Thailand tourist arrivals grow unexpectedly January thru July

[webfact]

Thai tourist arrivals grow unexpectedly January thru July
By English News



BANGKOK, Sept 18 - The number of tourist arrivals to Thailand for the first seven months of this year grew unexpectedly at 20 per cent.

Government Spokesman Teerat Ratanasevi spoke after the Cabinet meeting today of the tourism situation following the Ministry of Tourism and Sports report.

The number of tourist arrivals from January through July this year exceeded 14.9 million, a 20.77 per cent increase, and the figure continues to grow.

In July alone, 2.2 million tourists entered Thailand, or an increase of 400,000 persons, or 22.47 per cent, year-on-year, which indicated the country's strongly positive growth for tourism.

Thailand's top-ten foreign traveller countries of origin are China, Japan, South Korea, Lao PDR, Vietnam, Singapore, India, Australia, and Russia, in that order.

Mr Teerat said Thailand projected tourism arrivals more accurately than a forecast made by the World Tourism Organisation at 3-4 per cent. (MCOT online news)


-- TNA 2013-09-18

[chooka]

They are always getting record numbers according to TAT and of course Thailand's number are more accurate than the World Tourism Organisation. Nothing in it for the WTO to fudge the figures and include transit passengers in the totals.

[NongKhaiKid]

Nothing unexpected about these figures as they are in line with all of TATs projections and as we all know TAT is the very epitome of integrity, not forgetting crazy ideas.

[noitom]

The best that they could come up with in the newspaper was a photo showing "departures" in an article about "arrivals."

[Tomtomtom69]

Yawn...the obsession with tourism in Thailand is fast becoming unpalatable. Does Thailand not have any other industries, other than tourism? It seems like it doesn't, given how often they talk about tourism and how little other industries are referred to in the news media.

I also think that Thailand is counting multiple entries by individual travellers as multiple persons - so if I made 30 entries to Thailand this year I was counted as 30 people, right? No wonder that the numbers are so high, when you consider how many travellers to Thailand make multiple entries each year. Even more so, what about dual citizens? I have entered Thailand on different passports just this year alone so naturally for statistics purposes, I would have been counted as a ______ citizen on a trip back in January and on a trip in February I was counted as a citizen of another country as I used a different passport to enter Thailand then.

[bigbamboo]

But how many were ghosts?

[bangkokheat]

now i understand why immigration is making visa rules tougher, that way you have to fly out of thailand and back in again, arrival numbers go up

[DocN]

Now that is a surprise.....

New record numbers, directly from the darkest of dark places of the TAT...someone's @$$!

[madmitch]

Look at the list of top ten countries providing tourists.

I think that says a lot.

[dcutman]

Where are all the tourist sleeping? Hotel occupancy rates just do not reflect a 21% increase. http://www2.bot.or.th/statistics/ReportPage.aspx?reportID=624&language=eng

These tourist dont seem to eat in restaurants, or drink in bars much either. I see nothing but mostly empty.

[johnthompson]

Counted 9 in the top 10

[CelticBhoy]

Thailand's top-ten foreign traveller countries of origin are China, Japan, South Korea, Lao PDR, Vietnam, Singapore, India, Australia, and Russia, in that order.

Well done Somchai. Great work on that top ten.

Now why are there only nine countries in it, eh?

[Pimay1]

I went up to Mukdahan a few weeks ago and on in to Laos for a day trip. While I was waiting at immigration to cross the bridge there was a bus or van every thirty minutes or so taking Thais to the casino at Savannakhet. I expect they are also counted as arrivals upon return.

[wdr]

China top-ten 55555+

One big bottle Beer (Tsingtao 640ml) in China between 4- 5 RMB = 25 THB, bough in a shop similar to 7Eleven

Eating in a nice restaurant (Shanghai), complete set with drink 20-40 RMB = 100 - 200 THB

I know many chinese who visited amazing Thailand - they done it once and never again.

[Pimay1]

Thailand's top-ten foreign traveller countries of origin are China, Japan, South Korea, Lao PDR, Vietnam, Singapore, India, Australia, and Russia, in that order.

Well done Somchai. Great work on that top ten.

Now why are there only nine countries in it, eh?

You have to understahnd the Thai counting method. When I rented this house the agent was counting out my change. She counted 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,11. Stopped and gave me a sheepish look.

[thhMan]

Thats excellent news for Thailand.

