Thai tourism agency bidding for return of foreign tourists ahead of high season

[webfact]

Tourism agency bidding for return of foreign tourists ahead of high season
Suchat Sritama
The Nation


Thawatchai Arunyik

BANGKOK: -- The Tourism Authority of Thailand is preparing a three-month plan to rebuild tourism, but the country would probably still fail to achieve its arrival target for this year.

The recovery plan is set to run this month until August, almost three months, to draw tourists back before the high season arrives.

The plan starts with a fam trip bringing about 1,000 travel and blog writers from around the world to Thailand to see the situation here for themselves.Street festivals would be organised particularly in Bangkok to show that local lives continue to go on and tourists continue to come to the capital. A foreign super star singer will be invited to Thailand to help promote tourism.

Thawatchai Arunyik, governor of TAT, yesterday appeared before the international media in Bangkok during the Thailand Travel Mart Plus the Greater Mekong Subregion to ensure that Thailand remained one of most popular destinations in the world.

There have been declines in arrivals from some short-haul markets, while many others are still doing well. Huge losses were seen from Brunei, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, but inbounds from many countries rose.

European arrivals are up 7.6 per cent to 2.76 million. In April, arrivals rose from the Middle East by 17.6 per cent, Oceania by 14.1 per cent, Europe 12.3 per cent and America 1.9 per cent.

The military government has moved quickly to relax nationwide curfews and removed them entirely in the key tourist destinations of Phuket, Samui and Pattaya.

The Tourism Ministry is set to propose the lifting of curfews in other key destinations - Krabi, Phang-nga, Trang, Hat Yai, Ko Chang, Cha-am, Hua Hin and Chiang Mai.

"Thais can enjoy their daily lives as normal, eating out, shopping, travelling and doing business. We strongly believe that Thailand's tourism industry will rapidly bounce back again by utmost efforts," he said.

Although the TAT and military government are pushing hard to restore tourism, it is likely they would miss the target. The agency had projected foreign visitors this year at 28 million before revising the target down to 25.6 million, a slight drop from last year due mainly to the political issue.

However, visitor expenditures are expected to bulge 2.18 per cent to Bt1.23 trillion or US$38.4 billion.

"TAT is asking the government for an extra budget. If granted, we should adjust arrivals up to 25.9 million, or about 300,000 more tourists," he said. TAT also expects that the military government would hold a general election or establish an interim government within 150 days so it would ease the worries from outsiders.

Piyaman Tejapaibul, president of the Tourism Council of Thailand, urged the junta to appoint the president of the National Tourism Policy Committee to deal with the tough situation. The body collapsed when the government was seized by the military last month.

The tourism industry needs the committee to be reactivated to address three problems - tourism budget management, low confidence and illegal businesses like taxi and jet ski scams."We also ask the government for more discussions in this uncertain situation," she added.


-- The Nation 2014-06-06

[Dr Bruce]

I have been on a few flights recently for work. All flights to BKK have had very few passengers and many have been cancelled.

Look here

http://suvarnabhumiairport.com/en/3-passenger-arrivals

Many people outside of Thailand are getting un-censored news and are staying away.

My company has been working in Thailand for many years and they are scheduling most meetings in HCMC where they used to always meet here.

[kurnell]

This means bargains for local expats. Great

[Dr Bruce]

This means bargains for local expats. Great

Once you have been here for a while, you will notice that most Thais reaction to less customers is to put prices up.

[Thailand]

Nothing will have changed in 3 months and those countries issuing no go warnings because of the coup will continue to do so whilst the military are in charge.

If you lived overseas and were considering a family holiday in Asia I doubt if Thailand would even be a consideration, certainly for the time being, too many other options without the potential risks.

There are armed military on the streets here,very few where I am and we have barely been affected,BUT they are still there and there are many restrictions that were not there before.

[noitom]

Thais perceive foreigners to be fools. You can see that from the points made in the Thai press. The main concerns for foreign travelers is security, quality and cost. None of these things are mentioned. However, the TAT big cheese states the kick off phase is to bring 1,000 travel and blog writers to "show" them around and get them to write more of the same tripe that they already wrote.

[kurnell]

This means bargains for local expats. Great

Once you have been here for a while, you will notice that most Thais reaction to less customers is to put prices up.

That's why I stay in the 5 stars

[ThailandNoob]

Military coups have a way of scaring foreign tourists away ...

[EricBerg]

" "TAT is asking the government for an extra budget. If granted, we should adjust arrivals up to 25.9 million, or about 300,000 more tourists," he said."

TAT isn't doing too well with their substantial budget so far. Planning street concerts and the likes will not bring Europeans and Americans to the Kingdom.

"TAT also expects that the military government would hold a general election or establish an interim government within 150 days so it would ease the worries from outsiders."

The junta will do reforms before elections. TAT thinks that can all be done in 150 days???? Where does the guy come from?

[englishoak]

Bidding ? ok how much they gonna pay us then ? offers on the table please

[Crazy chef 1]

bidding?rather bagging.

[Fiddlesticks]

bidding?rather bagging.

Perhaps a better term would be BEGGING !

[Lupatria]

Nice photo. Now general failure has a face.

[Chang_paarp]

BIG NOTE !!!

TAT has admitted they will not achieve their arrival targets. This is one of the few times this has happened in my memory, even when the airport was occupied they were increasing the numbers.

As to asking for more money to attract tourists, this is a standard tactic by almost any government department worldwide to a problem. If the first attempt did not work, throw more money at the problem.

[jonclark]

Yeah right - the lead story in the other paper - with a protester holding a placard reading 'f*** USA' should have ally the fears of foriegn governments.

[impulse]

Many people outside of Thailand are getting un-censored news and are staying away.

