Thailand Tourism Forum: Thailand registers record year end growth

BANGKOK, Thailand – Thailand's tourism industry has turned the corner after a very difficult 2014, bouncing back in the fourth quarter with strong growth, according to data released exclusively at Thailand Tourism Forum 2015 by STR Global.

Held at InterContinental Bangkok and now in its fourth year, a record number of delegates totaling over 500 from throughout Asia gathered to gleam insights from industry leaders on Thailand's tourism industry at the leading hospitality event.

The positive news for the industry was welcomed as STR's Area Director for Asia Pacific Jesper Palmqvist revealed the staggering decline for most of 2014 with year-over-year (YoY) occupancy falling by -11.3%, mostly driven by Bangkok, which saw a decline YoY of -16.2%. This is against a backdrop of almost half the year at -20% and worst months where it was over 30% down.

However, recovery started to emerge late Q3, and in Q4 numbers really turned around for Bangkok. After the dismal start to the year, RevPAR (Revenue Per Available Room) increased by +2.5% YoY in the last quarter.

Occupancy in December for Bangkok was one of the highest ever recorded by STR Global since 2000 and when comparing quarters, Q4 2014 showed the best occupancy Bangkok has seen since 2006. Moreover, RevPAR was the second best Q4 for the last decade suggesting that six to nine months is the new recovery time norm for Bangkok.

Delegates also heard the story of Thailand's key resort markets, where Phuket occupancy fell by -5.7% YoY and Koh Samui decreasing by -1.6%. It was positive news for Chiang Mai where occupancy decreased -4.2%, but RevPAR growth was positive, driven by upward ADR movement. Hua Hin was also able to hold rates up well but Pattaya suffered more, due to a -10% decline in occupancy YoY.

Full story: http://www.eturbonews.com/54918/thailand-tourism-forum-thailand-registers-record-year-end-growth

-- eTN 2015-01-28

Read that twice.... I'm confused!

it must be the record year, considering it is still the high season and most tourist places are empty and hotels have few rooms rented.

Huh???....Now we know they lie!

Probably what they were referring to was that there was a record number of tourists that actually SURVIVED their visit to Thailand and were able to return home.

They came to "gleam." Thailand has turned the corner. Thais are "gleaming" at this conference.

I am not having this.

I think they are classifying everything they can as "tourism" whether it be business, work, domestic travel, visa runs or whatever that causes one person to move from one place to another for whatever reason.

If this was supposed to be high season, then the tourists must have been very shy, because as far as I noticed, there has been a massive decline in the numbers I usually see through Dec/Jan.

Do you think the rohingas and the bangladeshi refugees have also been given tourist status along with all the migrant workers?

Edited January 28, 201511 yr by PepperMe

So tourism has bounced back,record growth,

BUT the last paragraph says occupancy is

down in all major resorts, suppose we will have

to wait and get the truth from TAT!

regards Worgeordie

From the same group that did the rice stats.. as well..

We were in Bangkok from the 25th to the 28th. Lots of hotel rooms available and many offering big discounts.

They say tourist numbers were dismal early last year but if you go back and look at the press clippings TAT and others most likely said tourism was booming.

You cant believe anything these weird people say.

What is certain is that there is late news another British girl has fallen foul on Koh Tao or Devils Island.

Is there a serial killer on that island?

Edited January 28, 201511 yr by jalansanitwong

Read that twice.... I'm confused!

It means that altho there are far less people visiting Thailand, there are far more people visiting Thailand.

How hard is that to work out ?

I suppose the annual Songkran return home will again be used as ' tourism ' proof despite most travellers returning to a family members residence.

Apparently there's to a an additional holiday in May to make another long weekend to boost tourism. So soon after Songkran where's all the family cash to come from ?

I wonder if there will be anymore ' gifts to the nation ' to mark Songkran.

