Ministry told to improve data

[craigt3365]

BANGKOK, 7 October 2013: Thailands Ministry of Tourism and Sports acknowledges it needs to supply clearer and more timely data from its offices around the country.

Minister, Somsak Pureesrisak, said Prime Minister, Yingluck Shinawatra, had reminded the ministry that one its core responsibilities was to collect in-depth data for each province to allow the government to make clear strategic decisions on building competitiveness in regional tourism.

It is the first public acknowledgement by the ministry that it needs to improve tourism data. Data collection and analysis was one of the basic assignments written into the ministrys brief when it was formed. It took over the entire process from the Tourism Authority of Thailand.

Continued:

http://www.ttrweekly.com/site/2013/10/ministry-told-to-improve-data/

[kirk0233]

Tourism private sector leaders have asked the ministry to raise creditability of its data collection and arrivals statistics.

Reports on statistics by TTR Weekly online invariably prompt a challenge from readers indicating the need to clarify, or show the veracity of the collection process and conclusions.

Yet in the three years of reader criticism of tourism data collection, not a single response or clarification has been presented by the ministry. Officials prefer to ignore private sector concerns.

Finally the truth is told. Anyone passing through a border checkpoint is counted as a tourist. Useless data for tourism purposes.

[Sydebolle]

What is there to improve? There are 15, 20, 40 or maybe 50 million tourists - all spending truckloads of money and all very happy. So what on earth do you think we would need data; just ask tourists on the way out after having been ripped off nicely all the way.......

[unanimosity]

Say what, you mean we actually have to count?

[pbfisher]

Tourism private sector leaders have asked the ministry to raise creditability of its data collection and arrivals statistics.

Reports on statistics by TTR Weekly online invariably prompt a challenge from readers indicating the need to clarify, or show the veracity of the collection process and conclusions.

Yet in the three years of reader criticism of tourism data collection, not a single response or clarification has been presented by the ministry. Officials prefer to ignore private sector concerns.

Finally the truth is told. Anyone passing through a border checkpoint is counted as a tourist. Useless data for tourism purposes.

'Finally the truth is told. Anyone passing through a border checkpoint is counted as a tourist. Useless data for tourism purposes.'

Sorry, I seem to have missed that part of the story. Can you please clarify?

[Benmart]

What is there to improve? There are 15, 20, 40 or maybe 50 million tourists - all spending truckloads of money and all very happy. So what on earth do you think we would need data; just ask tourists on the way out after having been ripped off nicely all the way.......

Aside from the negative nature of your comments, it appears that the MoTaS sees a need for valid data which was not forthcoming from TAT. Generalized statements of tourists being ripped off, although accurate in some cases, have nothing to do with data collection or improvement of a seemingly dysfunctional data collection system.

[Benmart]

Tourism private sector leaders have asked the ministry to raise creditability of its data collection and arrivals statistics.

Reports on statistics by TTR Weekly online invariably prompt a challenge from readers indicating the need to clarify, or show the veracity of the collection process and conclusions.

Yet in the three years of reader criticism of tourism data collection, not a single response or clarification has been presented by the ministry. Officials prefer to ignore private sector concerns.

Finally the truth is told. Anyone passing through a border checkpoint is counted as a tourist. Useless data for tourism purposes.

'Finally the truth is told. Anyone passing through a border checkpoint is counted as a tourist. Useless data for tourism purposes.'

Sorry, I seem to have missed that part of the story. Can you please clarify?

Yes, please provide how tourist numbers are computed. The article does not go into great detail or what algorithms are used to determine a tourist head count versus persons entering for diplomatic, business, education purposes etc. Thanks for sharing your information on this topic.

[kirk0233]

Tourism private sector leaders have asked the ministry to raise creditability of its data collection and arrivals statistics.

Reports on statistics by TTR Weekly online invariably prompt a challenge from readers indicating the need to clarify, or show the veracity of the collection process and conclusions.

Yet in the three years of reader criticism of tourism data collection, not a single response or clarification has been presented by the ministry. Officials prefer to ignore private sector concerns.

Finally the truth is told. Anyone passing through a border checkpoint is counted as a tourist. Useless data for tourism purposes.

'Finally the truth is told. Anyone passing through a border checkpoint is counted as a tourist. Useless data for tourism purposes.'

Sorry, I seem to have missed that part of the story. Can you please clarify?

These data do not identify the final destination of the tourist. Some in transit to another country, some chiang mai, some bangkok, some merely making visa runs, some entering for business, some as tourists, etc - only counting those coming into the country without regard to purpose or final destination. These data have been criticized in the past on this forum for not representing actual tourism nuimbers (eg always growing). Now tourism organizations in Thailand have finally made this criticism public.

[bangon04]

Is the TAT not any more producing silly statistics? Oh shame it was sooo entertaining. So what are they doing these days?

[Dap]

Tourism private sector leaders have asked the ministry to raise creditability of its data collection and arrivals statistics.

Reports on statistics by TTR Weekly online invariably prompt a challenge from readers indicating the need to clarify, or show the veracity of the collection process and conclusions.

Yet in the three years of reader criticism of tourism data collection, not a single response or clarification has been presented by the ministry. Officials prefer to ignore private sector concerns.

Finally the truth is told. Anyone passing through a border checkpoint is counted as a tourist. Useless data for tourism purposes.

'Finally the truth is told. Anyone passing through a border checkpoint is counted as a tourist. Useless data for tourism purposes.'

Sorry, I seem to have missed that part of the story. Can you please clarify?

Yes, please provide how tourist numbers are computed. The article does not go into great detail or what algorithms are used to determine a tourist head count versus persons entering for diplomatic, business, education purposes etc. Thanks for sharing your information on this topic.

"Algorithms"?? You must be joking. You are aware (I presume) that you are speaking of Thai methods?

And, after 20 yrs of reading Thai "statistics" I am easily led to side with kirk0233 "Anyone passing through a border checkpoint is counted as a tourist." about wraps it up for me