Bangkok is Asia Pacific's top destination for tourism

[webfact]

Bangkok is Asia Pacific's top destination for tourism
by STAFF WRITER


Featured image is by United Nations Photo and used under a Creative Commons licence

BANGKOK: -- Bangkok is Asia Pacific’s most visited destination by international tourists, according to the 2015 Mastercard Global Destination Cities Index.

It’s also ranked number one for total tourism expenditure – US$15.2 billion during 2015 – and for total nights stayed – a total of 107 million in 2015.

The index measured the number and analytics of international overnight visitors in 167 destinations, including islands, cities and towns, across the Asia Pacific (APAC) region during 2015.

Here’s the top ten destinations by international overnight visitor numbers:

Bangkok: 21.9 million
Singapore: 11.8 million
Tokyo: 11.8 million
Kuala Lumpur: 11.3 million
Phuket: 9.3 million
Seoul: 9.2 million
Hong Kong: 8.3 million
Pattaya: 8.1 million
Bali: 7.2 million
Osaka: 6.5 million

Around half of these destinations saw over 10 percent growth in numbers between 2014 and 2015: Osaka (54 percent), Tokyo (53.2 percent), Bangkok (28.6 percent), Phuket (15.5 percent) and Pattaya (10 percent).

Full story: http://whatsonsukhumvit.com/bangkok-is-asia-pacifics-top-destination-for-tourism/


-- (c) What's on Sukhumvit 2016-01-28

[shirtless]

I dont know why , Bangkok is a dump

[PatOngo]

Time to add a tourist "Privilege Tax" to visit the best in Asia.

[phoenixdoglover]

When a source claims a 53% increase in tourist stays in Tokyo from 2014 to 2015, one must pause and ask, "Are you fricken kidding me?"

[JoePai]

Bangkok tourist visits DOWN by 7% LINK

[DrTuner]

I wonder how many are passing by and how many return for the second time. BKK as a tourist destination ain't interesting, unless you like spending hours in a gridlock.

[legend49]

Hmm who conducted the survey? Mastercard. I am sure those tourists using Visa card are not included. False data being published again.

[lvr181]

To be taken with a grain of salt

[oxo1947]

You must stop posting this sort of news-------it really upsets the Thai hatters on here.......then again they will probably be along soon to explain that it's not true..it's just all a plot.................

[Mot Dang]

I love the Big Mango, I have fun in BKK. I love Pattaya as well, I have a home in both cities, The difference between the two cities is that in BKK your not tripping over the multitudes of not-so-high-quality tourists. There is more space. Yes and plus the lyrics of One Night in Bangkok do come to mind occasionally.

However when I see headlines like "Bangkok is Asia's top destination" all I can think of is BS. Anyone who knows BKK knows that really it is only a Base Camp for travel to the rest of the country. People rarely come to BKK for a holiday longer than a few days. They get out of here in a hurry after they have wised up, and seen all the usual sites. Do you think people stay in BKK for weeks at a time ? Nope !

Statistics like this are worthless unless your add other validating data, average length of stay in BKK, average money spent. If the credit card mobs or even TAT are using the number of Chinese coming thru Swampy to justify this statement, that is just deliberately misleading.

[emilymat]

I may be an oddball, but I have lived here (Chonburi) for 8 years. I have never been to Bangkok, except once to the British Embassy and loads of times to Swampy.

However, maybe I could be classed as visiting Bangkok a couple of dozen times over those 8 years. Dunno. It holds no attractions for me I'm afraid, but maybe I'm missing something..

[TKDfella]

Probably due to the Chinese visitors.

[trainman34014]

Take out the sex tourists and then see where it is in the rankings !

[Roota]

When a source claims a 53% increase in tourist stays in Tokyo from 2014 to 2015, one must pause and ask, "Are you fricken kidding me?"

Well, that's exactly in line with the figures from JNTO, and they ought to know. There was an absolutely huge increase in tourism to Japan from China last year, and very healthy growth from many other markets as well.

[ajarnmarc]

Perhaps this is what TAT would like to think,

or more importantly, like other to consider...

Though for people who have come here,

they know it can't be the truth,

as there's nothing to truly enjoy in Bangkok,

other than sheer headaches from the police,

as well as the ever changing traffic routed in various directions,

based on the people controlling the flow.

It is certainly a wonderland,

filled with people wondering how to get from one place to another,

in a reasonable amount of time.

[swerver]

I dont know why , Bangkok is a dump

Fully Agree.

I came te BKK fifty years ago working at Duong Mung and lived at Klong Papa which at that time was country enjoying clean air and breezes when sitting on the balcony of my house. Unfortunately that didn't lasted before is was turned into a concrete jungle with main Soi, Soi Sasana. From there I move to the other side of town then regarded as country, Soi Ekamai,. that didn't last either before being surrounded with concrete. So I moved further out to Bangna country, were I still own a condo at Central City Bangna, but do not live there, the dirty BKK air caused breathing problems and drove me away. Luckily I also had a home on the golf course which is still country, 25km from Pattaya, 10km from Bovine but how much longer is anybody's guess because Bovine which was a village with a 2-lane Hiway to Mapta Put when I moved to the golf course home has by now in the last 20-years tuned into a town and growing with a 8-lane Hiway. The good part of living on a golf courser they cannot surround you with concrete, unless the golf course is sold for housing development.