Edited January 28, 201511 yr by Caveat Emptor

They probably take the stats only from members of the THA, who represent just 20% of Thailand's hotel rooms, according to a recent article, and will generally be at the upper end of the market, many probably catering to large groups. Personally I think the figures provided are totally botched.

next poll will tell that thailand is a safe place

as less tourists died this year, than previous ...

TIT

I guess it's time to explain the principals of 'Theory & Practice' to those glass bowl enthusiasts in the local tourism industry.

Guess i am seeing things. Have noticed more foreigners than ever everywhere i go. I think Thailand has enough already. But hey lets try for fifty million a year until every square mile is covered in white faces. Can never have enough obnoxious/drunk tourists.

Bkk was quiet xmas and NY

It is confusing, but I think what they are trying to say is that, while arrivals are down, revenue for these higher-end hotels is up (per room-night).

This, as we know, is the thai answer to economics. When things are slow, raise the price.

I call........bull*****t. It is a ghost town here in Pattaya. These agencies have thrown out

so many false numbers they are like the boy who cried wolf. At this point nobody

believes a single number they throw out.

I call........bull*****t. It is a ghost town here in Pattaya. These agencies have thrown out

so many false numbers they are like the boy who cried wolf. At this point nobody

believes a single number they throw out.

yep, hua hin is dead compared to last year and i've just got back from samui and it was dead there too, barely anyone in central or on beach road

Just for your info, mam Popcorn, tourism is down quite a bit.

it must be the record year, considering it is still the high season and most tourist places are empty and hotels have few rooms rented.

Not so. Hua Hin is packed with tourists like never before . Can't get a room in a decent hotel since they are all fully booked. Guess tourists are beginning to prefer other places than Pattaya and Phuket with their sordid reputations

It was stated in a UK newspaper only this morning that Bangkok remains in the top three most visited cities last year behind Hong Kong and Singapore. Interesting Thai Airways is stopping its Moscow route though. Thailand is one of best places in the world to live and visit despite the constant negative posts on here that continue daily. We are all guests here. End of. And there is a reason why most of here choose Thailand to visit and live so am more confused by the constant barrage of Thai bashing posts. I for one am humbled and proud to call it home.

Edited January 28, 201511 yr by bim

Guess i am seeing things. Have noticed more foreigners than ever everywhere i go. I think Thailand has enough already. But hey lets try for fifty million a year until every square mile is covered in white faces. Can never have enough obnoxious/drunk tourists.

Me too. I was on Khao San Road last week and felt like I was in a western country. Was difficult to walk without bumping into someone. Maybe it was on a popular day to travel...?

Edited January 28, 201511 yr by TomJoad

Welcome to the Year of the Goat ..... Baaaaaa

Clearly everyone was totally gleamed by these insights!

Guess i am seeing things. Have noticed more foreigners than ever everywhere i go. I think Thailand has enough already. But hey lets try for fifty million a year until every square mile is covered in white faces. Can never have enough obnoxious/drunk tourists.

Me too. I was on Khao San Road last week and felt like I was in a western country. Was difficult to walk without bumping into someone. Maybe it was on a popular day to travel...?

What a shock !!!!!!!!!!!!! ... you were on Khao San Road and saw a lot of tourists !!!!!!!!!!!

You are joking ... yes?

Guess i am seeing things. Have noticed more foreigners than ever everywhere i go. I think Thailand has enough already. But hey lets try for fifty million a year until every square mile is covered in white faces. Can never have enough obnoxious/drunk tourists.

Me too. I was on Khao San Road last week and felt like I was in a western country. Was difficult to walk without bumping into someone. Maybe it was on a popular day to travel...?

What a shock !!!!!!!!!!!!! ... you were on Khao San Road and saw a lot of tourists !!!!!!!!!!!

You are joking ... yes?

There were A LOT more tourists than usual (for this time of year). Of course, since I don't work for TAT, I don't know for sure.

I found the justification for this report. All non-native visitors and residents are considered tourists, even the Chinese Thai that rule in Bangkok.

From that perspective, tourism has never been better, and being occupied by Chinese sperm and hotel occupancy count as the same thing.