TAT predicts booming tourism this year

[webfact]

TAT predicts booming tourism this year

BANGKOK: -- Tourism business for the year 2016 is expected to grow an average of 8 percent with anticipated revenue totalling 2.3 trillion baht compared to last years 2.21 trillion baht, said Mr Yutthasak Supasorn, governor of Tourism Authority of Thailand, on Sunday.

Tourism growth during the festive period from Christmas to New Year met the 10 percent target generating revenue estimated at about 20 billion baht, said the governor, adding that hotel bookings for most hotels are full until March.

Mr Surapong Techaruvichit, president of Thai Hotels Association, meanwhile, disclosed that hotel bookings for the festive season this year were at the same level registered last year with tourists from Malaysia and East Asia such as China and South Korea and Thai tourists forming the bulk of tourists.

New Years revelers, meanwhile, are returning to Bangkok in droves today ahead of the start of the working days tomorrow. The Bangkok-bound influx caused traffic gridlocks at the main road arteries. Bus terminals are also jammed with passengers.

Government spokesman Maj-Gen Sansern Kaewkamnerd hailed the tax refund scheme for yearend shopping as a success generating spending of up to 15 billion baht for the weeklong shopping spree.

Similar tax refund scheme is likely to be reintroduced during Songkran festival, according to an informed Finance Ministrys source.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/tat-predicts-booming-tourism-this-year

-- Thai PBS 2016-01-04

[NeverSure]

TAT is, if nothing else, predictable.

Cheers.

[never me]

TAT, The spin factory is back at work.

[simon43]

...adding that hotel bookings for most hotels are full until March

Oh pleeeese, don't be so totally stupid!! Do a check on booking.com for any date from now until end March, for any hotel, in any province, of any star rating - and you typically find that it is NOT FULL

How on earth can they come out with these type of comments and expect anyone with more than half a brain cell to believe them?

[Thailand]

A tad optimistic?

Unless there is a surge of those "low quality" Chinese tourists.

[NongKhaiKid]

I'm currently in Pattaya to visit a friend on holiday from Britain and as he's here until March I'm considering retuning to see him before he leaves.

A casual request if the hotel will have rooms in early March was met with the response " which one would you like ? "

I wonder if the Hotels Association will have something to say on this claim ?

Edited January 3, 2016 by NongKhaiKid

[chainarong]

Quite obviously TAT have started out the new year as they left the old one, predicting and talking up figures, something that they have refined, mastered over the past two decades, finely convincing everyone that not only they don't have New Year resolutions, the tourist industry has stagnated as well..................................... .

[never me]

...adding that hotel bookings for most hotels are full until March

Oh pleeeese, don't be so totally stupid!! Do a check on booking.com for any date from now until end March, for any hotel, in any province, of any star rating - and you typically find that it is NOT FULL

How on earth can they come out with these type of comments and expect anyone with more than half a brain cell to believe them?

As you are in the hotel business Simon, I think you would have a better idea of the way things are going than TAT.

Just ignore what the TAT says its all out of the "Spin Factory"

[patekatek]

Thailand could be invaded by North Korea and TAT would still "predict" a huge increase in tourism. Puppet figures posted the same as the road deaths and accidents.

[Basil B]

Maybe the Guestimaters at at TAT should be put on a performance related pay scheme.

[Thian]

So at Songkran there's another taxrefund? Thanks for mentioning, we don't buy anything untill Songkran then..

[Strangebrew]

I predict TAT will have excuse for low turnout and will blame either ghosts weather or other countries for low turnout.

[Katipo]

what a surprise

[wolfjob]

TAT is, if nothing else, predictable.

Cheers.

I wonder why so many Hotels are offering up to 40% discount even now??

Maybe they found a heart and are trying to improve the situation of extreme Greed in Thailand.

[Srikcir]

"hotel bookings for the festive season this year were at the same level registered last year with tourists from Malaysia and East Asia such as China and South Korea and Thai tourists forming the bulk of tourists"

Minister for Tourism and Sports Kobkarn (The Nation 2015-12-25)

"Our goal is to focus on quality and how to make tourists stay longer and spend more money,"

FAIL

[bangkokheat]

for the last 4 years i have lived here the supply of water from the city dries up, we needed to keep buying water thru the hi season, my tanks are all full this hi season, says a lot about the tourist numbers or the chinese dont wash

[drgoon]

TAT is, if nothing else, predictable.

Cheers.

I wonder why so many Hotels are offering up to 40% discount even now??

