the number of visitors expected to be down 22 per cent on last year, according to the Tourism Council of Thailand chairman Kongkit Hiranyakij. It was the biggest plunge in tourism growth in 49 years, he said.

http://www.bangkokpost.com/breakingnews/14...ges-22-per-cent

[likewise]

They are fixing this issue as we speak by becoming more lenient on long stay visas

[huskerpr]

I really don't think the tourism decrease can be attributed to the polical unrest and swine flu. Maybe to a small degree, but not to an all time low. I think this government needs to look at several items.

The exchange rate for the baht is horrible

The prices for lodging and services is becoming outrageous. $100 a night for hotels in Thailand. Please

Thai Air is probably one of the highest priced airlines going in th world right now.

ANd then there is the problem of gaining a visa, dual entry, just not conducive to the tourist.

As a farang married to a Thai lady, the fact that they are making it harder for us to buy property or transferring money just to support our wives and children has alot to do with why go to Thailand? They have made a very unappealing place to come to.

The Thai governement needs to wake up and smell the coffee, there are places such as Vietname to visit that are just as nice and far less expensive same with the Philippines. Thailand is pricing and governing themselves out of the tourism market.

I hope someone from the government is listening.

[likewise]

Making it hard to own property = YES

making it hard to transfer money = NO - NEver had any issues wiring decent amounts of cash into the country.

[Changian]

The expected number of tourist arrivals had been reduced from 14.1 million to 11

That is '11' tourists not 11 million, hence the 49 year low. 1950 was a crap year for visitors, well down on the 17 who arrived in the boom year of 1949. Those were the good old days.

[arnoldjr]

NEWS FLASH!!!!!

Monkeys have been found to be more effective politicians than....

I think its quite clear.

[thaimate]

Most of the news coming out of Thailand at the moment is BAD news ,young boy drowns in Pattaya fun park ,woman arrested for stealing beer mat, king power fiasco at the airport .

now much of it is actually the fault of the tourist ,such as the woman was drunk and abused the police but the papers do not report it that way ,now the Danish govt are warning tourist of scams and corrupt police in the airport .

The tourists are few and far between here in Pattaya and if they think its all going to be O K in 4 months ,well then collectivly they are burying their head in the sand and talking out of their a-ses.

[Thanh-BKK]

Hi.

Who is beating the dead horse with The Airport Blockade again..??

It says it all that i received two "breaking news"alerts today in my inbox.

First one: "Crackdown on back-to-back tourist visas"

Second one: "Tourism at 49-year low"

Any more questions? They are slowly making it illegal to even set foot in this country, let alone stay for longer - and then wonder why nobody comes..??

T. i. T.

Thanh

[imaneggspurt]

Making it hard to own property = YES

making it hard to transfer money = NO - NEver had any issues wiring decent amounts of cash into the country.

Correct, in no problem, try taking it out !,. like everyting else money related in thaiiand its on a one way ticket and in their favour,.

[alstaxi]

Tourism hit 49-year low

"If the government can solve its political problems and is able to host the Asean meetings successfully, tourism should be revived by the end of this year or the beginning of 2010," Mr Kongkit predicted.

However, he said Thai tourists would help generate 430 billion baht in revenue this year.

These guys keep opening their mouths to change feet.....

There should be a lot more Thai tourists, more than last year, as there are much more Thais out of work now. No pesky jobs to go , more time for travel. Wonder where they will find the 430 million baht?

[garyh]

I really don't think there were more than 11 million tourists 48 years ago in Thailand. Or 47, or 37, or 27, or 17 or even 7 years ago. What a crock of sh#t piece of journalism.

No it said reduced to 11 LOL

[Brewsta]

Cheers On and All...

and here's to my next 10 years in LOLAL - Land of Laffs & Lunacy....

rgdz

Brewsta

[PingManDan]

If Thailand really wanted to have a great tourist income, then they'd quit screwing with the frangs here, with all the BS , Immigration changes, etc. etc., and get it right like when Thaksin was in office, he wanted to make Thailand a real destination for world tourism. This regime does not, so it seems.

[ThaiRack]

Tourism could easily be down to a 49 year low.

