2014 tourist arrivals likely to drop 5%: Thai Tourism Minister

[webfact]

2014 tourist arrivals likely to drop 5%: Tourism Minister
By Digital Content



BANGKOK, Jan 23 - Caretaker Tourism and Sports Minister Somsak Pureesrisak said Thursday that the number of tourist arrivals this year is likely to decrease to 26 million from the previous projection of 28 million, or a drop of 5 per cent year-on-year following months of anti-government protest.

Hotel occupancy was only 30 per cent despite the high season, he said, adding that the political unrest caused an estimated loss in tourism business at around Bt20 billion, he said.

More countries and territories have prepared to update travel advisories to their citizens after the 60-day Emergency Decree was imposed to handle the anti-government protesters in Bangkok and parts of surrounding provinces yesterday.

The minister said the caretaker government has prepared measures to help protest-hit hotel businesses, including training courses for hotel staff to get better skills and could eventually increase their income.

The political unrest however has no significant impact on the arrival of tourists from North America as more travellers from the United States and Canada are expected later this year, according to Tourism Authority of Thailand.

Chureerat Kongtrakul, regional director of the TAT Americas Division, said the number of tourists from the United States this year would be the same as last year as the US economy gradually regains its health. Last year, some 820,000 American tourists visited Thailand.

She conceded if there is bloodshed, it would definitely adversely affect visitors, particularly first-timers, because this group of tourists are relatively sensitive. But those who travelled to Thailand more than once would understand the situation and would unlikely be affected, she said.

Ms Chureerat said some 230,000 Canadian visitors travelled to Thailand last year. This market was more sensitive than that of the United States but the number could rise this year although the Canadian government has issued travel advisories to its citizens on the political situation in Thailand.

She said TAT intends to penetrate new markets in the Americas, in particular the Latin American countries such as Brazil, Argentina, Columbia and Mexico.

One problem foreseen was the lack of Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking guides, she said, adding that the government would urgently increase the number of tour guides to respond to the market demand. (MCOT online news)


-- TNA 2014-01-23

[beenhere2long]

5%....more like 50%.

[ihunnieibee]

The numbers never seem to make any sense lol

[Pattaya28]

only 5%.

Wonder where this figure comes from ? Probably out of a hat ------>

[Pattaya28]

Amazing how this minister can predict for the next 11 months and 1 week.

[Costas2008]

She said TAT intends to penetrate new markets in the Americas, in particular the Latin American countries such as Brazil, Argentina, Columbia and Mexico.

They also need more customs officers to seize the drugs coming in.

Edited January 23, 2014 by Costas2008

[mrtoad]

He's having a giraffe, occupancy rates are well, well down.

I flew in from Manila on Monday on a TG flight, not even half full and most people were heading onto the Middle East. I then caught the flight to Trat and the flight was not even half full, at this time of the year normally it is full. Even the airport was quiet, and minimal queues at immigration.

[thesetat2013]

This tourist minister must be stupid. I am certain noone in the Usa would be buying tickets to come here in 6 months. Noone travels half across the world without planning in advance and almost noone buyd tickets at the last minute for holiday. So it is more than likely that these figures are way off

Sent from my GT-S5310 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[bigbamboo]

More Numberwang!

[Virt]

Is there any reason why the planetickets are skyrocketing if the numbers of tourist are decreasing?

We bought our roundtrip tickets from Copenhagen to Bangkok with Thai airways several months ago, and paid about 60,000 bath for 2 round trip tickets and fly march 2.

The price for two similar tickets in same plane are now priced at 155,000 bath!

Shouldn't it be the other way around if tourist are staying away?

[surangw]

drop by 5% or drop to 5% ?

[tsnyder]

5%....more like 50%.

This afternoon on the forum's new news radio, they were citing tourism agencies saying a 40% drop, or 8 times what the smiling Sports Minister Somsak Pureesrisak is claiming.

[tsnyder]

He's having a giraffe, occupancy rates are well, well down.

I flew in from Manila on Monday on a TG flight, not even half full and most people were heading onto the Middle East. I then caught the flight to Trat and the flight was not even half full, at this time of the year normally it is full. Even the airport was quiet, and minimal queues at immigration.

The same news radio broadcast was reporting thousands of cancellations and another country was advising its citizens in-country to leave.

Government Smiles and Lies.

[MegaRanter]

If hotels are 30% off the mark why should tourist numbers be just 5% off?

Are the visitors sleeping at protest sites?

[kkerry]

Is there any reason why the planetickets are skyrocketing if the numbers of tourist are decreasing?

We bought our roundtrip tickets from Copenhagen to Bangkok with Thai airways several months ago, and paid about 60,000 bath for 2 round trip tickets and fly march 2.

