Hope high in Thai tourism sector that gloom of first half is over

[webfact]

TOURISM
Hope high in tourism sector that gloom of first half is over
SUCHAT SRITAMA
THE NATION



BANGKOK: -- ALTHOUGH tourism was hit by the political chaos and other woes in the first six months of the year, there are positive signs that business will return in the remaining months.

Several economic research institutions agreed that tourism was in difficulty in first half because of the political battles, especially in May when the military took power and enforced martial law and a curfew. Tourism was also disturbed by a series of bomb blasts in Hat Yai in the Southern region and a major earthquake in the North, but the martial law and curfew were likely the top reasons for the deterioration. People in 66 countries were given travel advisories in the week after the coup.

A recent tourist-confidence report by the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), the Tourism Council of Thailand (TCT) and the faculty of economics of Chulalongkorn University said local people's confidence in the second and third quarters was lower than in same periods last year, while foreign tourists were more concerned over the unrest.

Many countries still have travel advisories in place.

Kasikorn Research Centre said inbound tourism dropped by 4.4 per cent to 12.5 million visitors during the first five months when compared with same period last year. The Department of Tourism put the arrival number at 10 million, down by 5.9 per cent. Visitors from Asia - a short-haul source market - saw the biggest decline at 12 per cent, particularly from China, which recorded a big

drop of 20 per cent. However, Europe - a long-haul market - maintained growth at 7.5 per cent during first five months.

According to TCT research, Thai tourism should no longer suffer from the global economic downturn as the United States and Europe are recovering while China and Japan are making efforts to rebuild economies that will encourage people to travel abroad.

In the domestic market, the junta is paying money the government owed farmers, which will boost spending and consumption as well as travel.

To rebuild tourism in the remaining months, the TCT lined up suggestions for the junta. It called on the military to establish a national tourism committee to make strategic and marketing plans. The ruling National Council for Peace and Order was also called on to rebuild tourist confidence through various activities as well as roadshows, to provide assistance to affected operators, and to promote domestic travel. Better infrastructure and improved workforce skills are needed for the long term.

KResearch predicted that more tourists, especially from East Asia, would come to Thailand in the current third quarter, even though it is low season, to benefit from lower prices. Moreover, European tourists are expected to flock to beach resorts in southern provinces such as Phuket, Krabi, Phang Nga and Surat Thani in the fourth quarter.

However, a full recovery of inbound tourism may depend on the work of ambassadors and travel agents overseas and could also be affected by internal problems in some key markets such as Russia. TAT today will announce its 2015 marketing action plans as well as a revised tourism projection for this year and a target for next year. It also will launch a new campaign called "Dream Destination 2015" to promote the 10 best attractions. Superstars Urassaya Sperbund and Ananda Everingham are campaign ambassadors.

The authority last week said it aimed at 28 million international tourists for 2015, up from this year's revised target of between 25 million and 26.2 million.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/business/Hope-high-in-tourism-sector-that-gloom-of-first-ha-30237860.html


-- The Nation 2014-07-07

[NeverSure]

[terryp]

ahhh ...the return of the quality tourist!!!!

[iphad]

why wouldn't tourist numbers go up compared to the 6 months of demonstrations overlapping the "HIgh Season" in Thailand?

[NongKhaiKid]

When something has gone wrong in the Thai tourist industry it hasn't really gone wrong.

[lostmebike]

'However, Europe - a long-haul market - maintained growth at 7.5 per cent during first five months'

Cheap birds and booze remain a huge draw for the Europeans! haha

[j15mth]

Many people booked there Summer Holidays elsewhere this year.I wonder why ??

July and August are presently looking quieter than the First Months of 2014.

A lot of work needs to be done to Re Market "Teflon" Thailand in time for the High season.

[kmj]

Wait for it, tomorrow's headline 'tourism up this quarter' 555

[robertthebruce]

Start cleaning the beaches up and get rid of the Tacky image that Thailand has, then You might see quality tourists and family's ... But until then , Thailand will attract the same old ....

