Spain #1 Tourist Friendly Country-Thailand Slips Due to Safety

[craigt3365]

For the first time, Spain made it to the top of the charts in a world ranking of tourism and travel released on Wednesday, beating Switzerland to the top spot.

The World Economic Forum published the biennial rankings on Wednesday, saying that Spain's move to the top position was "a positive sign for the country's nascent recovery".

"With beautiful heritage sites throughout the country, it boasts top marks for its cultural resources, and also scores highly for business travelers with a significant number of international conferences," the report said.

The country was rated first globally for cultural resources, fourth for supporting tourists' online searches for entertainment and fourth for infrastructure.

Continued:

http://www.thelocal.es/20150507/spain-rated-most-tourist-friendly-country

Thailand's safety ranking slipped to 132 out of 140. Last among countries in Asia and only above Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala, Egypt, Venezuela, Pakistan, Yemen, Colombia and Nigeria.

Thailand is discussed in detail on page 334 of the report.

[TheAppletons]

Thailand ranked #35 overall....but is ranked behind several other Asian destinations (Singapore, Japan, China, Malaysia, Taiwan....)

Edit: Regarding safety, Thailand ranked last in Asia behind even Myanmar and the Philippines.

Edited May 8, 2015 by TheAppletons

[whatawonderfulday]

_{no worries the General will soon fix this, just like everything else.}

Edited May 8, 2015 by whatawonderfulday

[angsta]

Where is the benchmark North Korea among the safety rankings??

[steelepulse]

Spain is indeed a great place to visit.

[NeverSure]

Worth noting is that Spain also has excellent food. I danged near starved to death in France despite its reputation. Horses for courses, naturally. I always consider food after safety etc. and put it into the equation when deciding where to go. I would put Spain, Italy and SW USA to include Cajun up there on my list. Thailand would rank right up there depending on personal preferences.

The only thing I would say about both Spain and Thailand is that the people don't keep things all that clean. This is especially true in the rural areas of both countries with Spain simply not being an England UK or France.

Spain would be a better choice for weather as it's not so hot. It would also be a far better choice if choosing beer or wine or Western food.

Cheers

Edit to change England to UK. Most of the UK is very clean and nice and not just England in particular.

Edited May 8, 2015 by NeverSure

[robertthebruce]

Worth noting is that Spain also has excellent food. I danged near starved to death in France despite its reputation. Horses for courses, naturally. I always consider food after safety etc. and put it into the equation when deciding where to go. I would put Spain, Italy and SW USA to include Cajun up there on my list. Thailand would rank right up there depending on personal preferences.

The only thing I would say about both Spain and Thailand is that the people don't keep things all that clean. This is especially true in the rural areas of both countries with Spain simply not being an England UK or France.

Spain would be a better choice for weather as it's not so hot. It would also be a far better choice if choosing beer or wine or Western food.

Cheers

Edit to change England to UK. Most of the UK is very clean and nice and not just England in particular.

I nearly starved in ''France'' too, i am strict vegetarian and a bit of a health freak, ''No Salt - No Sugar'' etc etc..

very very little options in most Restaurant, apart from a ''Pizza'' .. which gets boring after a week or so....

ended up making my Own Food ??? not ideal for sure..

Supermarkets, are limited too..

[NeverSure]

Worth noting is that Spain also has excellent food. I danged near starved to death in France despite its reputation. Horses for courses, naturally. I always consider food after safety etc. and put it into the equation when deciding where to go. I would put Spain, Italy and SW USA to include Cajun up there on my list. Thailand would rank right up there depending on personal preferences.

The only thing I would say about both Spain and Thailand is that the people don't keep things all that clean. This is especially true in the rural areas of both countries with Spain simply not being an England UK or France.

Spain would be a better choice for weather as it's not so hot. It would also be a far better choice if choosing beer or wine or Western food.

Cheers

Edit to change England to UK. Most of the UK is very clean and nice and not just England in particular.

