What cities are seeing the largest increases in tourism?

[Hal65]

Pattaya is a tourism city but I honestly can not see it. Yet we know from the stats that millions more are visiting Thailand. Here in Pattaya the bars are empty and the girls complain about it being especially slow for the last couple years. Peak season seems to be getting small (end of December) while mid season is taking a larger share of the transitional period (Oct/Nov and Feb)

 

One possible explanation: there is so much new construction that the tourists are getting absorbed around more of the city.

 

Another: New tourism is mainly going to other parts of the country. I lean towards this explanation. 

 

Anyone seeing a lot more tourists in their area?

Edited April 19, 2017 by Hal65

[kannot]

you  may have noticed a  worldwide recession

[Hal65]

I haven't. What countries because those in the EU are strugging?

 

Thinking about this as I write, I think this is a non-influential factor since the Thai tourism numbers are climbing. So the presupposition that weak global economy = less tourism in Thailand is incorrect.

[KhunBENQ]

Since long bar/red-light occupation is not an indicator for the kind of cheap mass tourism that makes up for the numbers.

If you want to see the masses I suggest:

visit Bali Hai at 9 AM, do a boat trip to Ko Lan (NOT!).

watch the tour buses coming in

watch the crowds at Suvarnabhumi transport level heading to Pattaya, the pennant swingers followed by their herds.

...

 

Just read today that during low season May to July another 200'000 Chinese might come on top due to some kind of "ban" from South Korea.

 

[KhunBENQ]

24 minutes ago, DanielLee55555 said:

Barcelona and Amsterdam if you meant Europe

Venice, Barcelona, Dubrovnik.

Venice flooded to the max. by short time cruise ship guests leaving before staying 12h when a fee (for the city) would be due.

[KhunBENQ]

How is Phuket and Samui?

It's ages that I have been there.

 

 

[bridge2bridge]

The answer is NONE.

Everywhere in Thailand is quiet.

I went through Immigration at Suvarmnaphum and NO ONE in front of me.

That was in March.

Don't listen to the TAT.

They come up with these AMAZING figures of tourism numbers in Thailand.

 

[bridge2bridge]

10 hours ago, KhunBENQ said:

How is Phuket and Samui?

It's ages that I have been there.

 

 

PHUKET is DEAD.

Not sure about Samui.

[mstevens]

I think when you say that Pattaya is dead because the bars are bereft of visitors and the girls are complaining that that does not necessarily mean Pattaya is quiet.  It is more likely that there has been a shift in the profile of visitors with more Chinese, Indians, Russians and even families who aren't interested in the bars beyond walking up and down Walking Street and getting the obligatory selfie, a shot of a ladyboy and a few snaps for Facebook.

[Crowes]

29 minutes ago, bridge2bridge said:

The answer is NONE.

Everywhere in Thailand is quiet.

I went through Immigration at Suvarmnaphum and NO ONE in front of me.

That was in March.

Don't listen to the TAT.

They come up with these AMAZING figures of tourism numbers in Thailand.

 

 

Yep, record numbers every year according to the latest figures.

[SOUTHERNSTAR]

Had a smile about this OP. About 2 weeks ago we had an OP saying that it seems there are more tourists and that the high season is longer this year. On that post everyone agreed its correct. Now we have this one thats doom and gloom again and everyone is agreeing again. I think it is somewhere in the middle. I think we are seeing a shift in the type of tourist thats coming to Thailand. Less sex tourism and more younger families and more older people that cant afford to retire at home. We also have more Chinese than 5 year back but less than 18 months ago and now with the Korean crisis we could see more of them again. 

[abrahamzvi]

13 hours ago, Hal65 said:

I haven't. What countries because those in the EU are strugging?

 

Thinking about this as I write, I think this is a non-influential factor since the Thai tourism numbers are climbing. So the presupposition that weak global economy = less tourism in Thailand is incorrect.

It is not the number of tourists that has been reducing, on the contrary, it has been on the increase. It is the nature of tourists that has changed. It is the less affluent, that travel more and naturally spend less. And there are other factors, like traveling as singles, in groups, couples etc. All such factors play a pivotal role in the tourism industry.

[fdch]

4 hours ago, bridge2bridge said:

The answer is NONE.

Everywhere in Thailand is quiet.

I went through Immigration at Suvarmnaphum and NO ONE in front of me.

That was in March.

Don't listen to the TAT.

They come up with these AMAZING figures of tourism numbers in Thailand.

 

do not know about TAT

but my chiangmai guesthouse is mostly fully booked, and since the rain in the south i think Cm tourisme went really booming

never a dull moment here, i wish i had more rooms

but spending patron  is different from other years

to many 7 eleven mongers 

for bars and restaurants it may be a bit less

because of too many long term stingy travellers 

 

 

[chickenrunCM]

4 hours ago, bridge2bridge said:

PHUKET is DEAD.