I handle BKK by driving to Soi On Nut park the car at Tesco Lotus and take the Sky train and taxi wherever I have to go in BKK and l leave again as quick as I can. Like to sale the Condo at Central Bangna but with all the new condos around the area with practically speaking no down payment - developer sales with recourse, while existing property the banks want 24% down payment when loaning money to buy. The only way can sale is cash which requires foreigners to buy and the foreigners all like to hang around Sukhumvit with the girlie bars and message parlors. .

TIT

[Phuketboy]

According to another source Bangkok is still number 1 however the others are all wrong. http://www.escapehere.com/destination/the-10-most-popular-destination-cities-in-asiapacific-for-2015/

[phoenixdoglover]

When a source claims a 53% increase in tourist stays in Tokyo from 2014 to 2015, one must pause and ask, "Are you fricken kidding me?"

Well, that's exactly in line with the figures from JNTO, and they ought to know. There was an absolutely huge increase in tourism to Japan from China last year, and very healthy growth from many other markets as well.

That JNTO site is nice on my mobile phone. :-)

Yes, I see now the growth in inbound tourists has been climbing quickly the past two years. And while there is growth from many countries, the Chinese are leading the charge. I wonder how 2016 will go?

[flyingdoc]

I agree! BKK is usually the hub for travelling to other parts of LOS !

[flyingdoc]

I agree! BKK is usually the hub for travelling to other parts of LOS !

[jacko45k]

mods...please delete ....comp gone mad......

Mad as a hatter perhaps?

[lvr181]

mods...please delete ....comp gone mad......

It is called an eye dee ten tee error! Being as computers are, generally speaking, inanimate objects. And I'm not a "Thai hatter".

[tracker1]

Bangkok as is Singapore and Dubai a transit point for a lot of airlines which include a night or two stay over before continuing on to other destinations, this would have a big impact on the numbers if they are true

[jacko45k]

I agree! BKK is usually the hub for travelling to other parts of LOS !

It is a pretty decent hub for flying around SE Asia too where you can switch to budget carriers.

[CoreanoOzzie]

I dont know why , Bangkok is a dump

How is it? It's got a nice vibe with excellent bars/restaurants and nightlife. However considering most foreigners here only know Sukhumvit and the girly bars........I can see why they would have a very narrow view of Bangkok.

[spidermike007]

In a typically simplistic survey, which only looks at numbers of arrivals, and little else, Bangkok might be leading the pack. But, what does this tell us, really? The Russians, and Western tourists that have been choosing other destinations, for dozens of reasons, are being replaced mostly by Chinese tourists. Ask anyone in the tourism industry what this means to them. The Chinese spend less, do not frequent alot of the establishments, stay in large groups in very specific hotels, and are not nearly as beneficial to the Thai economy as a whole, as the former tourists were. So, what does this survey really tell us? The only thing it tells us is the Swampy is busy, and that many travel related businesses in Thailand are in trouble.

[Thian]

Bangkok only has some nice malls and moobaans (where tourists are not allowed to come).

For the rest all the sidewalks are crappy, traffic vely dangerous and soidogs running everywhere.

There are a few parks but they close at night and don't have many nice places to sit for a while. You are not even allowed to smoke a cigarette there.

If you go to touristical places you will get scammed and can't get a taxi with metre.

Bangkok could be much better for tourists but first the Thai have to learn english and then learn how to treat tourists who come from developed country's.

I wouldn't know what to recommend in Bangkok for a tourist from a 1st world country.

[freebyrd]

I dont know why , Bangkok is a dump

But of course still the easiest place in the world for Tom, Dick and Harry to get their rocks off.

[lvr181]

Bangkok only has some nice malls and moobaans (where tourists are not allowed to come).

For the rest all the sidewalks are crappy, traffic vely dangerous and soidogs running everywhere.

There are a few parks but they close at night and don't have many nice places to sit for a while. You are not even allowed to smoke a cigarette there.

If you go to touristical places you will get scammed and can't get a taxi with metre.

Bangkok could be much better for tourists but first the Thai have to learn english and then learn how to treat tourists who come from developed country's.

I wouldn't know what to recommend in Bangkok for a tourist from a 1st world country.

Eating.

[tomyumchai]

Bangkok only has some nice malls and moobaans (where tourists are not allowed to come).

For the rest all the sidewalks are crappy, traffic vely dangerous and soidogs running everywhere.

There are a few parks but they close at night and don't have many nice places to sit for a while. You are not even allowed to smoke a cigarette there.

If you go to touristical places you will get scammed and can't get a taxi with metre.

Bangkok could be much better for tourists but first the Thai have to learn english and then learn how to treat tourists who come from developed country's.

I wouldn't know what to recommend in Bangkok for a tourist from a 1st world country.

Eating.

and just walk round in the filth n <deleted> wearing a gas mask for the next 8 hours until youre hungry again? bangkok is a dump. full stop.