I nearly starved in ''France'' too, i am strict vegetarian and a bit of a health freak, ''No Salt - No Sugar'' etc etc..

very very little options in most Restaurant, apart from a ''Pizza'' .. which gets boring after a week or so....

ended up making my Own Food ??? not ideal for sure..

Supermarkets, are limited too..

First, I said SW USA when of course I meant SE - deep South. Too late to edit.

There are only two times in my life when I was really happy to see a McDonald's. One was when I crossed the border from Mexico into Nogales Arizona after driving through rural Mexico for a couple of days and couldn't fine a clean place to eat. I did find one tiny restaurant with a dirt floor and chickens scratching on the floor and hopping up on what they called a counter. True story. It smelled like a barnyard but they had packaged Fritos from America and I bought a bunch of them and left.

The second was in France and believe it or not there is a McDonald's on the swanky Champs Elysee among the high-end designer stores.

I have never understood French food from the ingredients to the way they cook it. I guess I "just ain't got no couth", LOL. I do like France for the beauty. I'll never forget a trip down the Loire Valley, staying overnight in a real castle with a moat and having lunch in another one. Additionally it's wine country with wineries that are beautiful.

I have to go along with this Spain decision although I might have chosen Italy.

[chilli42]

Safety was the number 3 reason I have been recommending to freinds and relatives as a reason to visit Thailand ... behind cheap and warm weather. I really don't have a number three now.

[Johnny S]

"Wake up call" for TAT .... ?

[wowfactor10]

Spain is a winner...

Almost a simular price level as in Thailand.

Equal laws for foreigers and locals.

Better climate

less polluted

less corruption

need i continue..

[RabC]

Spain is a winner...

Almost a simular price level as in Thailand.

Equal laws for foreigers and locals.

Better climate

less polluted

less corruption

need i continue..

Less corruption, try and use your E111 in a hospital there................

Equal laws for Locals and Foreigners, ever tried driving a Gibraltar registered car or even crossing the border when the Spanish have thrown a hissy fit.

Edited May 9, 2015 by RabC

[peterb17]

Spain is a winner...

Almost a simular price level as in Thailand.

Equal laws for foreigers and locals.

Better climate

less polluted

less corruption

need i continue..

Less corruption !!! You must have a job with the Spanish Tourist Board ?

[chmeco56]

Spain is a winner...

Almost a simular price level as in Thailand.

Equal laws for foreigers and locals.

Better climate

less polluted

less corruption

need i continue..

Man, Im spanish and sure spain is the winner but.... Less corruption? You serious?

[RabC]

Spain is a winner...

Almost a simular price level as in Thailand.

Equal laws for foreigers and locals.

Better climate

less polluted

less corruption

need i continue..

Less corruption, try and use your E111 in a hospital there................

Equal laws for Locals and Foreigners, ever tried driving a Gibraltar registered car or even crossing the border when the Spanish have thrown a hissy fit.

Gibraltar is Spain! <deleted> off british!

I was going to reply with a constructive comment but realise its pointless so will report it instead

[dunque]

Spain is a winner...

Almost a simular price level as in Thailand.

Equal laws for foreigers and locals.

Better climate

less polluted

less corruption

need i continue..

Less corruption, try and use your E111 in a hospital there................

Equal laws for Locals and Foreigners, ever tried driving a Gibraltar registered car or even crossing the border when the Spanish have thrown a hissy fit.

Gibraltar is Spain! <deleted> off british!

I was going to reply with a constructive comment but realise its pointless so will report it instead

I think the traditional riposte is to ask that if Gibraltar is Spain then Ceuta and Mellila are Morocco

[nongsangcity]

I went to Malaga and Torremolinos august 2013,,,,,,it was closed......bars closed, shops empty and boarded up......apart from all inclusive hotels totally dead...like a ghost town at night......felt sorry for any young holidaymakers nothing happening at night......not the Spain I remember....

[laislica]

Spain is a winner...

Almost a simular price level as in Thailand.

Equal laws for foreigers and locals.