They're getting scare mongering and sensationalism, not "uncensored news".

For all the gloom and doom in the international media and Embassy Alerts, I have not personally seen a single incident related to the military actions that would cause tourists any alarm.

Nor have I read a credible story, or even heard one through our company's very extensive grapevine that would cause me any concern about my own safety related to the coup.

[toybits]

Is it now choking on its resounding success?

[antimedia]

Many people outside of Thailand are getting un-censored news and are staying away.

They're getting scare mongering and sensationalism, not "uncensored news".

For all the gloom and doom in the international media and Embassy Alerts, I have not personally seen a single incident related to the military actions that would cause tourists any alarm.

Nor have I read a credible story, or even heard one through our company's very extensive grapevine that would cause me any concern about my own safety related to the coup.

I Agree fully, the west is using this opportunity in an attempt to drive Thailand into the mud for their own sinister agenda. What is also alarming is those TV members who not only agree with the gutter politics by America and its sniveling puppet countries like Australia, but also try to sensationalise it further because their beloved fugitive criminal and his party have been appropriately screwed.

[Sandman77]

Belive it or not, I not belive!

[allan michaud]

"There have been declines in arrivals from some short-haul markets, while many others are still doing well. Huge losses were seen from Brunei, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, but inbounds from many countries rose.

European arrivals are up 7.6 per cent to 2.76 million. In April, arrivals rose from the Middle East by 17.6 per cent, Oceania by 14.1 per cent, Europe 12.3 per cent and America 1.9 per cent."

Honestly? These sound like total fantasy figures to me. However the request for extra money for TAT comes as no surprise. These people are total muppets.

[jonclark]

Many people outside of Thailand are getting un-censored news and are staying away.

They're getting scare mongering and sensationalism, not "uncensored news".

For all the gloom and doom in the international media and Embassy Alerts, I have not personally seen a single incident related to the military actions that would cause tourists any alarm.

Nor have I read a credible story, or even heard one through our company's very extensive grapevine that would cause me any concern about my own safety related to the coup.

I don't think safety is the issue. I'd be more likely to suggest that some of the people (tourists) would choose to stay away as some would in principle be opposed to spending their tourist dollar in an undemocratic economy.

Now many people will say that is too simplistic and they don't understand Thailand's problems. But when the message from the junta is for foreigners and foreign governments to stop meddling in Thailand's internal affairs, that in itself is enough reason for citizens of those governments to stay away and holiday elsewhere.

Thailand can hardly expect on one hand to tell foreign governments to stay out her affairs whilst on the other hand sweet talk foreign organisations into sending their citizens here?

[jonclark]

Many people outside of Thailand are getting un-censored news and are staying away.

They're getting scare mongering and sensationalism, not "uncensored news".

For all the gloom and doom in the international media and Embassy Alerts, I have not personally seen a single incident related to the military actions that would cause tourists any alarm.

Nor have I read a credible story, or even heard one through our company's very extensive grapevine that would cause me any concern about my own safety related to the coup.

I Agree fully, the west is using this opportunity in an attempt to drive Thailand into the mud for their own sinister agenda. What is also alarming is those TV members who not only agree with the gutter politics by America and its sniveling puppet countries like Australia, but also try to sensationalise it further because their beloved fugitive criminal and his party have been appropriately screwed.

Please elaborate on the 'sinister agenda' please, please, please.

Either that or put your tin hat back on.

[bigbamboo]

Military coups have a way of scaring foreign tourists away ...

In this case it was the previous lack of law and order streets and subsequent ill informed the travel advisories that have done that.

[antimedia]

Many people outside of Thailand are getting un-censored news and are staying away.

They're getting scare mongering and sensationalism, not "uncensored news".

For all the gloom and doom in the international media and Embassy Alerts, I have not personally seen a single incident related to the military actions that would cause tourists any alarm.

Nor have I read a credible story, or even heard one through our company's very extensive grapevine that would cause me any concern about my own safety related to the coup.

I Agree fully, the west is using this opportunity in an attempt to drive Thailand into the mud for their own sinister agenda. What is also alarming is those TV members who not only agree with the gutter politics by America and its sniveling puppet countries like Australia, but also try to sensationalise it further because their beloved fugitive criminal and his party have been appropriately screwed.

Please elaborate on the 'sinister agenda' please, please, please.

Either that or put your tin hat back on.

"New World Order" dosey.

[Bluespunk]

"The plan starts with a fam trip bringing about 1,000 travel and blog writers from around the world to Thailand to see the situation here for themselves."

Whats a 'fam trip'. I thought it said farm at first, 1000 writers on a farm trip, sounds like hell to me.

[Bluespunk]

deleted

[jonclark]

"New World Order" dosey.

Okay - so let me see if I've got this straight.

The Junta by carrying out a coup have allowed the US and her allies the excuse they need to implement and unleash their sinister 'new world order plan' through an active campaign of dis-information, scaremongering etc. on Thailand.

Well the Thai military were certainly caught with their pants down on that one. They've fallen right into the USA's trap.

Maybe we should have kept Yingluck - And i never thought i'd hear myself say that!

[Ned]

Then there's the question of not being able to get travel insurance which will put off tourists this year.

[poohy]

"The plan starts with a fam trip bringing about 1,000 travel and blog writers from around the world to Thailand to see the situation here for themselves."

Whats a 'fam trip'. I thought it said farm at first, 1000 writers on a farm trip, sounds like hell to me.

Standard travel industry speak for "Familiarization trip" basically free trip in return for either sales or in this case writing NICE things

[Choonpon]

Street festivals with local concerts sound interesting! If there's no more road blocks and traffic is back to normal, I'm coming back!

Hope the curfew in bkk can be eased from 1am-4am at least.