Thailand tourist numbers drop by 10 pct

[webfact]

Tourist numbers drop by 10 per cent

BANGKOK: -- Thailand suffered a 10-per-cent reduction in tourist numbers in Thailand between May 2013 and the same period this year, the Department of Tourism said on Friday.

According to the director of Department of Tourism, Anupap Gaesornsuwan, the number of tourists from around the world was recorded at 1,736,744 during May 2014, a 10.66 per cent decline over the previous uear.

The political situation, such as demonstration on the streets of Bangkok, was largely responsible for the decline in the number of tourists.

The department is planning a series of stimulus packages to increase the tourist numbers in the second half of 2014/

Thailand expects 26.3 millions of tourists from around the world in this year.

From January to May, 10,357,388 of tourists visited Thailand.


-- The Nation 2014-06-06

[bigbamboo]

Interestingly western arrivals are up but oriental arrivals are down.

So it seems every cloud really does have a silver lining.

[casindonet]

TAT to the rescue.....

Sent from my GT-I9200 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[keestha]

Interestingly western arrivals are up but oriental arrivals are down.

So it seems every cloud really does have a silver lining.

Source? Couldn't find this in the Nations website, but maybe I didn't look closely enough.

Edit: Found it, it is in the Thai Tourism Agency thread elsewhere on this page

[jonclark]

Interestingly western arrivals are up but oriental arrivals are down.

So it seems every cloud really does have a silver lining.

Nah - most of those western tourists are just visa runners!

[Payboy]

The department is planning a series of stimulus packages to increase the tourist numbers in the second half of 2014

Does this include stimulating their packages?

[i claudius]

10% down ,and that was before the coup.how far down now?

[Jack007]

It means 30% less foreign tourist and UP 20 % more Thai tourists......only a detail !

[dinger]

Time to write another b s fluff article about how the tourism industry is coming back. The damage has been done and it is going to take some time to recover fully

[Pib]

I expect the entire Dept of Tourism will be in jail within days for being brave enough to report tourism has dropped--how dare a govt agency report a negative statistic!!!!

[Mr Tom]

Tourist usually book their vacation plans months ahead also. You could only count cancels at this point.

[stickyrice2000]

10% only? The hoteliers would not be complaining about the vacancy rate, and TAT does not have to do any promotion to waste the budget.

[marko kok prong]

Thailand must have more agency's and department's for tourism than almost anywhere,Tat,tct, and dept of tourism, the three i can think of of the top of my head,i am sure there are more,surely in would be better to have just one and save some money.

[atyclb]

it seems tourist count is much lower than 10 % drop.

[dcsw53]

Do TAT even know elementary maths. 10.4 million in 5 months so we need 16 million in 7 months, at least 3 of which are considered low season. Unfortunately not a cat in hell's chance. With so many governments still warning against all but essential travel here, there is no way bookings will pick up any time soon.

Just as well TAT not accountable as purveyors of falsehood.

[Cypress Hill]

So infantry on the street prompts tourists to cancel trips to Thailand and immigration suspects everyone with a more than a few visa exempt stamps of working illegally . . . couldn't make it up, could you?

[Ulic]

I think it will drop significantly lower before it comes back up. People just shy away from reports of political

turmoil when their home countries are posting travel advisories. Even when there is little disruption, if

any for tourists. Plenty of options so why take the risk.

[angsta]

Anyone who has been through the airports in Bangkok recently know this is complete <deleted>.

It was in The Nation/Thai Visa it MUST be true.

10% my arse.

[NoThainess4U]

the airport immigration line dissapeared in Jan

hotels are off 40% to 60%

the bangkok post has a different view

[Chao Lao Beach]

Isn't the TAT planning to close major intersections in Bangkok for 10 days trying to lure tourist back with Thai music ?

the same intersections that were previously closed !!!!!

[NoThainess4U]

Isn't the TAT planning to close major intersections in Bangkok for 10 days trying to lure tourist back with Thai music ?

the same intersections that were previously closed !!!!!

somone shud tell these jokers,

we do not want to be outside in 98 degree polluted humid air

nor be held up in hot taxi's because they shut roads

[David48]

Isn't the 'forward' booking that may reveal a larger problem?

I wonder what the arrivals will be for July, August, Sept etc?

[NoThainess4U]

arrivals and advance booking are more likely down 100%

an article today threatening anyone who works for the railroad putting out any vehicle which makes the railway look bad will be fired, and disciplined

if you think you are ever going to see real reporting on tourism, just think about that

BTW

rice prices are plunging

[DrTuner]

They'll come back after the propaganda in the west dies down. I first came here in 2006 when the junta was running things and they were good times. As they seem to be now, too, whenever you let the <deleted> useless politicians run the show things go south. The military ought to rule this country indefinitely.

The source of yapping is obvious: the politicians everywhere are scared of their own &lt;deleted&gt; being thrown out.

[ratcatcher]

They'll come back after the propaganda in the west dies down. I first came here in 2006 when the junta was running things and they were good times. As they seem to be now, too, whenever you let the <deleted> useless politicians run the show things go south. The military ought to rule this country indefinitely.

The source of yapping is obvious: the politicians everywhere are scared of their own <deleted> being thrown out.

[NoThainess4U]

They'll come back after the propaganda in the west dies down. I first came here in 2006 when the junta was running things and they were good times. As they seem to be now, too, whenever you let the <deleted> useless politicians run the show things go south. The military ought to rule this country indefinitely.

The source of yapping is obvious: the politicians everywhere are scared of their own <deleted> being thrown out.

I disagree,

no one comes back from Thailand saying they yearn to return,

only whore mongers, and when you do the math, it's no real bargain

[Saradoc1972]

Interstingly flight prices have increased (at least Germany/Thailand).

Presently I can only get flights aroung 600+ Euro, early May I got a quote of 420 Euro by Aeroflot (includind a look-around at the Sheremetyewo Transit area)

[rhythmworx]

Statistics are for dicks, end of.

They are all just speculative &lt;deleted&gt; at the end of the day when the sin goes down.

[tezzainoz]

Isn't the 'forward' booking that may reveal a larger problem?

I wonder what the arrivals will be for July, August, Sept etc?

Friends coming from Australia in July

Airfare are up 10%

and booking costs at Hotels up 15% over last year

In Pattaya you now have to pay a loading for weekend bookings

seems the Thais do not know their is a shortage

Or they have increased the fees to cover their losses

[MAJIC]

If the figures really are true,then they are very lucky that 10 pct is all the loss of Tourism is! it could have been much worse!