Thai protests scare away almost 2 million tourists

[webfact]

Protests scare away almost 2 million tourists



BANGKOK: -- The ongoing protests and state of emergency in Bangkok have scared away two million tourists and inflicted a loss of 82 billion baht to the tourism industry.

The figure was revealed at the meeting between the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) and the private sector to find ways to promote tourism during the current political unrest.

TAT governor Thawatchai Aranyik informed the meeting that TAT has not lowered its targeted number of tourist arrivals for the year from 28 million, nor would it decrease its targeted tourism income from 2.2 trillion baht, despite the ongoing political instability.

He said the TAT would work out measures to promote tourist arrivals amid the current political instability.

But the private sector has voiced concern that the protests have caused the country to lose 1.8 million tourists in the first quarter of the year, and to lose an income of about 82 billion baht.

It then calls on the government to lift the emergency decree as soon as possible, stating it would be best if it could do so within the end of February.

Meanwhile, Thai Hotels Association chairman Surapong Techaruvijit I said that hotel and lodging reservations outside of Bangkok are still growing well.

He said Koh Samui, Phuket, and Chiang Mai are seeing an 85% hotel room booking, with Chinese tourists being the main customers in those places.

He noted, however, that hotel reservation in Bangkok has declined by 20 percent, while hotels and lodgings in protesting sites are only 25-30% reserved. Yet, hotels in those areas ensured that they would not lay off their employees and would decrease spending in other sector instead.

At the same time the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce revealed that 30.5% of the country’s SMEs have been severely affected by the continuing political demonstrations, while 22 % said they were moderately affected. If the current situation continued, the SMEs would only be able to carry on with their businesses for 4.6 months. Moreover, most are speculating that other risk factors could dampen economic growth to less than 2% for the year.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/protests-scare-away-almost-2-million-tourists/


-- Thai PBS 2014-02-07

[jollyman]

" voiced concern that the protests have caused the country to lose 1.8 million tourists in the first quarter of the year"

Well we are only into 5 weeks into the year, not a Quarter is it?

[JoeThePoster]

Luckily 10 billion braved it and spent Chinese New Year here according to the other TAT report.

[crazykopite]

I really wonder how these people come up with such numbers I am starting to think its a case of think of a figure double it and times it by a thousand for the next 24hours at intervals of 30 seconds they then come to a nice even figure and for a stroke of luck add on a few million just in case after all this is Amazing Thailand !!!

[Tonto21]

I Like the way the TAT do the math, it's just so Thai, always makes me smile!

[englishoak]

I Like the way the TAT do the math, it's just so Thai, always makes me smile!

TAT do math ? Wow, and I thought they just made it all up

[taony]

1.8 million tourists, 82 billion baht - that's an average of 45,555 each. Seems high.

[Khun Loong]

This is surly a good thing for the Thai environment.

[ETatBKK]

1.8 million tourists, 82 billion baht - that's an average of 45,555 each. Seems high.

well, lost 1.8 million tourists ( in a quarter ), then

lost 600,000 tourists a month, then

lost 20,000 tourists arrival per day, then

about 60 jumbo jets LESS per day . . .

TAT, making sense ?

[HappyinNE]

This is surly a good thing for the Thai environment.

I love it! Great comment

[PaulHamon]

1.8 million tourists, 82 billion baht - that's an average of 45,555 each. Seems high.

The average tourist does come for 10 days and drops US$1,500 is not hard to imagine.

ALSO Depends if to add in the follow on effect of money, they don't actually say the tourist spend that much, much 'income' is lost down the line.

~ 1,000 Baht for for a hotel room.

~ 900 of it is spend paying wages, suppliers and amenities.

~ 800 goes to paying all the business, wages, amenities used to supply those 2nd tear business get paid.

~ etc, etc, etc.

