Thai Food Top Impression Attracting Tourists To Bangkok: Survey

[webfact]

Thai food top impression attracting tourists to Bangkok: Survey

BANGKOK: -- Foreign tourists still enjoyed travelling to Bangkok at year-end, mostly attracted by Thai food and hospitality, and their top destination of choice in Bangkok was the Grand Palace and the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, according to an opinion survey released on Thursday.

Over two-thirds -- 70.6 per cent of the 663 foreign tourists polled -- said that Thailand's political conflicts and protests are less likely to influence their decision to travel to Bangkok.

Moreover, 82.1 per cent those surveyed said they would revisit Bangkok and 91.8 per cent will recommend Thailand to would-be visitors.

The Bangkok Poll, conducted by the Bangkok University Research Center among 663 foreign tourists at seven tourist attractions Dec 16-19, found Thai food, hospitality, historical sites, shopping centres, culture and folk arts were the top five reasons that attracted tourists to Bangkok.

As the respondents were allowed to select more than one choice in giving their impression, Thai food got the highest vote among 63.3 per cent of respondents, followed by 47.1 per cent who selected Thai hospitality and 46.5 per cent who chose historic sites.

The Grand Palace and the Temple of Emerald Buddha in the city’s main historic district, Rattanakosin Island, topped Bangkok’s list of tourist destinations, with 27.2 per cent of respondents choosing them, followed by 13.4 per cent who said they liked Wat Pho, a nearby temple, housing a 46-metre-long reclining Buddha statue and a school of traditional Thai massage, while 12.5 per cent of those polled preferred

shopping centres in Pratunam and Pathum Wan districts.

Asked about their satisfaction in travelling to Bangkok, the average score of satisfaction was 7.62 marks out of ten, an increase by 0.04 per cent from an opinion survey conducted at the beginning of the year.

The highest score of 8.63 for satisfaction was given to food and drink, followed by 8.51 for hospitality. The least satisfaction, which gained a score of only 5.29, was air quality and cleanliness received only a 6.14 score.

Meanwhile, 51.8 per cent of the respondents said they would celebrate the New Year in Thailand while 41.3 per cent said they would not stay, and 6.9 per cent were undecided.

Among those opting to celebrate the New Year in Thailand, 6.5 per cent named Chiang Mai as their destination, 5.7 per cent chose Samui, 4.9 per cent opted for Khao San Road in Bangkok and 4.1 per cent at CentralWorld, Bangkok’s main countdown venue.

Asked about their confidence regarding security measures by Thai authorities, 79.9 per cent said they felt confident and 20.1 said otherwise. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2010-12-25

[backfromouterspace]

How many chose nightlife as a reason for visiting? None? They must be the future Thaivisa members.

[londonthai]

"Foreign tourists still enjoyed travelling to Bangkok at year-end"

thai restaurants are all over the world, even with mainstream supermarkets selling thai foods, so food is not a reason for visiting thailand.

it's the weather which is a magnet for winter tourists, europe and n america are not fan at this time of the year

[jayjay0]

"Foreign tourists still enjoyed travelling to Bangkok at year-end"

thai restaurants are all over the world, even with mainstream supermarkets selling thai foods, so food is not a reason for visiting thailand.

it's the weather which is a magnet for winter tourists, europe and n america are not fan at this time of the year

Good one

You might want to contact those 663 tourists who did not even mention weather in the top five reasons for coming to Thailand that they made a mistake they really came for the weather.

I go to give it to you. You have a wicket sense of humor.

[londonthai]

"The Bangkok Poll, conducted by the Bangkok University Research Center ... As the respondents were allowed to select more than one choice in giving their impression"

poll was conducted by students who were handing out prepared forms to fill up by ticking selected answers.

weather wasn't included there

[jayjay0]

"The Bangkok Poll, conducted by the Bangkok University Research Center ... As the respondents were allowed to select more than one choice in giving their impression"

poll was conducted by students who were handing out prepared forms to fill up by ticking selected answers.

weather wasn't included there

There you go again weather wasn't even ion the list of answers. they had to pencil it in. A laugh a minute.

[asiawatcher]

Food, the Grand Palace and the Emerald Buddha? Sorry - more PR - this one hits the round file along with all the other TAT and MCOT rubbish.

[Bakseeda]

"Foreign tourists still enjoyed travelling to Bangkok at year-end"

thai restaurants are all over the world, even with mainstream supermarkets selling thai foods, so food is not a reason for visiting thailand.

it's the weather which is a magnet for winter tourists, europe and n america are not fan at this time of the year

Its certainly not the weather, many many countries have the same weather and speak a lot more English... Thai food certainly is the attraction compared with other countries with the same climate.. and the Thai peoples... and apart from London and Stockholm, I dont see too many Thai restaurants in other cities.... and I sure did not see any supermarkets in Australia selling Thai foods or ingredients for home cooking..!! Food certainly high on my friends list of reasons for coming here... and not talking about single men... we all know what they come for neither food or weather..!!

[anselpixel]

Give people a simple choice, and they'll take it.

Flying half-way around the world for food strains belief, but such polls are designed to elicit a predetermined response.

My US hometown isn't New York or LA, but it has Thai restaurants operating at the same level as Bussaracum, and ingredients are readily available in markets all over.

[ratcatcher]

"Foreign tourists still enjoyed travelling to Bangkok at year-end"

thai restaurants are all over the world, even with mainstream supermarkets selling thai foods, so food is not a reason for visiting thailand.

it's the weather which is a magnet for winter tourists, europe and n america are not fan at this time of the year

Good one

You might want to contact those 663 tourists who did not even mention weather in the top five reasons for coming to Thailand that they made a mistake they really came for the weather.

I go to give it to you. You have a wicket sense of humor.

Jayjay, this is a wicket sense of humor.