Better climate

less polluted

less corruption

need i continue..

Man, Im spanish and sure spain is the winner but.... Less corruption? You serious?

I'm an old Brit and have lived in South East Spain most of this century since I retired.

Now alternating half half with Thailand.

In Spain, try bribing your way out of a driving ticket?

As you are a local, can you actually give a "sweetener" to expedite oficialdome or have a "blind eye turned"?

Try erecting a building without permission.

Same for drilling a well.

God help you if you were duped into buying on a new estate in the countryside that is not legal - it will be bulldozed.

If you mean political corruption - lots of that but they try their best not to be caught 555

The local Mayor, on receipt of a donation, giving building permission that turns out not to be legal....

Last year we had a Danish couple over to stay for a holiday. We drove along the south coast, staying in various hotels.

They were amazed at the low prices and how safe it felt.

Typically, we would be out until 2 am in city centres having a drink/ice cream etc.

They said that they would not dare to do that in Copenhagen.

[aussiandrew]

I stay here because I like it, simple if I did not I would pack up and go some where else in SE/ASIA to continue to enjoy the life style. Not interested in any B S reports. Cheers

[DrTuner]

I've been wondering if Spain these days is cheaper than Thailand. Loads of retirees living there. Too cold for me, though, even the Canary islands.

[laislica]

Worth noting is that Spain also has excellent food. I danged near starved to death in France despite its reputation. Horses for courses, naturally. I always consider food after safety etc. and put it into the equation when deciding where to go. I would put Spain, Italy and SW USA to include Cajun up there on my list. Thailand would rank right up there depending on personal preferences.

The only thing I would say about both Spain and Thailand is that the people don't keep things all that clean. This is especially true in the rural areas of both countries with Spain simply not being an England UK or France.

Spain would be a better choice for weather as it's not so hot. It would also be a far better choice if choosing beer or wine or Western food.

Cheers

Edit to change England to UK. Most of the UK is very clean and nice and not just England in particular.

I nearly starved in ''France'' too, i am strict vegetarian and a bit of a health freak, ''No Salt - No Sugar'' etc etc..

very very little options in most Restaurant, apart from a ''Pizza'' .. which gets boring after a week or so....

ended up making my Own Food ??? not ideal for sure..

Supermarkets, are limited too..

First, I said SW USA when of course I meant SE - deep South. Too late to edit.

There are only two times in my life when I was really happy to see a McDonald's. One was when I crossed the border from Mexico into Nogales Arizona after driving through rural Mexico for a couple of days and couldn't fine a clean place to eat. I did find one tiny restaurant with a dirt floor and chickens scratching on the floor and hopping up on what they called a counter. True story. It smelled like a barnyard but they had packaged Fritos from America and I bought a bunch of them and left.

The second was in France and believe it or not there is a McDonald's on the swanky Champs Elysee among the high-end designer stores.

I have never understood French food from the ingredients to the way they cook it. I guess I "just ain't got no couth", LOL. I do like France for the beauty. I'll never forget a trip down the Loire Valley, staying overnight in a real castle with a moat and having lunch in another one. Additionally it's wine country with wineries that are beautiful.

I have to go along with this Spain decision although I might have chosen Italy.

When I retired in 2000 the choices at the time were France, Italy or Spain, I was in a camper van in those days and we had already tried and ruled Ireland out.

France too cold in the winter and also many places closed for the winter.

Italy cold in the north and also many places closed for the winter unless you are in the very south.

South Spain, good climate year round, great food, friendly folk who do not despise Brits like the French often do, language not too difficult to learn enough to get about.

For the last three years I've been sharing my time between Spain and Thailand and I would say I (we) have the best of both worlds.

Winter and spring in Thailand are wonderful and summer and autumn in Spain are great too.

Regarding kitchen hygiene, is it a long time ago that you visited?

Nowadays, even in the back of beyond, hygiene standards are fine IMO of course.

[laislica]

I've been wondering if Spain these days is cheaper than Thailand. Loads of retirees living there. Too cold for me, though, even the Canary islands.

