Thailand's January tourist arrivals up 15 percent over last year

BANGKOK: -- International tourist arrivals in Thailand rose 15 percent in January from a year earlier, government data showed, as the industry continued to expand in a sluggish domestic economy.

Tourism accounts for about 10 percent of Thailand's gross domestic product.

The growing number of visitors has been one of the few bright spots for Southeast Asia's second-largest economy, which has struggled to find a firm footing since prolonged street protests took the country to the brink of recession in 2014.

Full story: http://in.reuters.com/article/us-thailand-tourism-idINKCN0VP0I9


-- Reuters 2016-02-16

When will they start to tell us how many Hotel Nights the Tourists spend instead of arrival numbers ?

Thats the interesting number !

Up 15% really? Where do they hide them?

Meanwhile the World Economic Forum had ranked Thailand 130th on a list of 141 nations for safety and security at tourist attractions.

It won't take long to see if this low ranking will prove out to lower tourism, especially if the Malay-Thai insurgency reaches into Bangkok.

Well, that's doesn't surprise me.

However, Never Me, just yesterday was telling me somebody had told him it was all doom and gloom.

I suppose it all depends on who you talk to.

Thailand truly is one of the worlds greatest tourist destinations. Something for everyone, culture, food, beautiful beaches with warm tropical water and the friendly Thais who can adjust to cater for all nationalities. With a billion people just a couple of hundred kms to the west and another billion the same distance to the north with steadily developing economies and a growing middle class the only way is up.

Lots of Chinese but less europeans

Rubbish....as usual.

We were in Kata/Karon in early January and late January.

On a Saturday night at 22.30 there was hardly a tourist about. For instance, the girlie square in Kata had the sum total of six....yes six....guys at the bars. On the two side streets we counted less than ten customers in ALL of the bars. Great to see them getting their just reward.

The side streets off the main street were empty and the restaurants also empty. We could walk down the narrow sidewalk with hardly anyone else. A couple of bars opposite the Club Med wall had customers but that was it.

So where are these 15% extra tourists??

ps...we will never ever stay in Kata/Karon again. Much prefer Chalong.

Thailand's January tourist arrivals up 15 percent over last year

BANGKOK: -- International tourist arrivals in Thailand rose 15 percent in January from a year earlier, government data showed, as the industry continued to expand in a sluggish domestic economy.

Tourism accounts for about 10 percent of Thailand's gross domestic product.

The growing number of visitors has been one of the few bright spots for Southeast Asia's second-largest economy, which has struggled to find a firm footing since prolonged street protests took the country to the brink of recession in 2014.

Full story: http://in.reuters.com/article/us-thailand-tourism-idINKCN0VP0I9

-- Reuters 2016-02-16

Nice to read some good news for a change.

Well, I will say my condo complex was packed from December 20th to January 20th

and then poof. At least 50% left. Not sure how that compares to last year but the

numbers will be down considerably next month. But again how that will compare

to last Februarys numbers. Chinese New Year was also a bust.

When will they start to tell us how many Hotel Nights the Tourists spend instead of arrival numbers ?

Thats the interesting number !

numbers don't mean anything. Interesting would be the generated money. But those figures.....please don't ask for...

Rubbish....as usual.

We were in Kata/Karon in early January and late January.

On a Saturday night at 22.30 there was hardly a tourist about. For instance, the girlie square in Kata had the sum total of six....yes six....guys at the bars. On the two side streets we counted less than ten customers in ALL of the bars. Great to see them getting their just reward.

The side streets off the main street were empty and the restaurants also empty. We could walk down the narrow sidewalk with hardly anyone else. A couple of bars opposite the Club Med wall had customers but that was it.

So where are these 15% extra tourists??

ps...we will never ever stay in Kata/Karon again. Much prefer Chalong.

The article didn't say Sex Tourist In Beer Bars up. Chinese, Malaysians and South Koreans are not really into hanging around hookers and drinking beer their whole holiday. They may use girls for company, but understand they are just hookers don't parade them around, hand in hand as if they are a girlfriend. More likely to visit a soapy or such. A lot of Koreans come for the golf and the Malaysians love it here.

They were the top three arrivals. The figures are correct.

Less sex tourists and more real holiday tourists is a good thing IMO. Tourists up, less low quality sex tourists, this is what the Thais want. The Asians from Malaysia and Korea especially the Thais in hospitality prefer, much less likely to start fights, understand the Asian culture/manners better, more likely to tip well.

The Chinese they (Thais in hospitality) are not so keen on, but they are making up the numbers at real tourist attractions and filling up the hotel rooms. Karen/Kata doesn't really offer anything except the beaches, beer and hookers, it doesn't appeal to them. The Russians have dropped off dramatically, but they were not generally whoremongers either.

All good.

When will they start to tell us how many Hotel Nights the Tourists spend instead of arrival numbers ?

Thats the interesting number !

numbers don't mean anything. Interesting would be the generated money. But those figures.....please don't ask for...

The article says up 9.1%, which sounds about right. Total numbers up 15%, but the Chinese are known to spend a bit less than the other tourists and not stay for as long, so that all makes sense.

As usual, the Thaivisa experts know better.

As usual, the Thaivisa experts know better.

I am starting to believe the world is square.

Up 15% really? Where do they hide them?

in their dreams

They may use girls for company, but understand they are just hookers don't parade them around, hand in hand as if they are a girlfriend.

555. made me laugh. yeah the girlfriend experience, always fantastic to observe...

When will they start to tell us how many Hotel Nights the Tourists spend instead of arrival numbers ?

Thats the interesting number !

numbers don't mean anything. Interesting would be the generated money. But those figures.....please don't ask for...

