Thailand Visitor Arrival Numbers "strong", But Fall Short Of Goal

[sriracha john]

Thailand visitor arrival numbers remain strong

Thailand continues to attract record visitor arrival numbers. In the latest figures released by the Tourism Authority of Thailand, tourist arrivals recorded through Bangkok's International airport from January to October 2006 soared 15.97 per cent over 2005, to 7.92 million arrivals.

The top six countries in arrival visitors to Thailand Jan-Oct 2006 were:

1) Japan

2) China

3) Korea

4) UK

5) USA

6) Singapore

The top three generating countries remain unchanged from last year. The largest European market for visitors to Thailand was the UK recording 540,401 visitors, an increase of 7.96 per cent.

Sixth place Singapore arrivals fell by -4.36 per cent, with the fall attributed to the "Thaksin Effect" they've even got it name for it now... and the sale of Shin Telecom to Singaporean company Temasek Holdings in a controversial deal that lead to demonstrations both in Bangkok and overseas.

Russia posted the largest percentage gain, rising to 99,247 arrivals in the first 10 months, a healthy 108 per cent increase over the same period last year.

Australia recorded 301,767 visitor arrivals compared to 259,121 in 2005, up 16.46 per cent

The unrest in southern Thailand does not appear to have affected cross border traffic with Malaysia, with arrivals surging 16.35 per cent.

Thailand is becoming more popular, not only with Europeans, but also with visitors from the Middle East. They appear no longer keen to travel to the USA / UK in great numbers and feel more welcome in Asia.

The arrival figures from the Middle East increased 33.43 per cent, with Saudi Arabia showing an increase of 86.47 per cent and Egypt increasing 48.60 per cent.

- M.I.C.E. News Magazine, 01 December 2006

(MICE is the acronym for Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Events)

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Despite the optimistic wordings, the truth is that the numbers fall very short of their projected goals, from even as recently as last May (almost half of the stated goal):

BANGKOK, May 25 (TNA) - The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) plans to ask a further budget of Bt900 million to spur tourism industry in accordance with the government policy to use revenue from tourism business to make up the losses of income due to falling exports, according to Caretaker Deputy Prime Minister and Commerce Minister Somkid Jatusripitak.

"TAT is targeting to increase the number of visitors to 14.2 million persons from its previous target at 13.5 million--or a 25 per cent increase--which could eventually raise the revenue on tourism related business to Bt50 billion (about US$1.3 billion) from previous target of Bt45 billion (about US$1.17 billion)," he said.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Even a more recent TAT projection from just last week, Nov. 25:

This year the Tourism Authority of Thailand expects to have more than 13 million tourists.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?ac...t&p=1002200

would require almost the same number of tourist arrivals in the previous 10 months to come in the remaining 2 months in order to meet their "expectations."

Edited December 1, 2006 by sriracha john

[Casanundra]

The top three generating countries remain unchanged from last year. The largest European market for visitors to Thailand was the UK recording 540,401 visitors, an increase of 7.96 per cent.

Huh! According to an e-mail that the British Embassy sends me on a regular basis states that over 700,000 visitors a year come to Thailand from the UK so who is right and who is wrong?

Edited December 1, 2006 by Casanundra

[sriracha john]

The top three generating countries remain unchanged from last year. The largest European market for visitors to Thailand was the UK recording 540,401 visitors, an increase of 7.96 per cent.

Huh! According to an e-mail that the British Embassy sends me on a regular basis states that over 700,000 visitors a year come to Thailand from the UK so who is right and who is wrong?

Do the Embassy emails quote a specific period for those numbers? During pre-tsunami times, the UK was sending over that many visitors.

[PhilHarries]

This short fall is hardly surprising and I really don't know how TAT come up with their predictions. It's almost like the old soviet five year plans, meaningless forcasts based on straight line projections without a thought of how it will be achieved.

Ignoring all the negative PR that Thailand has inflicted on itself in the past few years what positive action has been taken to attract more visitors? We've had "Amazing Thailand" and now "Unforgettable Thailand" but the are little more than advertising and marketting schemes. What concrete initiatives have been put in place to lure the ever fickle tourist to LOS? The deal, what you get for your tourist dollar, is the same now as it ever was.

Given that the main tourist season is Novemberish, December, January and Februaryish with a little blip in April it would be very difficult to accommodate the increase predicted. That is unless the Japanese, Chinese and Russians can be persuaded to holiday during the hot and rainy seasons.

However they are lucky they are falling way short of their target as a doubling of the flow through Suvarnabhumi would really be the proverbial straw.