The price for two similar tickets in same plane are now priced at 155,000 bath!

Shouldn't it be the other way around if tourist are staying away?

Don't go by the prices on the Thai Airways site, try a travel agent instead. Maybe it's different pricing CPH-BKK-CPH than BKK-CPH-BKK but if you look here, flights are cheaper than what you are seeing.

http://www.saveflights.com/country/denmark.html

For a two week stay there are promotion tickets for travel before March 31 for 36,900 inc. taxes but you probably got a better price by booking well in advance.

[glomp]

From stockholm the thai air price looks to have been static for months for the march flights. Still the same as when i booked in september.

The carriers with 1 or more stops seem desperate to compete and have the same price aprox 8000tbh lower.

Who knows how the pricing works.

[pacman32]

Perfect time for a nice trip to be honest, bargains galore..............Once out of the sesspit that is Bangkok i reckon most places will be business as usual, and lovely and quiet as a bonus of the situation

Edited January 24, 2014 by pacman32

[madmitch]

So we have now had the tourism minister, the TAT and the Thai Hotels Association all with a different prediction in the same week.

Who's next?

[NanLaew]

Both KLM's flights from Amsterdam to Bangkok are chock full tomorrow.

[WilliamCave]

Did I not read some were in the past few days tourists would be up by 10 percent.

Every day changes here it seams for the TAT

[upena]

So we have now had the tourism minister, the TAT and the Thai Hotels Association all with a different prediction in the same week.

Who's next?

Tourism Council of Thailand (TCT) demanded that Yingluck cancel the SOE as it damaged tourism.

[Yunla]

"You don't know what you've got till its gone" etc.

Mismanagement and destabilisation, by accident or intent, are going to push this great nation into disaster eventually. Unless some bright spark takes the helm and starts developing the national infrastructure in every region, creates solid anti-corruption agencies, in order to improve the lives of Thai people and to capitalise on the enormous potential of the Thai holiday destination "brand". For people in many parts of the world, Thailand is a legendary paradise, a dream holiday, and they are willing to come here and spend big on the 'unforgettable memory' holidays. This needs to be appreciated and managed better by the those in power here. Stability, modern infrastructure and a strong legal system benefits Thai society, and also encourages mass-tourism, and leads to exponential growth of national wealth.

[RubbaJohnny]

Hubless ?

[Yunla]

Hubless ?

The hub of empty troughs.

[Ulic]

Still a rise but just not as much as predicted. Funny they do seem to always hit there numbers. These are easy to calculate

for tourists as everyone passes through immigration whether it be at the airports or land crossings. Money is collected

for arrival and departure taxes. I wonder how those numbers match up. They wanted to increase those taxes as the airports

were allegedly loosing money but they did pay extremely generous year end bonuses. I think it was 8 months pay or so.

[Jonmarleesco]

5%? Optimism continues to reign. Most tourists don't leave their planning to the last minute and I can't see too many planning for Thailand with no certainty of resolution of the current crisis.

[Jonmarleesco]

Is there any reason why the planetickets are skyrocketing if the numbers of tourist are decreasing?

We bought our roundtrip tickets from Copenhagen to Bangkok with Thai airways several months ago, and paid about 60,000 bath for 2 round trip tickets and fly march 2.

The price for two similar tickets in same plane are now priced at 155,000 bath!

Shouldn't it be the other way around if tourist are staying away?

Assuming economy, 155,000 seems way out of sync at any time, never mind in the current situation. A systems gremlin, perhaps.

[oldthaihand99]

"You don't know what you've got till its gone" etc.

Mismanagement and destabilisation, by accident or intent, are going to push this great nation into disaster eventually. Unless some bright spark takes the helm and starts developing the national infrastructure in every region, creates solid anti-corruption agencies, in order to improve the lives of Thai people and to capitalise on the enormous potential of the Thai holiday destination "brand". For people in many parts of the world, Thailand is a legendary paradise, a dream holiday, and they are willing to come here and spend big on the 'unforgettable memory' holidays. This needs to be appreciated and managed better by the those in power here. Stability, modern infrastructure and a strong legal system benefits Thai society, and also encourages mass-tourism, and leads to exponential growth of national wealth.

Serious issues have plaqued Thailand for a decade yet tourist numbers skyrocketed continually throughout. For tourists who need great infrastructure there is expensive Singapore & overcrowded Hong Kong.

[NanLaew]

OK, I lied when I said KLM was chockers yesterday. There were 2 empty seats on the whole plane... right next to me!

Immigration lines were busy mid-morning, all desks manned and through to baggage claim in 20 minutes.

Crisis? What crisis?