Thai tourism may not meet its arrivals forecast

[webfact]

Arrivals may not meet forecast
SUCHAT SRITAMA
THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- TOURISM MAY not meet its arrivals forecast if aviation safety concerns are not cleared up, key tourism bodies warned this week.

"The private sector initially believed that the lifting of martial law would win a lot of tourists |back to the country. But the situation has now again returned to difficulty. If the air safety problem remains unsolved, the tourism target will need to be revised down," said Ittirit Kinglake, president of the Tourism Council of Thailand.

Thailand might not achieve this year's projection of 29 million arrivals and inbound revenue of Bt140 billion, due to the current air travel safety issues raised by the International Civil Aviation Organisation.

Thai tourism has been tested by many trials through the years such as the Sumatra tsunami, airport closures, the flood of a few years ago and the political crisis last year.

During the first quarter of this year, international tourists |filed back to the country, with |7.8 million visitors welcomed, up |23 per cent year on year.

Ittirit said the Russian market would continue to slow until next year as the economy there had failed to improve.

Vacationers from other key markets such as Japan, South Korea and China may suspend their plans to travel to Thailand for fear of flying.

However, the council is confident that domestic tourism will hit the target of 150 million trips.

Chanin Donavanik, chief executive officer of Dusit International, said many hotels cannot raise their room rates for the high season in the last quarter of this year due to the global economic instability.

"Thailand should perform better than this. It's because of many problems from the economic situation outside to internal problems," he added.

Charamporn Jotikasthira, president of Thai Airways International Plc, said that last quarter, THAI began to drop some loss-making routes, such as Johannesburg in January, while more routes in Europe and Asia will be cut this year.

In February, the carrier revised its summer schedule and announced cost-cutting measures, followed in April by revising its route expansion plan especially for China and South Korea, due to the safety issue.

Its average passenger-load factor in the first quarter was 76 per cent, up from 68.9 per cent in the same quarter last year.

The improvement is expected to continue throughout this year and next, which should help the company return to profit in early 2017.

One of the major factors helping to increase revenue is the price of jet fuel, which on average has been 20 per cent lower than last year's level, enabling the airline to save about Bt10 billion to date.

THAI expects its average load factor to exceed 76 per cent in the current quarter, thanks largely to flights added during the Songkran Festival.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/business/Arrivals-may-not-meet-forecast-30258032.html


-- The Nation 2015-04-16

[ScarpoFongness4U]

Am confused, was this a real news article?

[Pattaya28]

These stats are being plucked out of a hat.

Domestic tourism will hit the target of 150 million trips ? Really! Surely that's just shuffling money from 1 province to another.

[NongKhaiKid]

BUT, but only 2 days ago the Minister of Tourism said visitors were flocking to LoS for Songkran, that numbers were up for the first 3 months of the year and that tourism was well on target to meet the projected target and she not one to give out misleading information.

If tourism does suffer because of aviation problems then it's simply self- inflicted injury other than the fact that it will not be recognised as such and must, as ever, be everyone else's fault.

[ScarpoFongness4U]

Not sure but this sounded more like the end of a press release from Thai airways of why they are losing money still when tourism is booming, which anyone in bangkok or chiang mai, says it is.

I was there in bkk over new years and it didnt look slow to me, or look like a country under martial law.

I was in Miami in 1980/ during the McDuffie riots and the burning of Liberty City, and that, was to me, real martial law. But, that was temporary and everyone was soon back to hating, quietly

[jerojero]

Well son of a b. Surprise surprise surprise. Who would have thought! (All of us on TV!)

[LuckyLew]

"Thailand should perform better than this. It's because of many problems from the economic situation outside to internal problems," he added.

So they are blaming the outside world for Thailands problems? I guess mayve BA or AC should look after Thai airplanes ..

True Thainess never take responsibility for their own problems and issues, always someone elses fault

[klauskunkel]

Thai tourism may not meet its arrivals forecast

TAT: This is absolute hogwash. Arrivals will meet forecasts, they always do (or they will be send to adjustment camp)

[madmitch]

If they can't get basic sums right then how can you believe anything.

29m visitors equates to 140bn baht income. That is 5,000 baht per head!

Surely even the cheapest Chinese tourist spends more than this on holiday.

[Oziex1]

When did the 400K Chinese tourists arrive?

They did come, didn't they?

[ExPratt]

I would love to know the actually figures, massively down

[captainhornblower]

"Thailand should perform better than this. It's because of many problems from the economic situation outside to internal problems," he added.