Where we stay in the south east, it is semi dessert and it hardly rains but temperatures in January/February do sometimes drop down to 7-10C and that sure feels cold to me.

Hence half time in Thailand, leaving next week, just as it gets too hot here.

Though we have stayed to the end of January and it was nice to have some cool weather for a while.

There is snow up in the mountains Brrrrr.

Depending where you live Tapas is included with wine and beer so for the price of a couple of beers (or wine) lunch is done and the cost for a single drink inc tapas would be about 100b, a beer would be about 33cl, can be more if you choose a posh place.

Property rental can be as low as say €200 and up to 600, 8,000 - 24,000b, depends what you want.

Of course you would have to pay gas, electricity, water and garbage removal on top.

We live quite extravagantly and I guess we spend about €60, 2,400b per week on supermarket shopping which would include wine at €3 / bottle.....

Aircon units are usually reversible so can cool or heat the room.

On the plus side, if you are from Europe, you can transfer your social services fund to Spain and get full, free NHS cover (your Thai wife too).

Visa for a wife is replaced with an ID card that is good for 5 years and she can work if she wants to, but she needs to be in Spain for 180+ days per year to maintain residency. There are quite a number of hoops to jump through to get the ID for her though and will take about a half year to complete. For you - easy if you are from Europe.

Your pension will not be frozen and you can take long holidays in Thailand to keep up with her family LOL.

Driving standards are somewhat better than Thailand, except for the major national holidays when all hell breaks loose, but that's the same in most countries I think.

[smotherb]

Worth noting is that Spain also has excellent food. I danged near starved to death in France despite its reputation. Horses for courses, naturally. I always consider food after safety etc. and put it into the equation when deciding where to go. I would put Spain, Italy and SW USA to include Cajun up there on my list. Thailand would rank right up there depending on personal preferences.

The only thing I would say about both Spain and Thailand is that the people don't keep things all that clean. This is especially true in the rural areas of both countries with Spain simply not being an England UK or France.

Spain would be a better choice for weather as it's not so hot. It would also be a far better choice if choosing beer or wine or Western food.

Cheers

Edit to change England to UK. Most of the UK is very clean and nice and not just England in particular.

I nearly starved in ''France'' too, i am strict vegetarian and a bit of a health freak, ''No Salt - No Sugar'' etc etc..

very very little options in most Restaurant, apart from a ''Pizza'' .. which gets boring after a week or so....

ended up making my Own Food ??? not ideal for sure..

Supermarkets, are limited too..

First, I said SW USA when of course I meant SE - deep South. Too late to edit.

There are only two times in my life when I was really happy to see a McDonald's. One was when I crossed the border from Mexico into Nogales Arizona after driving through rural Mexico for a couple of days and couldn't fine a clean place to eat. I did find one tiny restaurant with a dirt floor and chickens scratching on the floor and hopping up on what they called a counter. True story. It smelled like a barnyard but they had packaged Fritos from America and I bought a bunch of them and left.

The second was in France and believe it or not there is a McDonald's on the swanky Champs Elysee among the high-end designer stores.

I have never understood French food from the ingredients to the way they cook it. I guess I "just ain't got no couth", LOL. I do like France for the beauty. I'll never forget a trip down the Loire Valley, staying overnight in a real castle with a moat and having lunch in another one. Additionally it's wine country with wineries that are beautiful.

I have to go along with this Spain decision although I might have chosen Italy.

You mentioned McDonald's twice, Obviously, you know nothing about food.

[wowfactor10]

Spain is a winner...

Almost a simular price level as in Thailand.

Equal laws for foreigers and locals.

Better climate

less polluted

less corruption

need i continue..

Man, Im spanish and sure spain is the winner but.... Less corruption? You serious?

I'm an old Brit and have lived in South East Spain most of this century since I retired.

Now alternating half half with Thailand.

In Spain, try bribing your way out of a driving ticket?

