Thai Tourism Council ups 2015 arrival target to 30 million

[webfact]

Tourism Council ups 2015 arrival target to 30 million
SUCHAT SRITAMA
THE NATION


Ittirit Kinglake, president of the Tourism Council of Thailand

BANGKOK: -- THE TOURISM Council of Thailand now expects 30 million international tourist arrivals this year, up from its original projection of 28.8 million. Last month's deadly bomb blast in Bangkok is no longer expected to affect the tourism sector in the coming high season.

TCT president Ittirit Kinglake said 8.1 million international tourists were expected to visit the country in the final quarter, up by 9.2 per cent from same time last year. It is projected that 2.2 million will come from Southeast Asia, 3.2 million from East Asia, 1.3 from Europe, and the rest from other parts of the world.

Thailand welcomed 7.8 million visitors in the first quarter and 7.0 million in the second, up by 23 and 37 per cent respectively compared with the same periods last year. A total of 7.4 million are expected in the current quarter, up by 26 per cent from the third quarter of 2014. He said total arrivals should reach 30 million this year, an increase from the earlier projection of 28.8 million, for a 22.8-per-cent improvement over 2014. Total income from the international and domestic markets will also be higher than the original prediction of Bt2.2 trillion, at Bt2.3 trillion, of which Bt1.5 trillion will be from the international market.

"The bomb blast at Erawan Shrine in Bangkok last month hit the sector, but only for a short time. This fear will not affect the industry during the coming high season," Ittirit said.

China will remain the biggest source of arrivals, with 8 million this year. Visits from Southeast Asia are expected to rebound this month. However, the Russian market is expected to continue falling through early next year.

The Tourism and Sports Ministry has reported to the Cabinet that the bombing through this month resulted in a loss of Bt64 billion in tourism revenues from the cancellation of flights as 35 countries issued Level 1-3 travel advisories against Thailand. Hong Kong, Taiwan and Slovakia issued Level 4 advisories warning their people not to travel here if it wasn't necessary.

Since the incident, Thailand has lost 1.3 million tourists. However, the tourism situation is bouncing back as safety matters are now seen as under control and the sector should enjoy significant growth in the final quarter of the year, Ittirit said.

"Hong Kong will withdraw its travel warning within three or four days," he added.

In order to encourage tourists back to the Kingdom, the TCT, the Tourism Authority of Thailand and the private sector plan to invite celebrities from Hong Kong and mainland China to perform concerts in Bangkok and visit the Erawan Shine within the next few months to rebuild confidence in those two markets.

Ittirit said many other development plans had been drafted and would soon be proposed to the government. Suggested measures include restoring damaged attractions, developing new products and services, providing financial aid to affected operators and facilitating business expansion, and enhancing human resources.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/business/Tourism-Council-ups-2015-arrival-target-to-30-mill-30268547.html


-- The Nation 2015-09-11

[Reigntax]

If thats how the dice fell this week sobeit.

[Somtamnication]

Amazing how they come up with these numbers. Purely magical!

[ratcatcher]

I guess this guy met with Kobkarn (MOTS) and Yuthasak (TAT) and they tossed a few numbers around over dinner including a large bottle of Optimism.

[ezzra]

'Council of Thailand now expects 30 million international tourist arrivals this year'

The move Great expectations was scripted on the TAT tourist influx to Thailand theory...

how smug as a bug this chaapy look when he make those predictions, he must have

consulted a Mo-Doo before came out with those figures....

[Jessi]

The spin factory is back at work.

[NongKhaiKid]

Maybe these are figures for arrivals to their own little world on their own special planet.

[jerojero]

Please stop... Make it stop. New figures every week.. Up, down, backwards, forwards.....now 30 million? My comedy absorption can't take much more.

[Spleen]

The fact they always equate tourist figures with Money, says quite a lot about them and their view of Tourists

[clockman]

The usual fortune teller predictions!

[BSJ]

I do love the big dose of optimism! Or do they have a speed dial for the make a wish fairy?

[jlwilliamsjr18]

Propaganda with lots of sugar please. Honestly, I have never believed the numbers, it's simply patting oneself on the back. Keep it coming... Happy...Happy...Happy

[soalbundy]

I read in the Nikei asian news that Thai tourism is way way down and that it generates not 10% of GDP but more like 20%

[soalbundy]

Believe me, i work for the TAT

[canopus1969]

I want a job like his

[maidee]

last week: numbers are down

this week: numbers are up

looooooooooool

[BKKBrit]

The fact they always equate tourist figures with Money, says quite a lot about them and their view of Tourists

It's an industry. It contributes nearly 10% to the country's GDP and employs roughly 6% of the population. So yes, it is all about money at the end of day. No different from any other country's tourism boards that are funded by the taxpayer to bring tourists to spend money. Simple.

[godden]

i think it could be as many as 50 million, but then i am looking for a job with them.

[peterjackson]

QUOTE : Ittirit said many other development plans had been drafted and would soon be proposed to the Government. Providing financial aid to affected operators.

If the numbers are up, year on year, who are the affected operators who need financial aid?

[gandalf12]

Amazing how they come up with these numbers. Purely magical!

Penn and Teller have nothing on these guys

[gandalf12]

QUOTE : Ittirit said many other development plans had been drafted and would soon be proposed to the Government. Providing financial aid to affected operators.

If the numbers are up, year on year, who are the affected operators who need financial aid?

Those operators affected by the overwhelming influx of tourists, pretty obvious really

[eddie61]

wankwankwankwankwankwankwankwankwankwankwankwankwankwankwankwankwankwankwankwankwankwankwankwankwankwankwankwankwankwankwankwankwankwankwankwankwankwankwankwankwankwankwankwankwankwankwankwankwankwankwankwankwankwankwankwankwankwankwankwankwankwankwankwank

[shirtless]

Wow with thee figures Thailand will be booming, TAT you done it again well done . If only they were true.

[toybits]

Targets are easy to set - no matter how outlandish they may be. Those outlandish targets are still nothing but targets. Whether you find your target or not is a totally different can of worms.

[Friendly Stranger]

How can you increase a target while reporting a decline yesterday? How many countries placed travel advisories?

Here's a hint TAT. Tell the boarder patrol to stop taking bribes, so maybe the numbers can realistically increase.

[sawadee1947]

I think he's a magician. Where all the numbers should come from?

[madmitch]

Arrival numbers are up but average stay figures must be well-down. Hotel nights would be a better way of judging but as most hotels are unregistered it's an impossible figure to arrive at: though with the statistical geniuses that work in the various Thai tourism agencies I'm sure they could come up with a figure............if they wanted to! It might not make such good reading.

[Jon Wetherall]

Posed and smiling for the camera. And important insight as to his reason for the announcement.

[Jon Wetherall]

I think he's a magician. Where all the numbers should come from?

Probably got a Harry Potter pencil. Or he borrowed Mr P's.

[ldiablo]

If their nose grew when they told a lie, it would have rounded the earth by now.