Not sure about Samui.

Samui dead, Koh Pagnan dead, we are just there, accomidation is very cheap, you get great deals, but the rest becoming much more expensice.

in Koh Pagnan now motorbike rental is 250 THB everywhere, last July you could rent for 150 or 200 THB easy

[Stocky]

Hat Yai is busy, we've seen an increase in Chinese visitors with 'follow the flag' tour groups. With the drop in the value of the Ringit Malaysians are travelling closer to home, and there's nowhere closer than Hat Yai for a party weekend. Consequently there's been a hotel building surge the last couple of years, and the airport is being extended yet again. 

 

Much of the increase in Thailand's visitor numbers are from Asian countries, so they're not as apparent to the eye as pasty white northern Europeans.

[chickenrunCM]

12 minutes ago, fdch said:

do not know about TAT

but my chiangmai guesthouse is mostly fully booked, and since the rain in the south i think Cm tourisme went really booming

never a dull moment here, i wish i had more rooms

but spending patron  is different from other years

to many 7 eleven mongers 

for bars and restaurants it may be a bit less

because of too many long term stingy travellers 

 

 

we made a new record between 11.4. and 17.4. but before and now it´s terrible low in CM.

cheap charlies, buying drink in 7-11. It should not be allowed to walk with alcohol on the streets. They not do in their home country but here they change sometimes nearly to animals

[bazza73]

We seem to be getting a steady flow of short-term Western-origin tourists through my condo in CM. All against condo rules, but tell someone who cares.

Plenty of Chinese around, although I have to wonder where they sleep. On the buses, perhaps?

[Wake Up]

Please tell me where the 18 to 20 year old slim women with long black hair are located.  Dating sites maybe??? Not in go gos anymore. No disrespect intended but some of these go gos girls are way to old and overweight. Not sexy at all.  

[bamukloy]

14 hours ago, bridge2bridge said:

The answer is NONE.

Everywhere in Thailand is quiet.

I went through Immigration at Suvarmnaphum and NO ONE in front of me.

That was in March.

Don't listen to the TAT.

They come up with these AMAZING figures of tourism numbers in Thailand.

 

They must arrange all the inbound flights to arrive on a few certain nights a week then, as myself and 2 others i know arrived lately to find immigration lineup all the way out through the hall and out the doorway from the main walking carousel

[cunningstunt]

Since long bar/red-light occupation is not an indicator for the kind of cheap mass tourism that makes up for the numbers. If you want to see the masses I suggest:

visit Bali Hai at 9 AM, do a boat trip to Ko Lan (NOT!).

watch the tour buses coming in

watch the crowds at Suvarnabhumi transport level heading to Pattaya, the pennant swingers followed by their herds.

...

 

Just read today that during low season May to July another 200'000 Chinese might come on top due to some kind of "ban" from South Korea.

 

 

You nailed it.

 

I caught the catamaran to hua hin last week and was at bahli hi at 9 am for 10 am departure... I have never seen anything like it!

 

The pier was completely full like an exit tunnel after a major rock concert. There were hundreds and hundreds of them.

 

Clearly the tourist demographic in Pattaya is changing

 

Relying on "porn" the beer bar girl saying no boom boom now many customer gone no longer holds any weight.

 

 

 

[elgenon]

11 hours ago, Wake Up said:

Please tell me where the 18 to 20 year old slim women with long black hair are located.  Dating sites maybe??? Not in go gos anymore. No disrespect intended but some of these go gos girls are way to old and overweight. Not sexy at all.  

I think it is a chicken and egg thing. Fewer patrons , fewer quality girls. Fewer quality girls, fewer patrons.

[Berkshire]

Speaking anecdotally, it would appear that Chiang Mai has been getting non-stop tourists throughout the year.  We used to get a breather during the low season, but not so much any more.  And when there's a long weekend or national holiday, any time of the year, we just get buried in tourists.  Not just from abroad, but from other parts of Thailand.  Traffic becomes horrendous.  We're also getting more and more permanent residents.  I'm not pleased with this trend, but it is what it is.

 

As for Pattaya, I haven't been there in awhile.  But if the bar scene is dying, I see that as progress.  I look forward to Pattaya losing its sleazy reputation some day...although change of that magnitude comes slowly.  

[rott]

On 4/20/2017 at 8:05 AM, mstevens said:

I think when you say that Pattaya is dead because the bars are bereft of visitors and the girls are complaining that that does not necessarily mean Pattaya is quiet.  It is more likely that there has been a shift in the profile of visitors with more Chinese, Indians, Russians and even families who aren't interested in the bars beyond walking up and down Walking Street and getting the obligatory selfie, a shot of a ladyboy and a few snaps for Facebook.

Yes the streets are busy because all that those people seem to do is mooch about and seem reluctant to spend very much at all. Apart from a few high-end ones among them.

 

But you are right, a very strong change in demographics.