Thailand still expects 32.4 million tourist arrivals this year

[crazygreg44]

18 hours ago, Boycie said:

A few weeks ago when the immigration computers were down for a day and the report said, that at Swampy alone there were nearly 10,000 arrivals/departures unrecorded, i was thinking that TAT's numbers for tourists visiting Thailand each year can not be correct?

 

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/950514-immigration-system-down-thousands-of-tourist-arrivalsdepartures-not-recorded/#comment-11269809

 

But then i didn't have me Thai calculator at hand and also forgot that Chiang Mai and Phuket must be getting the majority of all the tourists.  

 

 

 . . .and while another poster pointed out that the average tourist number per day must be  98.300 persons in order to meet the 35 million mark, the above makes me conclude that, given it was lowest of low season a few weeks ago -  even if 30.000 arrived through land borders and other airports of Thailand when the system was down for this one day,  it would only add up the average number that arrives during the high season, towards more than 98.000 plus 68.000 people EVERY DAY, to match the 35 million tourists.

 

If you ask me . . . . . that never happens, not even with zero-dollar chinese arriving in the 6 million digit!

 

I assume that they count 9 million transit tourists, single-day border hoppers of Malysia (around the 3 million mark) and all domestic tourists (their own people) returning from a holiday abroad ( could be another 3.5 million) in the big number

[kalbo123]

Next week it's Loy Krathong, normally one of the busiest periods in Chiang Mai, a simple search at the hotel booking sites wil tell you there are still plenty hotel rooms available in Chiang Mai, while in other years CM is fully booked in that period. That says it all in my opinion.

[StefanBBK]

Suvarnabhumi supposedly handles 52 million passengers per year. That would be 26 M arrivals and departures. Deduct from the 26 million arrivals all Thais and other non-tourists and probably around 20 M are realistic. Add a couple Million direct flights to other airports, plus land boarder. I'd say the genuine number is closer to 25 million.
Assuming an avarage stay of 1 week, there would be about 500.000 tourists in the country every day.

[cracker1]

On 11/5/2016 at 8:06 AM, kalbo123 said:

Working in the tourism industry in Chiang Mai, I notice a significant drop in tourists and talking with my competitors they al say the same, worst then last year.

 

Seems the same in Samui also.

[OMGImInPattaya]

2 hours ago, bandito said:

Did my 90 days at Jomtien yesterday. Immigration Officers were twiddling their thumbs. Empty like a cathedral on a weekday.

And this proves what exactly...98% of tourists whould have no reason to visit an immigration office.

[OMGImInPattaya]

1 hour ago, kalbo123 said:

Next week it's Loy Krathong, normally one of the busiest periods in Chiang Mai, a simple search at the hotel booking sites wil tell you there are still plenty hotel rooms available in Chiang Mai, while in other years CM is fully booked in that period. That says it all in my opinion.

Some event has occured to make this year different than in the past, in case you haven't noticed.

[NongKhaiKid]

4 minutes ago, OMGImInPattaya said:

Some event has occured to make this year different than in the past, in case you haven't noticed.

Yet according to the Minister of Tourism and TAT the event has had no effect on tourism.

Edited November 6, 2016 by NongKhaiKid

[OMGImInPattaya]

1 minute ago, NongKhaiKid said:

Yet according to the Minister of tTurism and TAT the event has had no effect on tourism.

Well I'd say someone's fibbing then. However, as to the overall numbers, which I think is the issue here, they continue to increase.

[DM07]

Why such low numbers?

Why not 2,4 Billion?

8,8 Trillion?

1,5 Brazillion?

Come on Thailand- be a bit more inventive!

[NongKhaiKid]

15 minutes ago, OMGImInPattaya said:

Well I'd say someone's fibbing then. However, as to the overall numbers, which I think is the issue here, they continue to increase.

Yes someone, more than one I'd think is at it and I'd put it a little stronger than fibbing.

[performance]

Close your business but stay active haha.

[Henryford]

On 11/5/2016 at 8:32 AM, GeorgeCross said:

where the hell are they all staying? because it certainly isn't Hua Hin

 

Looks like they have all gone to The Beach at Koh Pi Pi.

[BuckBee]

I been through swampy 6 times in last 2 months, never queued once, changwattana also less hectic as is all destination I travel. Get a room anywhere with massive choice and easy bargaining as custom so low .

The figures don't figure lol . TIT

[sambum]

12 hours ago, OMGImInPattaya said:

It's funny, I feel the same way about bar owners; and I'd  say the quarterly reports of public companies are just a bit more reliable than the anecdotal reports of said owners ?

 

In addition, despite the fact there are record tourist numbers, as the figures suggest, it doesn't mean that the tourist service sector isn't over-built. I mean, how many bars, restos, and hotels does  a country need.