Of course the figure won't be based on a like-for-like comparison of numbers. That's absurd. It'll be a relative or percentage calculation, same as pretty much any other tourism statistic that covers a period of time greater than 5-or-so years for any other country in the world.

[yogi100]

In 1960 no one ever contemplated holidaying in Thailand, all we knew about the country is that it was the setting for 'The King and I' when it was previously known as Siam. I have a friend who actually went to Pattaya in the 1960s but that was only because he worked for the Hong Kong and Shanghai Bank and they sent him to Bangkok. Apart from GIs on R&R it was unknown as a holiday destination.

In 1960 the British holiday makers were considered fortunate to be able to afford 2 weeks on the Costa Brava let alone SE Asia. It was the same for the other Europeans, the Americans and probably the Australians. These claims in this article are nonsense.

[WeeGB]

huskerpr, agree with your comments, I also think the Bank scam of 150 baht for using ATM machines is keeping tourists away. It's been well publicised and is an unnecessary expense for someone on a couple of weeks vacation.

Also, whatever the rights and wrongs of the British couple scammed at King Power fiasco, the fact is they both belonged to the section of clientele that the TAT is aiming at, and most people sadly DO believe what they read in the papers.

When times are hard, people are much more inclined to do some research before spending a large amount of their income on a holiday, and almost all of the recent news about Thailand is extremely negative.

On arrival, there are reports of tourists being scammed by taxis.

Wherever a tourist goes, he is expected to pay double the price when sightseeing.

The police have a worldwide reputation, of being at best unreliable, and at worst, similar to the mafia.

Hotels also practice double pricing, and I've seen several reports on here of them increasing their charges, due to a lack of customers.

Finally on leaving Thailand, a tourist has to negotiate their way through being possibly accused of theft at King Power, and being incarcerated while Tony negotiates their release.

Why would anyone, who's never been to Thailand, want to come?

[AKSteve]

Lowest in 49 years? There were no tourists 49 years ago. When I went to Phuket in 1969, there were only a couple of two story Thai hotels downtown. The Erawan Hotel, was an elegant but sleepy, two story hotel with a wonderful lunch by the pool. Chiang Mai had horse drawn carriages.

OK, there were some tourists back then, but I saw more tourists in three months in Chiang Mai this year than I did in three years in Thailand in the '60s. Even if they count the US soldiers on R&R from Vietnam as tourists.

I knew it just couldn't be right, so I checked the Bangkok Post article:

The tourism industry has suffered its deepest slump in many decades with the number of visitors expected to be down 22 per cent on last year, according to the Tourism Council of Thailand chairman Kongkit Hiranyakij.

It was the biggest plunge in tourism growth in 49 years

, he said.

Tourism GROWTH plunged, but it wasn't a 49 year low in tourism.

[Scuzzy]

It would be interesting to see what the figures were 49 years ago? It certainly couldn't have been more than it is today. Pattaya was still a fishing village then. So do we listen to the TAT or TCT now. And Thai generating 430 billion baht this year? What a crock of lies. And what they haven't been able to revive in in the last 6 months they expect to do in the next four, airport scams etc notwithstanding....

Tourism hit 49-year low

BANGKOK: -- The tourism industry has hit a 49-year low and is expected to plunge by 22 per cent this year, according to the Tourism Council of Thailand.

Besides the global economic crisis, the country's continuing political turmoil had contributed to the sharp decline in tourism, Tourism Council of Thailand chairman Kongkit Hiranyakij said on Thursday.

The expected number of tourist arrivals had been reduced from 14.1 million to 11, he said.

The A(H1N1) flu outbreak could make tourism contract by three to four per cent, causing the country to lose up to 200 billion baht of tourism revenue this year, he said.

Last year, Thailand gained 540 billion baht in tourism revenue.

"If the government can solve its political problems and is able to host the Asean meetings successfully, tourism should be revived by the end of this year or the beginning of 2010," Mr Kongkit predicted.

However, he said Thai tourists would help generate 430 billion baht in revenue this year.

-- Bangkok Post 2009-07-23

[mommysboy]

It's going to get worse.