More visitors from countries that spend little on holiday.... They may need another increase of 80% to equal the spending habits of the tourists that Thailand has dismissed (Australia, UK, USA etc)

I always get a chuckle when I see a bunch of the "new" tourists pop down at a beer bar and 4 of them share a coke....

and...

7-11 must be doing a roaring trade, as I see many tourists buying booze from there instead of "funning" it out at the bars...

GOOD PR Thailand... your doing well -sic-

Edited September 18, 2013 by thhMan

[upena]

Tourists are definitely not in Jomtien

[slipperylobster]

Perhaps these people just came here to lay ties (for the new railroad racks).

[catmac]

So pleased to see TAT's quest for high spending tourists is paying off.........must be great to see all those millionaires from Lao living it up in the 5 star resorts!

[theblether]

Look at the list of top ten countries providing tourists.

I think that says a lot.

I'm impressed that the list of top 10 countries only has 9 countries on it.

Excellent going.

[Calimotty]

Like lambs to the slaughter, these are the days of our lives.

[jbrain]

A friend of mine came here mid March to visit a quite large business fair.

He flew with China airlines from Amsterdam, one of the more popular flights, and arrived on a Saturday. There were 178 empty seats on that flight.

He came her again end of August, with the same flight and arriving on a Friday. That day there were 238 empty seats on the flight.

I guess these days most tourists arrive with the banana boat then.

[trainman34014]

Told by Thai friend the other day that his Chinese relatives came to stay for 10 days on their first trip here and they were amazed how expensive Thailand is compared to China on almost everything. Result...they didn't spend a lot while they were here, so if this is a general trend they are not the 'High End Tourists' that Thailand apparently wants to attract !

Edited September 18, 2013 by trainman34014

[BlackJack]

Shouldnt this increase be reflected in the AOT shareprice

[Jim walker]

Thailand used to be a great place for a cheap fun holiday but not now I need 70K Baht a week just to survive for food and beer. Have my own condo so dont use hotels either.

[winstonc]

China top-ten 55555+

One big bottle Beer (Tsingtao 640ml) in China between 4- 5 RMB = 25 THB, bough in a shop similar to 7Eleven

Eating in a nice restaurant (Shanghai), complete set with drink 20-40 RMB = 100 - 200 THB

I know many chinese who visited amazing Thailand - they done it once and never again.

very valid point sir...but remember theres over a billion of the buggers,yet to enjoy this fair country,...imagine the figures coming out of tat then....next year a third of earths population has had the thai experience....i defy any country to top that......mmmmmmmmm,maybe north korea,,but thats probably escaping rather than entering,,hahahahahaha

[chooka]

Thats excellent news for Thailand.

More visitors from countries that spend little on holiday.... They may need another increase of 80% to equal the spending habits of the tourists that Thailand has dismissed (Australia, UK, USA etc)

I always get a chuckle when I see a bunch of the "new" tourists pop down at a beer bar and 4 of them share a coke....

and...

7-11 must be doing a roaring trade, as I see many tourists buying booze from there instead of "funning" it out at the bars...

GOOD PR Thailand... your doing well -sic-

Ah no actually they did not dismiss Australia...

Thailand's top-ten foreign traveller countries of origin are China, Japan, South Korea, Lao PDR, Vietnam, Singapore, India, Australia, and Russia, in that order.

[Pimay1]

Thailand used to be a great place for a cheap fun holiday but not now I need 70K Baht a week just to survive for food and beer. Have my own condo so dont use hotels either.

Man you must really eat and drink a lot to spend 70K Baht a week. I rent a small house in a village outside Kalasin and with all utilities, expenses including beer and food I never go over 20K a month.

[lee b]

Where are they all hiding then?

[paddyjenkins]

Where are all the tourist sleeping? Hotel occupancy rates just do not reflect a 21% increase. http://www2.bot.or.th/statistics/ReportPage.aspx?reportID=624&language=eng

These tourist dont seem to eat in restaurants, or drink in bars much either. I see nothing but mostly empty.

Fascinating data set on that website. Incredible growth in tourist numbers since about 2007 or so, but quite slow between 1997 and 2007. Occupancy rates in hotels have actually been quite stable over the years though. But I wonder if the growth in numbers over the past 6 years can be maintained. For a start the infrastructure, airport etc, are already bursting at the seams. But even if that wasn't the case will it be possible to keep sourcing new markets to keep the number heading ever higher? The growth seen was a marketing led policy adopted by Thailand to tap into new markets. Where though is the theoretical maximum? If increasing the numbers is no longer feasible or desirable then will Thailand finally find a way to raise its prices or otherwise go "upmarket"?