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

[CantSpell]

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...

Aye, probably counted through the number of arrival cards registered in system so would include all arrivals on all visas.

That is not really relevant though, as it has probably always been the case: visa runner must have always been in statistics

[stickylies]

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...

Aye, probably counted through the number of arrival cards registered in system so would include all arrivals on all visas.

That is not really relevant though, as it has probably always been the case: visa runner must have always been in statistics

jup.

and as said before, such numbers also include all malays coming over for a quick shot

some malay men visit the kingdom up to 4x a month = 4 "tourists"

[choris hippeis]

Tourism seems to be pouring in from up North in ever greater numbers. I wonder if the fact that a Chinese citizen is allowed to carry out from China upto $50THOU worth in Renminbi currency has anything to do with it. Some financial journals state that the Renminbi is expected to devalue in the 30% range this year. These Chinese tourists might not all be on budget rations.

[harleyclarkey]

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.

Hi RM...please read my post.

I also mention the sidewalks, side streets and the restaurants/cafes. How did you happen to miss this?

The reason for the girlie area is that this is usually packed....as are/were the sidewalks, side streets and restaurants/cafes.

Yes....all good if this disappears along with the Russians.....who are no good to any country as tourists.

I have oft said here that Phuket should have gone upmarket years ago and followed, as an example, Mauritius. A fabulous real tropical island that keeps the rubbish out. I am off, again, next month for a great time there. Nearly every tourist is European, six star service, world class resorts (not cheap) and beaches. There are also budget places.

Edited February 17, 2016 by harleyclarkey

[harleyclarkey]

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...

I don't get it.......your point.

My post has nothing to do with the desire for a better tourist or morality of those in the girlie areas. It is to do solel.y with the total lack of any kind of tourist when TAT states otherwise.

.There is of course a correlation. Those bar stool occupants have also got to have a bed space.

ps...I have a real , not Thai style, GF and don't have the need to parade or go hand in hand with a hooker.

I didn't see many asking for B & B at the bar.

[Roomuck]

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.

Hi RM...please read my post.

I also mention the sidewalks, side streets and the restaurants/cafes. How did you happen to miss this?

The reason for the girlie area is that this is usually packed....as are/were the sidewalks, side streets and restaurants/cafes.

Yes....all good if this disappears along with the Russians.....who are no good to any country as tourists.

I have oft said here that Phuket should have gone upmarket years ago and followed, as an example, Mauritius. A fabulous real tropical island that keeps the rubbish out. I am off, again, next month for a great time there. Nearly every tourist is European, six star service, world class resorts (not cheap) and beaches. There are also budget places.

Yeah, the restaurants, etc near the whoemonger businesses are down, but other places are well up AND tourist numbers are up in total. You said it was rubbish based on your observations in a well known monger area that doesn't appeal to the new, increased numbers of tourists.

You also said in your post "Good to see them getting their just reward" referring to them having no business which seems very spiteful, like you hate them. You want there to be lower numbers of tourists, that is your agenda, but it simply isn't true not matter how much you want it to be.

Enjoy your trip to Mauritius, I will have to visit their one day. But telling me that "nearly every tourist is European and it is not cheap" makes me think you are a racist snob. Oh, and you hate Russians also?

[dabhand]

Anyone interested in the breakdown of the figures can locate these details here:

http://www.tourism.go.th/home/listcontent/11/221/276

As mentioned in the OP the Chinese accounted for 250k of the increase- out of a total increase of 400k.

Interestingly, the main European markets (excluding the Russians) all had increases of around 7-11%. These being UK, Germany, France, Italy and Sweden. Overall Europe was up by 3% but this was affected by the continuing drop in Russian visitors - down by 5%.

There is a wealth of information on the website, quite a few reports are Thai based but those wanting more detailed info on receipts, etc., may be lucky in their search. However, no guarantees on accuracy

[Roomuck]

But,

Singapore 27 January, 2016 Bangkok has increased its lead over the pack as the regions most popular destination, with international overnight visitors breaking the 20 million mark for the first time, according to the results of the inaugural MasterCard Asia Pacific Destinations Index released today. Second place was a close fight between Singapore and Tokyo[1].

The inaugural index provides a ranking of 167 destinations across Asia Pacific.

Thailand dominated the top ten destinations, taking three of the top ten rankings, with Phuket securing fifth place (9.3 million) and the coastal city of Pattaya coming in at eighth place (8.1 million).

Half of the top 10 destinations saw 10 percent growth or more in international overnight visitor numbers between 2014 and 2015 Osaka (54.0 percent), Tokyo (53.2 percent), Bangkok (28.6 percent), Phuket (15.5 percent) and Pattaya (10.0 percent).

Well, there you have it. Notice the source wasn't the TAT. And wasn't some bloke sitting in a beer bar. Thailand is BOOMING. and deservedly so.