[ebean001]

I would assume tourism will be much higher in Chiang Mai since most of the demonstrations, etc were in the south. There was never a need for any warnings in Chiang Mai.

[jimdob1]

On 5 July I was in Pattaya on my motorbike at 1:30 PM. NO TRAFFIC - VERY WEIRD!

In 11 years living in Pattaya and Jomtien, I have never seen it so desolate.

If you fired a canon down Pattaya Tai, maybe you might hit a baht bus, maybe.

[overherebc]

'Hope'

Is this hope the same one refferred to my Robbin Williams the same hope you are given by the wee flag you see at the end of a long fairway ?

[bunuel]

If NCPO is serious about re-booting the Thai economy, they could do worse than clean house at TAT, which has lost all credibility, thanks to nonsensical articles like this. To start with, TAT has to admit they rightly or wrongly have a serious image problem. Whatever one thinks about the coup, one cannot logically blame bad publicity resulting from the coup for the downturn in the first 6 months of the year - for simple reason that the coup happened at the end of May. One can reasonably blame the non-stop turmoil created by Khun Suthep and his cronies, which made Bangkok look like a place to avoid. Far too early to assess NCPO performance on tourism, but I recommend they emulate the Turkish generals who made that country's tourist industry the envy of the world in the 1980"s when they were running the country. I had the privlege of meeting some of them as a travel journalist, and I found them open-minded and professional in their approach to long term tourism development. What Thailand desperately needs is long term professional planning in the tourism sector. This is a pre-requisite if you want to attract the high-end crowd, and is the only way to develop sustainable tourism for the benefit of the country itself. The one constant one sees in Thai tourist industry todqy is the complete absence of any long term strategy at all, with sadly predictable results.

[Traveling Sailor]

"According to TCT research, Thai tourism should no longer suffer from the global economic downturn as the United States and Europe are recovering while China and Japan are making efforts to rebuild economies that will encourage people to travel abroad."

While this may be true, There won't be many high end, or even "medium-end" tourists coming to Thailand unless the ridiculous 10,000 baht "personal effects" limit is changed, or the rules are clarified.

I plan to go to America for a couple of months and I carry a lot more than 10,000 baht worth of things with me. I dread coming back through Thai customs.

[Oziex1]

Please define a quality tourist or what is the top end crowd? This is thrown around a lot by TAT and members of this forum. If the girl chasers and drinkers are not wanted why are they so well catered for?

[alant]

I feel for those in tourism, the authorities are enforcing a close on time bar rule even though there are such events as the world cup on. They don't want girlie bars yet no serious effort has been made to make the beaches scam free so people are not coming any more. It is a good job Thailand has a shortage of workers so there are plenty of jobs for the people in this industry to go back to.

[luk AJ]

It is really very quite in Pataya, also never seen before. The few tourisis are mainly Chinese, they fill walking street a little bit in the evening but for them it is just an attraction, bars are empty. Doesn't look good at all!

[bander]

Keep on dreaming, the way they treat tourist in Thailand these days, scamming, robberies, beatings, hotel theft, jetski mafia, taxi mafia, etc. etc. Me think most tourist have found other destinations already.

[Oziex1]

Many here are at a loss to understand the lack of tourists at present, the country has reached a tipping point with the above mentioned crimes against tourists gaining widespread publicity. Combine this with the low season, economic woes at home, the coup, travel warnings and visa crack downs. The numbers will rise again, When?

[toybits]

The HOPE is HIGH but then it is only a that- A HOPE. Its fulfillment is an entirely different type of beast. So HOPE all you can but HOPE and PRAYING for redemption does not mean it will happen. HOPE must be accompanied with a lot of hard work and sincerity. If the tourists from other countries do not see this, the Tourism Sector and the Good Generals could continue HOPING and nothing will happen.

[mezman]

Keep on dreaming, the way they treat tourist in Thailand these days, scamming, robberies, beatings, hotel theft, jetski mafia, taxi mafia, etc. etc. Me think most tourist have found other destinations already.

