Teflon tourism: Thailand forecasts record visitors

BANGKOK (AP) — A deadly bombing in August threatened to scuttle Thailand's economically crucial tourism industry but officials are now forecasting more than 30 million visitors this year as arrivals from China swell.

The bounce back reinforces the teflon reputation of Thai tourism which employs millions and has thrived over the past decade despite two coups, episodes of deadly street fighting, airport occupations and natural disasters.

Thailand's tourism council is forecasting a record 30.3 million visitors this year, an increase of 22 percent from last year. Chinese tourists are expected to total 8.1 million, rising by three quarters from 2014.

Thailand was aiming for 28.8 million tourists this year.


-- (c) Associated Press 2015-10-22

It's no secret that many countries who have catered to Chinese and Japanese. Have nothing by worn out furniture and no silverware to show for it

Why does TAT not know this?..and if the tourism is so fantastic why are about 50% of all store fronts in these areas closed or empty? I dont think anyone believes TAT anymore. And I was here way back 15 years ago when you could not get a seat at a restaurant or bar. So don't piss down my leg and say its raining

I think every TAT employee starting at the top should be fired...

It's no secret that many countries who have catered to Chinese and Japanese. Have nothing by worn out furniture and no silverware to show for it

Why does TAT not know this?..and if the tourism is so fantastic why are about 50% of all store fronts in these areas closed or empty? I dont think anyone believes TAT anymore. And I was here way back 15 years ago when you could not get a seat at a restaurant or bar. So don't piss down my leg and say its raining

I think every TAT employee starting at the top should be fired...

In deed what you say is true , with the title Teflon Tourism, which means something that smells like, tastes like and is like baby sh!!t would describe the quality tourists to a tee and remember they have been voted for 10 years in a row , the worlds worst tourists , welcome to Thailand.

They use to call the Asian tiger economies of the 1990' for Teflon economies and we all know how that ended in 1997, so maybe a poor choice of words.

Maybe TAT should find a local partner.

The attached is from Cambodia, at least they are honest where they get their statistics from.

Now they even give visa's to anybody from anywhere, the restrictions are all gone. So yes the quantity might go up but the quality will decrease.

There are still rooms for under 400 baht though, but even that won't keep kao sarn road fully occupied.

Thailand forecasts record visitors

And, in other news, the chocolate ration was increased from three grams to two grams this week...

May I ask where this forecast came from ?

Probably out of a hat

Yet another report that fails to document tourism revenues, as opposed to body count.

Yes, there are a bunch of middle class Chinese nearby. However, their visits are shorter duration and their per diem spending on par with other nationalities. The revenue situation, year-on-year, must not be good.

Edited October 22, 201510 yr by phoenixdoglover

Off topic generalization posts have been removed as well as the replies.

This press release (it's not a 'news story') is an exemplar of weasel words. It *forecasts* the numbers but the 'teflon tourism' comment tricks the brain into being lazy and reading it as a 'fact' after the matter.

I've been to China a few times recently, and I will say this, the Chinese you see around Chiang Mai at least, are model citizens compared to the real hoi polloi there.

Another interesting bit of info I got from a young Thai tour guide who got a bit tipsy at a recent dinner revealed the Chinese tip way more than the westerners (average zero baht vs several hundred). Whether you think tipping is good or bad is not the point, but from what I have seen so far, the China bashing is unwarranted, I have met some vile (barely human) types in the middle kingdom, so I'm no apologist, bad manners are bad manners.

They also dress better IMO at least in in CNX than the average westerner of the same supposed demographic (yuppie).

As to the crux of the story, anyone who knows what Thailand used to look like in high season, knows that the truth is numbers are not only down, they're dire. But it's nice to actually have the place not overrun with tourists from ANYWHERE.

May I ask where this forecast came from ?

Probably out of a hat

They use a time honored forecasting technique known by the acronym PIDOOMA--Pulled It Directly Out Of My A**.

A non stick jek?

How quickly people forget.

This is old news.

The Nation 2015-09-11

"THE TOURISM Council of Thailand now expects 30 million international tourist arrivals this year, up from its original projection of 28.8 million."

2015-09-13

"the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has formally acknowledged the significance of “quality over quantity” with the revelation this past week that the Thai government is no longer exclusively pursuing arrivals targets."

Now that's a new one - TEFLON tourism.

Rest assured, wherever Chinese roam premises and/or sites you will see NOBODY else there. It's a high volume traffic with very thin margins and those quality tourists do not spend any money with third parties as they are not even given the chance to. Given he chance they still behave worse than cattle and once they Chinese have steamrollered the place you can look near and far for anybody seeking a 4* or 5* star service. The big spenders are scared away already but mathematics, foresight, concept and professionalism were never TAT's backbone strength.

What a pity; and if you want to see what those brethren from the Northern communist neighbours are all about - visit Chiang Mai.

Interesting to see that the UK has just announced that the biggest spending tourists to the UK are the Chinese.

Interesting to see that the UK has just announced that the biggest spending tourists to the UK are the Chinese.

Europe and the UK get the Chinese tourists with money who are eager to buy designer goods that aren't fakes. Thailand gets the budget Chinese tourists who want to take pictures and spend as little as possible.

TAT must promote China there helping Thais with gateways

The record numbers are based on google search engine hits and soon that won't be possible either.

Oh well maybe they do not want white man

Customs officers USA AU and UK are extremely reluctant to let any Chinese in and screen them like they are from out of Space

Disease is also a issue from the 5 star tourists and there packet noodles

Customs officers USA AU and UK are extremely reluctant to let any Chinese in and screen them like they are from out of Space

Disease is also a issue from the 5 star tourists and there packet noodles

Tell me you are just having a little laugh with your last line. As obnoxious McInroe said 'you can't be serious'.

This one could provoke a dozen pages of doom mongers telling us the figures must be wrong. To some, the sky is always falling.

So the numbers are up, but is the revenue they bring/spend also up?

Unlike us foreigner types who filter through Thailand with

no set agenda, you can find one of us in virtually every

village in Thailand and yes we spend to survive and

contribute to the economy, the Chinese and the older

(Japanese) travel in pre set organized groups,

they eat in pre designated eateries

they sleep in pre designated hotels

they have special pre arranged tours

they are in and out faster than a cheap pattaya hooker

is it quality or quantity

I forcast i will die one day too, but when is the question, just like the Tourists, the TAT talk more shit than there is in a pig farm

I have no doubts that Thailand "forecasts" great things. I doubt it really will happen. But, two things I do know that could help tourism are (1)The USD is to Baht exchange rate is very good right now, (2) EVA airline ticket prices from LAX to BKK are the lowest I have seen them since I first visited Thailand in 2004. Low oil prices? Coup? Bomb Blast?