TOURIST BOOM
Boom time for hotels, airlines
Suchat Sritama
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Major airlines are fast running out of seats while hotel rooms at key destinations are expected to be fully booked up next week as Asian tourists flock here to celebrate Songkran.

Ittirit Kinglake, president of the Tourism Council of Thailand, said yesterday that this year's festival would generate tourism revenue of more than Bt44 billion, of which Bt42 billion would be from the domestic market.

About 400,000 Chinese are coming, judging from the shortage of seats on airlines operating in and out of China as well as charter flights.

From Shanghai alone, more than 150 chartered flights are preparing to carry 26,000 tourists to Thailand during the holiday.

"Chinese tourists love to visit Bangkok, Phuket, Chiang Mai, Pattaya and Samui. This huge market results in the overall hotel business at major destinations almost hitting full capacity," he said.

Tassapon Bijleveld, chief executive officer of Thai AirAsia, said the airline's average load factor during the festival should pass 90 per cent.

The low-cost carrier is seeing a flood of reservations from Hong Kong and Singapore. In the domestic market, second-tier cities like Chiang Rai, Nan and Loei are becoming popular destinations.

Thai Airways International is set to lay on more than 30 flights to Chiang Mai, Phuket and Krabi to serve extra demand from 10,000 passengers during the festival.

Juthaporn Rerngronasa, acting governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand and deputy governor for international marketing for Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Americas, said 2.6 million tourists are expected to celebrate Songkran in Thailand this year.

Sharp rise in revenue

This includes 470,000 foreign visitors arriving from April11-15, up 39 per cent from last |year.

TAT also estimates revenue to surge 52 per cent to Bt7.5 billion from average spending of Bt15,960 per person per trip, which will be an increase of 10 per cent.

On the domestic front, TAT expects Thais to make 2.16 million trips, up 8 per cent, during the festival and help boost the economy by Bt7.01 billion, up 6 per cent.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/business/Boom-time-for-hotels-airlines-30257756.html


-- The Nation 2015-04-10

They never give up with all the positive propaganda do they ?

Of course if it all actually happens is another story and if it doesn't we are unlikely to be told.

Save the profits as your going to need them.

About 400,000 Chinese are coming, judging from the shortage of seats on airlines operating in and out of China as well as charter flights

Khun Ittirit urged the tourists not to all try to squeeze into the same lift where the usual capacity is around 10 persons, not 400,000.

Edited April 9, 201511 yr by mca

Ive been on Holiday around Thailand for the last 3 weeks, Pattaya , Ko chang and my mate shot over to Samui. Pattaya and Ko Chang are empty as is Samui according to my mates feed back. So where are all theses tourists going ? .

I'm staying in Bangkok next week for 2 days , so lets see if this hoard is there

Things seem eerily quiet to me, very strange abit like a Thai , 28 Days later

How will 42 billion baht be generated fro the domestic market when the locals go home for the holidays ?

They will not be flying home when they can drive , they will not be staying in hotels as the family accommodates them .

So there's the usual 2 week bump in tourists during this time every year. Big deal. Can't offset the ongoing decline the other 50 weeks. Headlines grasping at straws to cover up the continued tourism decline.

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

How will 42 billion baht be generated fro the domestic market when the locals go home for the holidays ? They will not be flying home when they can drive , they will not be staying in hotels as the family accommodates them .

7/11 and Roadside food Hawkers. My Thai family have to stop and buy at 1 of these at least every hour

Boom boom time in Thailand? Man it's far too hot right now.

More BS from TAT same every year, but whatever makes U happy......

I am glad that I will not be there.

Thats terrific, this happens every year, but what happens after Songkran?

What are you plans then?

A cursory glance at the website shows that hotels, far from being full, are offering significantly discounted rates over the entire period.

A cursory glance at the website shows that hotels, far from being full, are offering significantly discounted rates over the entire period.

You man of little faith, how dare you??

Question the numbers from the Ministry of Propaganda is clearly in breech of Art 44....................

And an alternate newspaper suggests that Songkran spending will see the lowest increase in 5 years because people are being cautious with their budgets and are concerned about economic conditions . They can't both be telling the truth.

Ittirit Kinglake, president of the Tourism Council of Thailand, just pulls numbers from his ass. That's his job.

How will 42 billion baht be generated fro the domestic market when the locals go home for the holidays ? They will not be flying home when they can drive , they will not be staying in hotels as the family accommodates them .

Domestic spending is increased by transportation cost, gifts, lots of alcohol, food, resorts are fully booked. It's holiday people like to splurge. When you own a retail business in Thailand, March is often a terrible month. People are saving up for April.

Tourism Boom Boom will definitely increase for sure...

He'd be accurate if he said population boom..

Tourism Boom Boom will definitely increase for sure...

I would be more inclined to believe these stories if they weren't so precise on their financial forecasts.

For example, Economy boost 7.01 billion - not 7 or 7.02. It's ludicrous in my view.

I'm playing golf today, I forecast a round of 86.2223 shots.

No bookings for my little beautiful hotel not far from Loei.

More errant nonsense from Tct,and Tat,i am on koh chang,it is very quite.

The figures are nonsensical, therefore any credence the article may have had (which is precisely zero in my opinion anyway) is completely blown out of the water.

Just read the figures quoted by the TCT and compare them to those at the bottom given by the TAT. There is no consistency whatsoever.

I've never seen Phuket so quiet in April, though there are plenty of large tour buses on the roads and parked in the large shopping facilities catering exclusively for Chines. This says everything about the way tourism is changing in this country right now.

Well when are the 400K arriving have they started to come yet or are they going to arrive en masse in a fleet of Antonov aircraft?

Then all follow one guide with a flag.

Well they should be able to see the flight bookings and if 150,000 Chinese are coming get the HELL out of the way. Do they have enough tour buses to bring them all to Pattaya.

150,000 divided by mmm.... how many Chinese can you fit on one tour bus ? Calling all tour companies put your buses on hold, we are going to need them. SCREW the Thai's trying to get home the Chinese are coming !!!! Money money money !!!

Bustling, flocking, throngs - HAHAHA. I am at Khao Lak (Bang Niang Beach) and a better descriptive term would be ghost town.

Tourism Boom Boom will definitely increase for sure...

This is the best promotional video for Thailand tourism khun Ittirit should take note. Lol.. Hey Baby, I want to talk to you. Come to my room for a little Boom Boom... Lol

Ive been on Holiday around Thailand for the last 3 weeks, Pattaya , Ko chang and my mate shot over to Samui. Pattaya and Ko Chang are empty as is Samui according to my mates feed back. So where are all theses tourists going ? .

I'm staying in Bangkok next week for 2 days , so lets see if this hoard is there

Things seem eerily quiet to me, very strange abit like a Thai , 28 Days later

All the chinesse are being herded around in the tourist buses

Not spending any more than they paid in advance for their discounted package tour

400 000 chinesse = extra income generated on their spending = zero

Well when are the 400K arriving have they started to come yet or are they going to arrive en masse in a fleet of Antonov aircraft?

Then all follow one guide with a flag.

Exactly what I was thinking. And, now that you mention the fleet of Antonovs, it makes me wonder if the 400,000 will be packing field gear, assault rifles, and howitzers in their "luggage."