I'm talking about bar owners, restauranteurs and hoteliers that have been here for years - not newcomers to the trade. OK there is probably an overabundance in certain areas, but most of them have been there for years (some of them under different names, as the previous owners have found that their profits weren't quite what they were when they first bought the place!)

 

In my particular neck of the woods, for instance, the areas that used to be packed every night a few years ago are now literally like ghost towns most nights, and I hear the same story from other tourist resorts i.e. just 2 examples from the current thread:-

"I went for a few beers in town (Chiang Rai) last night.
Chiang Rai is hardly sin city, but it does have a reasonable sized night bazaar and a road with about a dozen or so tourist oriented bars.
I have never seen it so dead."

"where the hell are they all staying? because it certainly isn't Hua Hin"

 And I don't think that you can put the supposed regular increases in tourists down to Chinese tour parties, or families of Russians that are all exploring the "proper" Thailand "oop North! (Esan etc)

 

So where exactly are all these additional tourists that keep appearing in the TAT lists?

Edited November 6, 2016 by sambum
Additional text

[sambum]

10 hours ago, NongKhaiKid said:

Thailand ' expects ' and that will be realized when the minister announces the figures next year, in fact she could easily announce them now.

Does anyone really believe the lovely minister could ever admit that targets haven't been met if not actually exceeded ?

 

I'd like Ladbroke's to give their odds on that! 

Edited November 6, 2016 by sambum
Change of txt

[OMGImInPattaya]

11 minutes ago, sambum said:

I'm talking about bar owners, restauranteurs and hoteliers that have been here for years - not newcomers to the trade. OK there is probably an overabundance in certain areas, but most of them have been there for years (some of them under different names, as the previous owners have found that their profits weren't quite what they were when they first bought the place!)

 

In my particular neck of the woods, for instance, the areas that used to be packed every night a few years ago are now literally like ghost towns most nights, and I hear the same story from other tourist resorts. And I don't think that you can put the supposed regular increases in tourists down to Chinese tour parties, or families of Russians that are all exploring the "proper" Thailand "oop North! (Esan etc)

 

So where exactly are all these additional tourists that keep appearing in the TAT lists?

I don't know, and don't really care, where all these tourists are going, staying, and eating...just saying they must be doing all these things somewhere. From the reports I read, tourist numbers seem to be steady to increasing annually. People always complain how jam-packed the arrivals hall is at Swampy and the fact they are building another runway (3rd I believe) and another terminal suggests that the numbers of arrivals continues to increase. Of course, not all airport users are tourists, but a great majority of them are and the airport expansion is necessary to accommodate them.

[sambum]

7 hours ago, NongKhaiKid said:

Yet according to the Minister of Tourism and TAT the event has had no effect on tourism.

Well said!

[impulse]

Looking at the photo in the OP, I have lost all interest in EVER visiting that beach.  

 

Shame, really since the background scenery is beautiful.   Maybe if they let me bring a kayak and paddle a few miles...

 

[gk10002000]

Speaking of hotels and vacancy rates.  Two years ago I was staying in Pattaya up off of Soi Lengkee in one of those guest houses. It was clean and quiet and convenient and all I needed for a few weeks.  I wanted to use a swimming pool so I walked behind to that big 6 story hotel to see what they would charge for a daily use.  I decided to ask about if they had any rooms, and the clerk said no rooms, all full.  Now I was staying right across the parking lot and I am sure the darn place was easily less than 50 % occupied.   It was also largely Russian types.  All I could conclude was that either they didn't want any non-Russians to be there, or the place was way way over booked but people didn't show up, or I don't know what else.   I wouldn't trust reported hotel vacancy rates.   The source data to me seems suspect.

[impulse]

3 hours ago, gk10002000 said:

Now I was staying right across the parking lot and I am sure the darn place was easily less than 50 % occupied.   It was also largely Russian types.  All I could conclude was that either they didn't want any non-Russians to be there, or the place was way way over booked but people didn't show up, or I don't know what else.   I wouldn't trust reported hotel vacancy rates.   The source data to me seems suspect.

 

They look empty until the line of tour buses come in from a day's activities and dump a couple of hundred guests, who will hop on the tour buses and disappear the next morning- making the place look empty again.

[kalbo123]

http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/thailand-is-likely-to-miss-10-million-chinese-tourist-arrival-projection-this-year/

[Shiver]

Has there ever been a negative post from TAT?  I don't recall a realistic one ever.

[jethro69]

On 05/11/2016 at 10:55 AM, fish monger said:

I'm expecting a large double cheese pizza to be airlift delivered from Naples, Italy, but.................

...it will be could after 2 hours through immigration