The article says up 9.1%, which sounds about right. Total numbers up 15%, but the Chinese are known to spend a bit less than the other tourists and not stay for as long, so that all makes sense.

the Article does say they AIM for 9.1% more Money this year not that it was so in January ...

also since they have no way of knowing how much a Tourist does spend the number of nights spend in Hotels is most likely the best indicator they have.

Only for the all incl Tourists they pretty much know what they spend and all the rest they have no idea. No Restaurant , Shop or Bar does note on their recipts if the customer was a Tourist or a Thai so they cant tell that to the government either.

we will see how it does turn out in the end

Wow. 15%?

Patong has

Tuk Tuks, Bars, Guesthouses, Hotels, Food carts, restaurants, Massage Shops Jungceylon, Quik Shops, Tailors, Ladies.

Question?

1. Which owners contribute the most in rental income & people?

2. Which venues do these 15% tourist frequent?

What I see is;

1. Big C

2. Restaurants

3. Walking

Wow. 15%?

Patong has

Tuk Tuks, Bars, Guesthouses, Hotels, Food carts, restaurants, Massage Shops Jungceylon, Quik Shops, Tailors, Ladies.

Question?

1. Which owners contribute the most in rental income & people?

2. Which venues do these 15% tourist frequent?

What I see is;

1. Big C

2. Restaurants

3. Walking

Er, I am confused, I am not intelligent by any means, but I just can't understand question 1.

It is 15% increase on total numbers so I actually don't get the second question either.

Point 3? All tourists walk??? Some walk to beer bars, some to tourist attractions??

So soon TAT will release a statement we are on track for 50 million visitors this year I guess.

I find the figures perfectly believable. During the 25 minute afternoon school run I will see approximately 20 tour buses outside three different latex shops, 15 at both of the gem shops, 10 at the so-called art factory, some in the restaurants that cater for tour groups and a few dozen passing on the road. That's where the tourists are now. Not in the bars, not in the local restaurants, not in the massage shops, not even on the main beaches.

I work in tourism and everyone here knows, that TAT pulls these numbers out of their lower body half!

And not only now- they have done so for years!

I work in tourism and everyone here knows, that TAT pulls these numbers out of their lower body half!

And not only now- they have done so for years!

I am sorry to hear that whatever tourism business you work in is not doing so well.

But others are booming, you have to move with the times like in all business. This century is the "Asian century"

Where I live everyone is constantly complaining about all the busloads and busloads of tourists blocking the roads. Can't build the new roads fast enough. Swampy needs to be expanded as does Utapao just to keep up.

Up 15% really? Where do they hide them?

In tour buses along with all the other high spending quality chinese tourists.

I WONDER IF THEY COUNT THE PASSENGERS ON ROUTE TO PLACES LIKE AUSSIE OR NEW ZEALAND OR FURTHER AFIELD,WHERE THEY ONLY TRANSIT SWAMPY

Rubbish....as usual.

We were in Kata/Karon in early January and late January.

On a Saturday night at 22.30 there was hardly a tourist about. For instance, the girlie square in Kata had the sum total of six....yes six....guys at the bars. On the two side streets we counted less than ten customers in ALL of the bars. Great to see them getting their just reward.

The side streets off the main street were empty and the restaurants also empty. We could walk down the narrow sidewalk with hardly anyone else. A couple of bars opposite the Club Med wall had customers but that was it.

So where are these 15% extra tourists??

ps...we will never ever stay in Kata/Karon again. Much prefer Chalong.

The article didn't say Sex Tourist In Beer Bars up. Chinese, Malaysians and South Koreans are not really into hanging around hookers and drinking beer their whole holiday. They may use girls for company, but understand they are just hookers don't parade them around, hand in hand as if they are a girlfriend. More likely to visit a soapy or such. A lot of Koreans come for the golf and the Malaysians love it here.

They were the top three arrivals. The figures are correct.

Less sex tourists and more real holiday tourists is a good thing IMO. Tourists up, less low quality sex tourists, this is what the Thais want. The Asians from Malaysia and Korea especially the Thais in hospitality prefer, much less likely to start fights, understand the Asian culture/manners better, more likely to tip well.

The Chinese they (Thais in hospitality) are not so keen on, but they are making up the numbers at real tourist attractions and filling up the hotel rooms. Karen/Kata doesn't really offer anything except the beaches, beer and hookers, it doesn't appeal to them. The Russians have dropped off dramatically, but they were not generally whoremongers either.

All good.

Aye, another one that is mixed up between bar stools occupancy rate and hotel room occupancy rate...

That shift away from the bar stools and even the farang managed restaurant started already 5-6 years ago when the Russian and Chinese were making most of the tourism.

Russian are not there anymore but Chinese numbers are making up for it with a huge growth year on year..

The new trend for Chinese those days in north Thailand = Caravans: by car from China: must higher spending power than the Chinese from 10 years ago...

Numbers are up in Bangkok as well, 15% is not a made up number...

In several areas, numbers in January are far above 15% compared to last year

I probably account for two of those said tourists as I entered the Kingdom twice in January - even though I live here on a non-immigrant visa.

I often wonder if these reported "tourist" numbers are actually real tourists or just every falang who enters the country - irrespective of hos/her visa.

I WONDER IF THEY COUNT THE PASSENGERS ON ROUTE TO PLACES LIKE AUSSIE OR NEW ZEALAND OR FURTHER AFIELD,WHERE THEY ONLY TRANSIT SWAMPY

No they don't. Swampy alone does over 60 million a year, then take into account don muang, Chang Mai, Don Muang, utapao, Phuket etc, the figure is over 100,000,000 per year.

They are not claiming that figure.

A tourist is a nonthai who passes through immigration. No matter what visa or exempt. U do 3 visa runs a year u stand for 3 tourists. Backpacker who enters los goes to Laos and comes back counts for 2 tourists. Aso...