Thai Hotels Association confident tourism will grow 10%

[webfact]

Thai Hotels Association confident tourism will grow 10%
By Digital Content



SARAWAK, Jan 21 - The president of the Thai Hotels Association (THA) said he believed Thai tourism will grow at 10 per cent in a worst-case scenario.

Surapong Techaruvichit, THA president, spoke at the "ASEAN Tourism Forum 2014" being held Jan 19-23, at Sarawak State Legislative Assembly in Malaysia's Sarawak state.

The forum's opening ceremony was presided over by Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak. The event is joined by tourism agencies from ASEAN countries. Sombat Kuruphan, Thailand's vice minister for tourism and sports, represented his country.

Mr Surapong said the THA intended to create understanding about Thailand with overseas buyers that tourists can still travel to Thailand despite continuing anti-government protests in Bangkok.

Thailand's overall tourism last year grew 17 per cent with the number of tourists at 2.99 million. Due to the ongoing protests, about half of the total 90,000 room bookings in Bangkok have been cancelled.

Mr Surapong viewed that if the protests prolong without violence, tourism will grow up to 13 per cent, while it will rise at least 10 per cent in case of violence, which is a worst-case scenario.

Travellers are suggested to divert their arrival routes where direct flights are operated to avoid the capital's area. The resort town of Hua Hin in Prachaup Khiri Khan province is another destination now favoured among Malaysian visitors.

Mr Surapong said from his experiences, tourists will come back to Thailand in a few months after the protests. (MCOT online news)


-- TNA 2014-01-21

[davejones]

Tourism will grow 10% in the case that there is more violence, even though books in Bangkok are down 50%? And numbers will grow 13% without violence. These are very precise numbers. I wonder how they came to the conclusion that 50% cancelled bookings will turned into a 10% overall increase if violence starts.

[plachon]

I wonder what planet Mr Surapong lives on? Certainly not the 2014 planet earth. As for tourism growing "only 10 % in case of violence", one must be left to wonder what he imagines daily throwing of grenades and occasional drive-by shootings at demonstrations in the heart of Bangkok to be? - an ancient custom of Thai greeting to show respect and tolerance to another's political view? His sense of realism will surely pull in the tourists, impressed by the national leaders sincerity and optimism. I guess as long as your attacker is smiling when he lobs a grenade in your direction, then you should feel safe and secure that the THA guarantees a warm, friendly welcome.

[terryp]

i was thinking more like an increase of 555% or 999%

[leggo]

These sort of statements beggar belief but go hand in hand with other statements made by various ministeries previously - It seems to me that Thailand has become so inward looking that it has absolutely no idea what is going on in the rest of the world or how people outside think.I love Thai people who are wonderfully generous but it is time they changed - all day long I see them looking at themselves in mirrors and from a very young age; they have become a totally vain population who need to start behaving more maturely instead of believing that they can act or say whatever they think they should without any consequences ! Like the other comments the statistics they use are hilariously idiotic!!!

[JeremyBowskill]

11 years of waiting no to be spoon fed BS from anyone with a Thai name, guess I can wait 1 more day.

[Costas2008]

Khun Surapong Techaruvichit is a very well informed man.

He knows that in a short time the army will step in.

The Siwanantra clan will be ousted.

Khun Sutherp will stay at home and relax.

And everything will be quite again.

So many "quality" tourists will be visiting this country again.

And the Pattayia boys will start moaning in force on TVF.

[bangkokheat]

mr surapong is probably right, tourists will come back after the protests finish, no different from a man dog chasing a woman dog who is on heat, the smell is in the air and they keep coming back for a sniff and more, irresistible

[bigbamboo]

Tit.

No, not TIT or even TAT....... just tit.

[jaltsc]

Tourism will grow 10% in the case that there is more violence, even though books in Bangkok are down 50%? And numbers will grow 13% without violence. These are very precise numbers. I wonder how they came to the conclusion that 50% cancelled bookings will turned into a 10% overall increase if violence starts.

They continue to raise the prices and divide by the number of rooms occupied until the they reach a 10% increase in total revenue...OR...They just continue to lie about the statistics in order to save face

[Pib]

Khun Surapong needs a medication adjustment and also needs to take off the rosy-colored sun glasses so he can better comprehend the world around him.

[millwall_fan]

There are lies, damn lies and tourist Authority of Thailand figures. T.A.T,like all other agencies of its type is led by people who have bought their jobs and have to produce ever increasing arrival figures in order to justify the advertising budgets that they can cream their percentage from. And this is not just a criticism of the current government - I had a tourist dependent business under the Abhisit government led TAT as well as this one.

[jocko]

Ostrich and Sand methinks

[FangFerang]

Marketing organizations providing statistics is like hiring one's gardener as a hair dresser, then telling the doctor, "Of course I noticed the shears were overly large, but I thought it meant the job would be done more quickly."

[LuckyLew]

Like the song goes ..... dream never dies, just the dreamer .....................

[Prbkk]

There are lies, dam_n lies and tourist Authority of Thailand figures. T.A.T,like all other agencies of its type is led by people who have bought their jobs and have to produce ever increasing arrival figures in order to justify the advertising budgets that they can cream their percentage from. And this is not just a criticism of the current government - I had a tourist dependent business under the Abhisit government led TAT as well as this one.

agree...I'm mildly surprised that it's just 10.0....they could have more creative...14.25 15.50, or 11.75. Notorious for BS

[newcomer71]

4 families, friends of mine, planned to come to Bangkok for Easter and asked me to find them an accommodation.

Needless to say all 4 of them changed destination p-r-o-n-t-o.

Same for 2 customers that would have love to visit, they changed plans.

But Tourist Associations can go on to dream as they did in back in 2006, 2008 and 2010...

[unanimosity]

Looks like the fortune teller told him what he wanted to hear so he can save face during the laughter.

[Emster23]

I think he moonlights as promoter of tourism to Syria, where numbers will be 12.5%.

[3NUMBAS]

10% of nothing doesnt add up to much

[Emster23]

I think he moonlights as promoter of tourism to Syria, where numbers will be 12.5%.

[bangon04]

Looks like the fortune teller told him what he wanted to hear so he can save face during the laughter.

But did anyone tell him about the Declaration of a State of Emergency? That always boosts tourist confidence....

[BSJ]

It's either simple minded optimism or down right stupidity and lying. You pick!

[Loles]

This is big BST with a nice dream.

And why only 10%, why not 25% if we talk about the feary tail's dreams ???

I guess the state emergency decree will help a lot ....

[englishoak]

10% up from what it is now by the end of the year ? probably but overall hes in cookoo land

[Somtamnication]

This and the TAT must be run by Hare Krishna. They are always so happy, upbeat, positive and prancing around like one legged sailor holding a bottle of rum.

Seriously, do these guys have anything real to tell us?

[theoldgit]

Offensive remark removed.

[mrtoad]

Obviously been raiding the drinks cabinet at The Ministry of Labour.

Where do they find these imbeciles?

[surangw]

they must be sharing TAT's cool aid

[Jonmarleesco]

I'm sure it will. Presumably the THA is working to a Thai timetable, not a regular one?