28 million tourists expected to visit Thailand in 2015

[shirtless]

28 million Feb by Aprill we will start getting figures which will tell us 24 million by december TAT will have more feel good excuses Are TAT paid by the amount of hot air they produce they have sadly only an optimistic view on numbers.

[neverfeartheevent]

Some how I very much doubt it..

[Xircal]

I remember only a few years ago they "dreamt" about 21 or was it 22 million tourists.

Don't they realise how big a number that really is?

If 28 million people spread their arrival out over a year that is nearly 77,000 people arriving every day..... so how long would the queues be at Swampy?

answers on a post card please from Jomtien Beach....

Actually, they weren't far short of that figure back in 2013: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tourism_in_Thailand#Statistics

I guess TAT is looking at the plunging oil price which is supposed to translate into more people taking holidays abroad to faraway places.

However, FX rates are abysmal no matter where you come from.

[Sydebolle]

Keep the bombs coming at Siam Paragon and the likes. Just wondering sometimes what kind of weed those boys are smoking at the TAT, ATTA, PATA and other spelling organisations .........

[Jungle Jim]

Why not try for 100 million ? Cover every square inch of land with foreigners.

[LuckyLew]

Anyone hear believe a word these people say?

Did not think so

[neverfeartheevent]

The land of lies

[Ruud4u]

This statement by a senior Thai gives the knowledge level of managers. Could They all start with the words:

I had a dream ...... but they make their announcments like it is realism.

Never think about what they have to offer to tourists but quantity.

The only realistic man PM Prayut and he has to work hard to get Thailand on track for the future. I wish him all the best.

Edited February 2, 2015 by metisdead
Oversize font reset to normal.

[Nemesis7]

what a joke....Seems they never stop.

[sunshine51]

Many tourist "authorities" globally consider an arrival as anybody who

lands in their country and has to wait for a connecting flight elsewhere.

Whether that tourista actually leaves the airport is of no matter, they

are counted as an arrival....because, in a way, they did arrive. Perhaps

this is where the 28 million figure is derived. Something to ponder on a

rainy night when you're bored....

[Tony125]

They expect 28 million tourist well I expect to hit a major lottery one day and buy an island in the Phillippines. Friends tell me on social media back in USA there is all kind of talk about how unsafe Thailand has become with attacks on tourists jet ski scams and padded bills that a lot of peopel and looking to go elsewhere.

They also ask me questions like is Thailand communist? I said no why? They say they hear from media outlets about no freedom of the press, free speach and forbidding of any political descent. They said seems to restrictive an area to visit.

[Just1Voice]

Ya gotta remember, TAT counts EVERYONE who lands at the airport, or comes through a border crossing as a "tourist".

You're flying from England to Indonesia. You stop and change planes in BKK - You're counted at a tourist.

Been living here 10 years, or even longer, make a border run - you're a "tourist".

They have NO CLUE as to the real number of actual "tourists" come to Thailand, but spout this nonsense to make themselves sound so wonderful.

[littleboylost]

Thailand gets around 25 million plus foreign visitors a year and there is a press release every 3 or 4 days from the various agencies touting expected increases or offering weak excuses as to why previous projections were not met. On the other hand the United States gets around 70 million visitors a year and you would be hard pressed to find any kind of press coverage regarding this.

Can you please stop reporting this nonsense.

[surangw]

expect in one hand and poop in the other hand and see which one fills up first

[Jiggo]

They must be enjoying this waffle in Cambodia and The Philippines.......

[Tokay]

A few more pipe bombs at tourist locations should knock that number down at least by another 30%.

[Alwyn]

"Martial law can be lifted in six months or before the next general election is held, said Mr Charoen, adding that this could further help boosting the industry." So has he told the fearless leader to lift martial law in 6 months or what? Oh... "Or before the next election" which means.. Never.

[Ulic]

They can throw out any numbers they want but with the Rouble down 60%, Canadian, Australian,

NZ dollars down 30%, Euro down and possibly going lower. I just can't see it. People will tighten

there belts, vacation closer to home, and return when the baht sinks a little. The TAT should

be advertising heavily in the USA and Switzerland were there currencies are strong. The political

(martial law) situation does not really concern western travelers but does seem to put off the

Chinese. Statements like this re easy to throw out there. Nobody looses there job for being wrong.

We shall see what the numbers are in another 11 months when the 2015 numbers come out

Edited February 2, 2015 by Ulic

[HiSoLowSoNoSo]

Wonder if the TAT employees are secretly hired to cheer up the Thai population?

[bangon04]

I will have to wait till TAT confirms this before I

will believe it

regards Worgeordie

Another day, another random announcement.......

[Thai at Heart]

with the law being fully enforced, he said

Well that closes half the reason to go to the eastern seaboard.....