As you are a local, can you actually give a "sweetener" to expedite oficialdome or have a "blind eye turned"?

Try erecting a building without permission.

Same for drilling a well.

God help you if you were duped into buying on a new estate in the countryside that is not legal - it will be bulldozed.

If you mean political corruption - lots of that but they try their best not to be caught 555

The local Mayor, on receipt of a donation, giving building permission that turns out not to be legal....

Last year we had a Danish couple over to stay for a holiday. We drove along the south coast, staying in various hotels.

They were amazed at the low prices and how safe it felt.

Typically, we would be out until 2 am in city centres having a drink/ice cream etc.

They said that they would not dare to do that in Copenhagen.

Yes its political much more stable they have normal elections and i cant even remember when the when Spain had their last coup..

also the people seem to me more friendly towards foreigners

they have slightly better English skills too..

land owning and company formation same as the locals....

Yes i meet often persons doing a mix of 6 months Asia and six months Spain seems a nice way of life....

[manarak]

Thailand ranked #35 overall....but is ranked behind several other Asian destinations (Singapore, Japan, China, Malaysia, Taiwan....)

Edit: Regarding safety, Thailand ranked last in Asia behind even Myanmar and the Philippines.

when I read "beat Switzerland for the top position" I knew the ranking was 100% bullshit.

[Wadan]

I am surprised Portugal didn't come a close second. Both countries are fantastic. You can cut it any which you can, the food, the infrastructure, the beaches , the difference in crime rate , the political stability and the big one, the ease of visa and no crap for renewals every few months. Many of my friends have already left for Spain and I am sure the new ranking putting Spain on top will just hasten that trend.

[craigt3365]

Thailand ranked #35 overall....but is ranked behind several other Asian destinations (Singapore, Japan, China, Malaysia, Taiwan....)

Edit: Regarding safety, Thailand ranked last in Asia behind even Myanmar and the Philippines.

when I read "beat Switzerland for the top position" I knew the ranking was 100% bullshit.

It's not BS, just the way the scores came out. One thing Switzerland got nailed for was cost. And as a tourist, that can be very important. I know it is for me.

[Cabra]

I've been wondering if Spain these days is cheaper than Thailand. Loads of retirees living there. Too cold for me, though, even the Canary islands.

Where we stay in the south east, it is semi dessert and it hardly rains but temperatures in January/February do sometimes drop down to 7-10C and that sure feels cold to me.

Hence half time in Thailand, leaving next week, just as it gets too hot here.

Though we have stayed to the end of January and it was nice to have some cool weather for a while.

There is snow up in the mountains Brrrrr.

Depending where you live Tapas is included with wine and beer so for the price of a couple of beers (or wine) lunch is done and the cost for a single drink inc tapas would be about 100b, a beer would be about 33cl, can be more if you choose a posh place.

Property rental can be as low as say €200 and up to 600, 8,000 - 24,000b, depends what you want.

Of course you would have to pay gas, electricity, water and garbage removal on top.

We live quite extravagantly and I guess we spend about €60, 2,400b per week on supermarket shopping which would include wine at €3 / bottle.....

Aircon units are usually reversible so can cool or heat the room.

On the plus side, if you are from Europe, you can transfer your social services fund to Spain and get full, free NHS cover (your Thai wife too).

Visa for a wife is replaced with an ID card that is good for 5 years and she can work if she wants to, but she needs to be in Spain for 180+ days per year to maintain residency. There are quite a number of hoops to jump through to get the ID for her though and will take about a half year to complete. For you - easy if you are from Europe.

Your pension will not be frozen and you can take long holidays in Thailand to keep up with her family LOL.

Driving standards are somewhat better than Thailand, except for the major national holidays when all hell breaks loose, but that's the same in most countries I think.

A good read Doc, just a question on rent, 200 pounds a week ????

Slainte....

[JLCrab]

I've never been to Spain -- but I've been to Oklahoma.

[slipperylobster]

Most importantly....Spain is not a "Hub", unlike Thailand.