The multiplier effect

http://www.economicsonline.co.uk/Managing_the_economy/The_multiplier_effect.html

[laurentbkk]

well maybe the hotels in Bangkok , specially those on the river could lower their prices to attract more tourists ... but when you call them to inquiry about prices they replied " high season" ... so maybe they should stop to talk about hypothetical high season and offer great deals ...

[Lancelot]

Chiang Mai seems to be full of tourists, probably benefitting from the ongoing Bangkok protests...

[BSJ]

One would hope with 2 million less tourists the number of disgusting smoking buses on the road would be somewhat diminished.

Maybe TAT have some numbers on that!

[madmitch]

well maybe the hotels in Bangkok , specially those on the river could lower their prices to attract more tourists ... but when you call them to inquiry about prices they replied " high season" ... so maybe they should stop to talk about hypothetical high season and offer great deals ...

Walk-in prices may be the same but there are plenty of cheap deals online right now, though iI'd guess that the riverside hotels are keeping their prices on the high side as they are away from the "action".

[smileydude]

Advise tourists to avoid Bangkok and tourism will be fine. All they'll miss is the dust, smog and shopping and quite possibly extend the life of their lungs by a few years.

[upena]

If Thai Government says 2 million tourists lost, then it is most likely 2-3 times that.

[Alwyn]

1.8 million tourists, 82 billion baht - that's an average of 45,555 each. Seems high.

You have a point there especially as earl;ier in the week TAT were saying the average spend is 32,000 per tourist (which also seemed high if you include children etc)

[chooka]

"nor would it decrease its targeted tourism income from 2.2 trillion baht, despite the ongoing political instability".

Sounds like they have a cunning plan to skim more from those that do come to maintain this target.

[sonar6ca]

More BS from the experts at TAT.

[webfact]

As tourist arrivals plummet, Govt told to revoke emergency decree
By Digital Content



BANGKOK, Feb 7 – The number of foreign visitors to Thailand has dropped 8 per cent below the target with the government’s application of the emergency decree partly to blame, according to the Thai tourism industry.

Tawatchai Aranyik, Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) governor, met with representatives of the local tourism sector yesterday to work out guidelines on tourism promotion in light of the political crisis.

Those attending the meeting were from the Tourism Council of Thailand, Association of Thai Travel Agents, Thai Hotels Association, Association of Thai Tourism Marketing and the Thai Incentive and Convention Association.

Mr Tawatchai said the TAT’s projection for 28 million tourists and Bt2.2 trillion tourism revenue this year would remain unchanged despite the ongoing political unrest.

Tourist arrivals in January were 2.3 million people, an increase by 0.06 per cent but 8 per cent below the target, he said.

Having disappeared were tourists from China, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore and Japan.

Tourists are expected to drop 3.5 per cent this month, mainly from China which has been Thailand’s major market but the TAT has hoped for a revival in the third and fourth quarters.

Piyaman Techapaibul, Tourism Council of Thailand president, said there were no new bookings since early this year, mainly due to the use of the emergency decree.

She said enforcing the decree for 60 days would be too long, and called on the government to urgently revoke it to bring back confidence among foreign tourists who looked forward to visiting Thailand during the high-season month of April.

The annual Songkran, or water splashing, festival in April has become one of Thailand’s signature events widely known among foreign tourists. The festival is celebrated nationwide for a week.

Ms Piyaman said the council submitted a letter to caretaker Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra last week, asking the government to revoke the emergency decree before the end of the month, if possible.

She predicted revenue losses from tourism at over Bt82 billion, or equivalent to 1.8 million tourists, in the first two quarters of the year, adding that it will take a few months to stimulate tourism after the political situation returns to normal. (MCOT online news)


-- TNA 2014-02-07

[ginjag]

More BS from the experts at TAT.

Nong Khai yesterday, 10am the biggest queue in decades waiting for visa to enter Laos, 3 hours in the queue, An American said Wednesday was the same.

All these persons being recorded as tourists, most visa runs, others escaping the B/S here, although a fair % passing through for Laos holiday.