[SwanF]

I guess I will be part of the "28 million", due to the fact the I will be flying into and out of Bangkok in March. I will however only be spending one night in Bangkok outward and return and the next four weeks in Vietnam. Due in no short part to unsolved tourist murders, harassment of tourists in Police shakedowns and the general anti tourist xenophobic attitude of the Thai's. Add in the fact that Thailand is not the cheapest SE Asian country for a months travel, i really cannot see me spending much time in LOS in the foreseeable future.

I wish I could have bypassed BKK altogether, but alas to get from London to Vietnam, its the cheapest and quickest route.

I wonder how many other "statistics" in these numbers are doing the same as me? Using BKK as a transit for a day or two, then off to the main holiday in Burma, Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos etc?

[Mot Dang]

Think of all the hate there is in Red China
Then take a look around to Bangkok and Pattaya
You may stay here for four days without trace
But when you return it's the same old place
The pounding of the stereo, the corruption and the disgrace
You can bury your head but don't give a damn
Hate your next door neighbor but don't forget to say grace

And tell me
Over and over and over and over again my friend
You don't believe
We're on the eve of corruption
Mmm, no, no, you don't believe
We're on the eve of corruption

Apologies to fans of BARRY MCGUIRE

[dragonfly94]

How many 747's would it take to move 28 million tourists?

[MJP]

How many 747's would it take to move 28 million tourists?

Around 80,000.

[webfact]

Tourism Ministry expecting 28.5 to 29 million foreign tourists this year

BANGKOK, 3 February 2015 (NNT) – 28.5 to 29 million foreign tourists are expected to visit Thailand in the whole of 2015, said Minister of Tourism and Sports Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul.

Several countries hit by economic problems are giving more attention to tourism promotion this year as a means of revitalizing their economies, according to Ms. Kobkarn. Meanwhile, new international routes launched by airlines in response to the drop in the price of oil means competition at the global arena is increasing. Ms. Kobkarn said the Tourism Authority of Thailand is promoting Thai identity, especially among European and Latin American tourists, who represent the high-end and high-spending tourist groups for Thailand.

According to the Minister, between 28.5 million to 29 million foreign tourists are expected to visit Thailand this year. 2.65 million foreign tourists have since January 1 arrived in Thailand, a 15.9% increase on-year. Ms. Kobkarn expects the number to grow in February, when many Chinese tourists will be spending their Chinese New Year holiday in Thailand.


-- NNT 2015-02-03

[madmitch]

So, here we are in Phuket, the busiest tourist destination in Thailand. You can see the numbers are depleted. You hear that advance bookings are down. Hotels are reducing prices already. There's talk of low-season kicking in extremely early. There's a thread in the Phuket Forum stating that Patong is dead.

February is traditionally one of the busiest months in Phuket. This year will probably be the quietest February since 2005, directly after the tsunami.

There's one exception to the above: those quality visitors from China. You don't see the individuals too much unless you go on a day trip or have the misfortune to accidentally book into a Chinese-dominated hotel, but you do see the tour buses and you hear of the masses on tours to Phi Phi, James Bond Island etc. I'd like to believe that this is not the future of Phuket, being in the tourism business myself, but it's hard to see the future going in any other direction as things stand.

[NE1]

Why would the masses from Latin American to Thailand , 2 days traveling , when I suspect they have much nicer places nearer home.

I always thought the Chinese went home for their New Year.

Edited February 3, 2015 by NE1

[PepperMe]

TAT are using business trips, visa border runs for expats and everything they can to pump up the numbers artificially.

The truth is..... They are failing, tourism is seriously down, evidence of that is everywhere, and TAT are just trying to cling to their gravy train by presenting false figures.

I hope it keeps declining so that TAT can no longer sustain the bullsh*t.

[webfact]

29 million tourists to visit Thailand this year



BANGKOK: -- Thailand forecasts 28.5 to 29 million foreign tourists to visit the country this year.

The forecast was revealed by Minister of Tourism and Sports Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul.

She said as several countries hit by economic problems are giving more attention to tourism promotion this year as a means to revive their economies, Thailand is also doing so.

She said the Tourism Authority of Thailand is promoting Thai identity, especially among European and Latin American tourists, who represent the high-end and high-spending tourist groups for Thailand.

According to the minister, between 28.5 million to 29 million foreign tourists are expected to visit Thailand this year.

She said 2.65 million foreign tourists have since January 1 arrived in Thailand, a 15.9% increase on-year.

She expects the number to grow in February, when many Chinese tourists will be spending their Chinese New Year holiday in Thailand.

Meanwhile, new international routes launched by airlines in response to the drop in the price of oil means competition at the global arena is increasing, she said.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/29-million-tourists-visit-thailand-year

-- Thai PBS 2015-02-03