[britmaveric]

more russians?

[londonthai]

john, these 7.92 mln is only for the Bangkok airport and not for the whole of Thailand.

[think_too_mut]

john, these 7.92 mln is only for the Bangkok airport and not for the whole of Thailand.

TAT wanted 13 mil. The figures are just above half of that.

Hong Kong has 22 million, for comparation.

[think_too_mut]

The top three generating countries remain unchanged from last year. The largest European market for visitors to Thailand was the UK recording 540,401 visitors, an increase of 7.96 per cent.

Huh! According to an e-mail that the British Embassy sends me on a regular basis states that over 700,000 visitors a year come to Thailand from the UK so who is right and who is wrong?

Could be, half of them were Pakistanis on their way.

Rough figures I remember were:

Japan 1,25mil

US: 750K

Oz: 350K

[GuestHouse]

The short fall could easily be made up by counting all those who claim to be in Thailand when they are infact elsewhere.

Infact, if multiple registrations by such people are counted the TAT might be able to declare a sudden surge and a bumber year.

[londonthai]

according to the link http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?ac...t&p=1002200

TAT projection for the whole country was 13 mln, some 8 mln came already through the Bangkok airport and millions came through the other border crossings. There is yet 1 month left of the most busy tourist period - I would think all data will be available in February, as the emmigration on the majority of the border crossings in thailand don't use computers.

[bkkandrew]

more russians?

Yep. Hookers and mafiosas. TAT policy at work. Brilliant, just brilliant!

[Ulysses G.]

Tourist oriented businesses in Chiang Mai, other than hotels, are not doing as well as usual.

Thai visitors who want to see the flower show are filling up all the major hotels and farangs are being scared off by a perceived lack of rooms.

There are plenty of cheap guest houses available with many of the same amedities as big hotels, but well off foreigners don't seem interested in them and the Thais don't spend much money other than a place to stay.

[londonthai]

Hookers and mafiosas. TAT policy at work.

have you catched something bad from those ladies or were you already shot or terrorised by the mafia?

I don't think it's a TAT policy to promote one country citisens over the others - whoever comes generates money and boosts economy

[bkkandrew]

Hookers and mafiosas. TAT policy at work.

have you catched something bad from those ladies or were you already shot or terrorised by the mafia?

I don't think it's a TAT policy to promote one country citisens over the others - whoever comes generates money and boosts economy

Neither, actually.

TAT policy - kick out long-stayers, favour short-staying "tourists", this is what you get!!

[sumrit]

Just a thought, how many times is a person counted if he's staying here on a tourist visa and doing regular visa runs?

[sriracha john]

Perhaps, if he is on VOA, he is counted as 12 tourists over the course of a year?

Edited December 1, 2006 by sriracha john

[Mid]

i've always suspected this .......................

[sriracha john]

i've always suspected this .......................

and with a full mini-van of visa-runners,

that's gross in a year

{no pun intended.. 12x12=144 (aka a gross)}... gross tourists

[Mid]

no pun needed ,

seriously i've been singing this for a while , ( years )

benefits to the ' gov ' are numerous ,

increased arrival numbers ( tourism being a major earner )

nice little cottage industry to provide employment and associated perks ....

doubt we'll have a high season this year ,

watch out next when the satang isn't in the coffers ............

[ovenman]

By the way, the Thai neighbour of Malaysia is making big moves in Tourism, 13th in ranking with 15.7 mil arrival in 2004 and 90 days visa exempt. http://www.unwto.org/facts/menu.html, maybe Thais can learn something from others.

Malaysia's tourist arrival numbers are skewed by the number of Singaporeans that day-trip across the causeway to Johor Bahru for shopping and such

[jumnien]

The top three generating countries remain unchanged from last year. The largest European market for visitors to Thailand was the UK recording 540,401 visitors, an increase of 7.96 per cent.

Huh! According to an e-mail that the British Embassy sends me on a regular basis states that over 700,000 visitors a year come to Thailand from the UK so who is right and who is wrong?

Do the Embassy emails quote a specific period for those numbers? During pre-tsunami times, the UK was sending over that many visitors.

The 540,041 figure quoted was from Jan-Oct. The 700,000 figure quoted by UK embassy is for one year.

[jumnien]

The top six countries in arrival visitors to Thailand Jan-Oct 2006 were:

1) Japan

2) China

3) Korea

4) UK

5) USA

6) Singapore

I think it is obvious that if visa runners were counted multiple times, the statistics would not read as above. Regardless statistics are statistics, not to be confused with reality.