There were also a stream of Thai consulate visitors wanting extension visa, having to stay until Monday because of being late to put the application in on time,

All on TAT numbers.

[Macrohistory]

I know someone who works at the TAT, in the mid- to upper-reaches of the organization. Based on what she has told me over the years -- and her own direct experiences -- when the TAT says it "would work out measures to promote tourist arrivals amid the current political instability," what that means is "it would send its mid- to upper-ranked executives on expensive trips to Europe, North America, South America, Australia/New Zealand, and Northeast Asia to stay at fancy hotels, consume expensive dinners, and maybe spend a little time trying to convince tour operators in such places to encourage tourists to return, while also trying to convince government officials to lift their travel warnings." The TAT is, according to my friend, almost obscenely corrupt in the sorts of perks it lavishes upon higher-ranked employees. She would like to leave the organization but feels a feudal-like loyalty to her boss. Tourism will always have to grow to feed this bureaucracy's boundless appetite for pleasure trips that mix in a little work.

[taony]

1.8 million tourists, 82 billion baht - that's an average of 45,555 each. Seems high.

The average tourist does come for 10 days and drops US$1,500 is not hard to imagine.

ALSO Depends if to add in the follow on effect of money, they don't actually say the tourist spend that much, much 'income' is lost down the line.

~ 1,000 Baht for for a hotel room.

~ 900 of it is spend paying wages, suppliers and amenities.

~ 800 goes to paying all the business, wages, amenities used to supply those 2nd tear business get paid.

~ etc, etc, etc.

The multiplier effect

http://www.economicsonline.co.uk/Managing_the_economy/The_multiplier_effect.html

I don't think the average tourist comes for 10 days. To average 10 days you have to have lot of people staying a lot longer than that to offset those that come for only a short time. Many come on package tours, combined with other countries, and those trips are a lot less than 10 days. My first trip to Thailand was on a tour and I was only here 3 or 4 days. A lot of the "tourists" are on visa runs or transferring too (come into town on a long lay over or a day or two layover, etc.). Even many people that come to have a beach holiday will spend 5-7 days at most. The people that stay for longer or very long are backpackers and they certainly don't spend that much unless they are here for a month or more. They certainly don't spend enough to make the average so high.

I think the money amounts referred to are what they think the foreign cash coming into the country is, not the know-on effects to the economy. B45k is quite high. That is per EACH person. If a husband, wife and two kids come to Thailand for a holiday, even if it is for 10 days, you think they'll spend B18k per day? Its a lot, they only need one hotel room. How many crappy souvenirs can they buy, even at rip off prices.

[IMA_FARANG]

Have you ever heard of the "80% rule"?

To simplify it, the rule is basically "80% of everything is bull----t".

It applies in Thailand to politics and government statistics including tourist figures.

When you read ANYTHING released by any government, remember the "80% rule".

Especially in Thailand, but it applies worldwide too.

[IMA_FARANG]

Have you ever heard of the "80% rule"?

To simplify it, the rule is basically "80% of everything is bull----t".

It applies in Thailand to politics and government statistics including tourist figures.

When you read ANYTHING released by any government, remember the "80% rule".

Especially in Thailand, but it applies worldwide too.

[apalink_thailand]

Its not scaring away the Russians. The airport was packed with them the other night. Nobody else, just Russians.

[jimbeam1]

They are looking at ways to increase toursim. Maybe they should promote the demonstrations as a carnival. Brings a complete new meaning to the word Mardi Gras. They could even claim it as their own.

jb1

[apalink_thailand]

I Like the way the TAT do the math, it's just so Thai, always makes me smile!

Keep in mind that the tourism figures also inlclude the daytime border crossers from Malaysia. The numbers have always been buggered.

[Blackmirage2013]

Its not scaring away the Russians. The airport was packed with them the other night. Nobody else, just Russians.

That is because even violent, crazy Thailand is safer than Russia, where bombs explode everywhere.... it is like the Land of Oz here compared to Russia....