Couldn't agree with you more .I live in Patong and every week in the local newspaper there are reports of all of the above .

[onni4me]

First half of the year...and now when it has been the second half...wait...7 days almost...there is HOPE!!!

[pisico]

I would assume tourism will be much higher in Chiang Mai since most of the demonstrations, etc were in the south. There was never a need for any warnings in Chiang Mai.

Maybe because Chiang Mai is the Valhalla capital of Thailand.

I lived there for 6 months (high floor in a good condo) and could not endure the Farang ghettos and the haze burning my eyes that occluded Doi Suthep most of the time. I returned during the rainy season and it was no different. Same, same, same ad infinitum.

Then again, not every one likes the same flowers. Some prefer Rafflesia and not Gardenias.

[pisico]

It is really very quite in Pataya, also never seen before. The few tourisis are mainly Chinese, they fill walking street a little bit in the evening but for them it is just an attraction, bars are empty. Doesn't look good at all!

Are the bars jacking up the FINE to free for the night one of the Isaan girls? Is beer more expensive now than a year ago?

Those are the finance leading indicators in Pattaya.

If the answers are YES to both questions, then business is bad in Pattaya.

Ah, Thainess.. what would the world would be without it?

[Lancelot]

I was out yesterday in Chiang Mai's Old City, and I do believe a few more tourists are vising.

[spidermike007]

BANGKOK: -- ALTHOUGH tourism was hit by the political chaos and other woes in the first six months of the year, there are positive signs that business will return in the remaining months.

Several economic research institutions agreed that tourism was in difficulty in first half because of the political battles, especially in May when the military took power and enforced martial law and a curfew. Tourism was also disturbed by a series of bomb blasts in Hat Yai in the Southern region and a major earthquake in the North, but the martial law and curfew were likely the top reasons for the deterioration. People in 66 countries were given travel advisories in the week after the coup.

This is really good stuff. They are just improvising, Richard Pryor style. But, at least he was honest. Meanwhile, no tourists are able to purchase travel insurance, since the insurance companies will not insure while visiting a country under military control. So, what percentage does this affect alone? And these are the kinds of travelers Thailand wants, since the cheap charlies rarely consider getting travel insurance anyway. When will these people wake up and realize it is just a different reality on the ground now. 66 countries warning their citizens is pretty huge. You cannot counter that just by moving the jaw, with the kinds of jabbering foolishness these agencies are engaging in. Maybe real proactive policies, to attract tourists may be a place to start? How about lowering the duty on wines, to a realistic level that the rest of the world enjoys, and starting to promote the wine industry here? Tastings, and food pairings, with great wines which are now unaffordable because of the self inflicted sabotage on the industry, devoted to rich gourmands? Scuba clubs and programs in the Andaman? Ecological programs in the northern mountains? A more relaxed visa policy. Making foreigners feel really welcome here. Just some basic creativity. Less jaw boning, and more real intellectual work devoted to turning things around.

[Thai at Heart]

Eventually the piper had to be paid.

Half of this drop is down.to them cancelling the" no cost tours" for the Chinese. So the boom was somewhat illusory anyway.

[LPCustom69]

On 5 July I was in Pattaya on my motorbike at 1:30 PM. NO TRAFFIC - VERY WEIRD!

In 11 years living in Pattaya and Jomtien, I have never seen it so desolate.

If you fired a canon down Pattaya Tai, maybe you might hit a baht bus, maybe.

I think it will be a low "high season" this year too.

[Ned]

So what's the problem with less tourists for us?

[Phuketboy]

It is really very quite in Pataya, also never seen before. The few tourisis are mainly Chinese, they fill walking street a little bit in the evening but for them it is just an attraction, bars are empty. Doesn't look good at all!

The Chinese don't like spending money period. There may be a hundred of them walking around, but try and get them to spend 100 baht on anything and you are doing well. It's always the same, year after year.