So they are blaming the outside world for Thailands problems? I guess mayve BA or AC should look after Thai airplanes ..

True Thainess never take responsibility for their own problems and issues, always someone elses fault

Not such a bad suggestion about BA or CA looking after Thai airplanes. In the late 70's I was based in Zambia and Aer Lingus were contracted to do the maintenance on the aircraft of a number of airlines flying in and out of the country.

[godden]

Better talk with a soothsayer.

[baboon]

Nothing to see here. An article will come out within a week showing the figures are far better than expected. Usual load of old flapdoodle...

[Christie Paul]

Whilst the authorities may have the best of intentions - they have somehow managed to mishandle the industry to an extent in which the only variance is the degree at which it unravels.

[leither69]

I am in pattaya for a few days holiday. It is like a ghost town. I can assure the government. Tourists are not coming to Thailand. Wake up and smell the coffee

[JOC]

Thaitanic is steaming at full speed towards the iceberg!!

And on the bridge Captain Prayut are assuring: "Everything is under control, and everything is priority #1 "

How many priority # 1's can you have?

[Lupatria]

BUT, but only 2 days ago the Minister of Tourism said visitors were flocking to LoS for Songkran, that numbers were up for the first 3 months of the year and that tourism was well on target to meet the projected target and she not one to give out misleading information.

If tourism does suffer because of aviation problems then it's simply self- inflicted injury other than the fact that it will not be recognised as such and must, as ever, be everyone else's fault.

2 days ago the Minister of Tourism said visitors were flocking to LoS for Songkran

Ever heard of a convenience oracle being a tourism expert?

Edited April 16, 2015 by Lupatria

[vivananahuahin]

6 months ago 1 euro was 40,5 bth,one year ago 44,5,now 34,3 for one euro!!!!,what do you think european people stay in Europe for holiday,if the BOT doesn't do nothing the economy and tourism in Thailand will go down and down and down;10 devaluation of the bht is necessary very quickly,buy who am i??

[ExPratt]

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

I am in pattaya for a few days holiday. It is like a ghost town. I can assure the government. Tourists are not coming to Thailand. Wake up and smell the coffee

Was there last week , never seen it so quiet

[realenglish1]

Another Thai airways report hidden in a general report about tourism In reality I will venture to guess that in the end Thai airways will not succeed in increasing travelers.

Who in their right mind will pay for a ticket that is 30% higher just to have the privilage of sitting on a flag carrier. No one

I believe Thai airways is the airline of last choice . Just cutting routes may help in the short term but where are the passengers

[elgordo38]

Am confused, was this a real news article?

All these stats from the government have been taken from the old Superman movies where he says "Up Up and away" Governments can make stats read what they want to. First rule do not alarm the general public with low figures. Keep the Sheeple happy or they will stampede.

[JAG]

When did the 400K Chinese tourists arrive?

They did come, didn't they?

Check the toilets!

[SPB65]

I'm guessing that many westerners have now got tired/bored/sick of Thailand and the numbers are now made up by Chinese and Indian tourists who tend to stay for a shorter time and just visit the hotspots of Pattaya and Phuket. These are probably the "quality" tourists with the least manners Thailand prefers to see because they come, spend their money and go home quickly.

[fredob43]

Another Thai airways report hidden in a general report about tourism In reality I will venture to guess that in the end Thai airways will not succeed in increasing travelers.

Who in their right mind will pay for a ticket that is 30% higher just to have the privilage of sitting on a flag carrier. No one

I believe Thai airways is the airline of last choice . Just cutting routes may help in the short term but where are the passengers

Just confirming your post EVA Air business £1,900 6 month open return UK, Thai air £2.500+

Dream world me thinks.

[wowfactor10]

less arrivals yeah what else u expect :

visas regulations for foreigners more tight.

foreigners buying properties more tight.

sitting with chairs on the beach more tight.

dealings from the thai police with foreigners more tight.

Dubious restrictions for foreigners setting up a company.

Dubious landowning restrictions.

Martial law

high crime rate from locals against foreigners

Of course the list its much longer but already if you add this all up then it is normal that foreigners are looking at other countries to spend their time.?

I just saying na..

[a99az]

Easy do what you always do and move the decimal point over to the right one place.

[Whyamiandwhatamidoinghere]

Liar Liar pants on fire... White lies are a cornerstone of Thai society.

[Thai at Heart]

Pass another fag pack to get some numbers

[uel1968]

Thai airways are a rip off,time to reduce their fares,how can they justify these atrocious fares?