Maybe they found a heart and are trying to improve the situation of extreme Greed in Thailand.

The prices most of the time are reasonable

[MorristheRunt]

Another year

Less Road Kill

More Tourists

No Corruption

Better Education

Scam the ferrang

1/5 not bad, welcome 2016, welcome to Thailand

[DM07]

..but of course they do!

[Somtamnication]

I missread it. I would have given it a thumbs up if it took off one O and added a B.

[ggt]

The TAT predicts booming tourism every year...they simply take last years prediction...change the date to 2016 and presto...surprise...surprise...a glowing prediction which again will not come true...

[medina21]

Of course they do. If not, it'll be time for some 'adjustment' therapy.

[wabothai]

TAT under present leadership is a waste of Thai taxpayers money. I try to be nice.

[CantSpell]

I predict that...

We must be Monday

[Michael8511]

You can't just go by hotel bookings, Avalon in jomtien is half full with Russians and welcome world resort at dongtan is empty. A lot of Russian multi family tourists camp in condos in VT complex. It's a lot of them for 12 or 14 days trips and they don't count in any hotel registers. Dongtan beach is overly crowded by Russian families. You can't get a decent chair or beach place to put your mat. And very noisy with all kids.

[nong38]

They really should get out more, but then no one can check up on their claims, no one wants to, let the good times roll again.

If they ( the people who work in the tourism industry ) have looked after the 2015 arrivals then they will be back, if they have not then they wont, either way TAT will peddle the same story, chin up chaps oh and dont forget to smile!

[WhizBang]

TAT, predictable as ever.

They might make the figures for the number of tourist arrivals if they really push the Chinese package tours. But they won't be getting the high quality rich tourists they want. Plus the sheer numbers of tourists is now starting to hurt the environment, not that anyone seems to care.

As for hotels being fully booked until March, what a load of cobblers. I am off to Pattaya later this week and no problems getting rooms. And not the cheap backpackers fan rooms either. Good quality hotel in the heart of Pattaya. My first choice of hotel had a 500 baht per night high season surcharge, but lots of available rooms (I wonder why?). I said no thanks and booked with the hotel next door (literally).

[Plutojames88]

Truth is numbers are down badly.

And the out look very grim

Business is dying .

Why they claim differently is the same reason polls supporting the PM at 99%

[elgordo38]

...adding that hotel bookings for most hotels are full until March

Oh pleeeese, don't be so totally stupid!! Do a check on booking.com for any date from now until end March, for any hotel, in any province, of any star rating - and you typically find that it is NOT FULL

How on earth can they come out with these type of comments and expect anyone with more than half a brain cell to believe them?

As they say in Star Trek " Make it so" I think 2016 is going to be a pivotal year where a lot of government projectors will end up with egg on their face. There are so many rubbery/spin numbers being broadcast by different governments its getting impossible to tell fact from fiction. It is the year of the Monkey and also the year when the chickens will come home to roost. The fact finders will win over the projectors by a large margin. Mark it on your calendar on the December 2016 page.

Edited January 4, 2016 by elgordo38

[elgordo38]

TAT, predictable as ever.

They might make the figures for the number of tourist arrivals if they really push the Chinese package tours. But they won't be getting the high quality rich tourists they want. Plus the sheer numbers of tourists is now starting to hurt the environment, not that anyone seems to care.

As for hotels being fully booked until March, what a load of cobblers. I am off to Pattaya later this week and no problems getting rooms. And not the cheap backpackers fan rooms either. Good quality hotel in the heart of Pattaya. My first choice of hotel had a 500 baht per night high season surcharge, but lots of available rooms (I wonder why?). I said no thanks and booked with the hotel next door (literally).

Yes I think your spot on the environment is being strained. More is being asked of it than it can deliver and yes no one cares till mother nature decides enough is enough. I see Thailand in conjunction with China (really?) is trying to put a stop to the flag tours where the tourists follow the bouncing flag person. Why would China care? all they want is for their docile workers to be happy and slave away for de masta with the occasional "happiness" break. But the slaves I see in the news are starting to get uppity striking etc. so the Communist party is starting to crackdown on labor leaders accusing them of theft infidelity anything that they can throw at them that sticks. What a system what an abusive country and the world trades with them? Incredible. They must be in violation of many trade agreements but who cares it all looks good on paper. All the employers have to do if they are unhappy with the labor in their factories is to call up their local commissar and the storm troopers come in and the government arrests the leaders. Democracy? hardly.