Tourism records good growth in 5 months

[webfact]

Tourism records good growth in 5 months
By THE NATION 
CHIANG MAI

 

THAILAND recorded international visitor arrivals of 14.61 million in the January-May period, up 3.20 per cent over the same period of 2016, generating an estimated Bt747 billion in tourism receipts (up 5.07 per cent), according to preliminary figures announced by the Ministry of Tourism and Sports.

 

The announcement was made yesterday as the “Thailand Travel Mart Plus” opened in Chiang Mai to delegates from around the world. This year’s theme is “Amazing Gateway to the Greater Mekong Subregion”.

 

Last month, the Thai tourism industry recorded 2.59 million visitor arrivals (up 4.6 per cent year on year), generating an estimated Bt125 billion (up 6.91 per cent). 

 

Visitors from East Asia numbered 1.899 million (up 6.01 per cent), from the Americas 111,000 (up 7.09 per cent), from South Asia 165,000 (up 6.42 per cent), from Oceania 70,000 (up 6.17 per cent), and from Africa 14,000 (up 5.28 per cent).

 

The markets reporting slowdowns were Europe at 303,000 (down 1.89 per cent) and the Middle East at 39,000 (down 19.31 per cent).

 

The top 10 source markets in May were China (762,000, up 3.20 per cent), Malaysia (308,000, up 2.58 per cent), India (140,000, up 8.53 per cent), Laos (130,000, up 14.51 per cent), South Korea (112,000, up 16.58 per cent), Japan (108,000, up 7.42 per cent), Vietnam (84,000, up 15.73 per cent), Singapore (83,000, up 6.04 per cent), the United States (77,000, up 6.20 per cent) and Cambodia (71,000, up 5.50 per cent).

 

Tourism receipts last month totalled Bt125.43 billion (up 6.91 per cent).

 

Visitors from East Asia generated Bt76.88 billion (up 8.82 per cent), from the Americas Bt8.16 billion (up 16.88 per cent), from South Asia Bt7.8 billion (up 6.16 per cent), from Oceania Bt5.52 billion (up 7.93 per cent), from Africa Bt950 million (up 7.98 per cent), from Europe Bt23.16 billion (up 1.65 per cent) and from the Middle East Bt2.96 billion (down 17.02 per cent).

 

The top 10 markets in terms of tourism receipts were China at Bt39.15 billion (up 4.69 per cent), Malaysia at Bt8.24 billion (up 9.53 per cent), India at Bt6.71 billion (up 7.04 per cent), Russia at Bt5.74 billion (up 15.72 per cent), the US at Bt5.69 billion (up 17.45 per cent), the United Kingdom at Bt5.09 billion (down 0.41 per cent), South Korea at Bt5.05 billion (up 16.98 per cent), Australia at Bt4.91 billion (up 7.99 per cent), Japan at Bt4.55 billion (up 7.67 per cent), and Singapore at Bt3.17 billion (up 11.50 per cent).

 

Thailand recorded Bt747 billion in receipts from international tourism in the January-May period, while domestic tourism contributed Bt305 billion from January to April.

 

The Tourism Authority of Thailand has set a target of 35.7 million international visitors this year, generating an estimated Bt1.81 trillion – a 10-per-cent year-on-year increase.

 

A report by the Ministry of Tourism and Sports said Chinese visitors had clearly recovered from the impact of the recent crackdown on low-quality “zero-dollar” tours, 

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/news/business/EconomyAndTourism/30318077

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-06-15

[The Deerhunter]

Always reported as growing.

[mstevens]

17 minutes ago, The Deerhunter said:

Always reported as growing.

And based on the queues at Immigration which seem to get longer and longer, I don't doubt that visitor numbers are indeed growing.

[Pesche]

Yeah,

This is why Phuket, Phi Phi, Krabi, Ko Lanta are recording the lowest low season ever...

Even Chinese guests are less than last year.

So where do they all go? Pattaya? They are crying too because of lack of business...

 

[Srikcir]

As tourism approaches 20% of GDP (now at 15%) the ruling oligarchy will find a greater number of foreigners even more sensitive and intolerant to its authoritarian-style of governing. That means that what had been the usual tools for population control such as cultural suppression, prejudiced law enforcement and judicial systems will create a greater potential backlash in terms of revenues. Especially for those tourists from "real" democratic societies.  The result will be a quicker collapse in tourism than previously experienced and greater impact on the economy.

 

 

[Redline]

Soon they will be comparing it to growth from 1916

[natway09]

Halve the numbers, double the quality & then the infrastructure may be able to handle it

[Thailand]

Where are they all?

[The Deerhunter]

10 hours ago, Pesche said:

Yeah,

This is why Phuket, Phi Phi, Krabi, Ko Lanta are recording the lowest low season ever...

Even Chinese guests are less than last year.

So where do they all go? Pattaya? They are crying too because of lack of business...

 

Phuket tourism has been in the doldrums for 4 or 5 years now.  I have a close associate who has an apartment there and spends a month or three there 3 times a year.  Business for sale and he says you could fire a gun down Bangla road some nights and never hit anyone.    Go back 10 years and it was gangbusters almost the whole year

[wakeupplease]

Yep very true, more liars in this neck of the woods and the rest of the world put together. This time of year one place you do not go is a place begining with T

[kalbo123]

These numbers can not be right, having a small business myself for a few years, I notice a drop in sales for the last month's compared to last year,  I sell products that cater both Asian and Western tourists, and my products are widely sold trough out touristic places in Thailand.

I hear other businesses that rely on tourists complaining more then usual as well.

[halloween]

8 hours ago, Srikcir said:

As tourism approaches 20% of GDP (now at 15%) the ruling oligarchy will find a greater number of foreigners even more sensitive and intolerant to its authoritarian-style of governing. That means that what had been the usual tools for population control such as cultural suppression, prejudiced law enforcement and judicial systems will create a greater potential backlash in terms of revenues. Especially for those tourists from "real" democratic societies.  The result will be a quicker collapse in tourism than previously experienced and greater impact on the economy.

 

 

So you're saying the increase in tourists will lead to a decrease in tourists?

[bangrak]

I would, very, very, much like TAT to give its definition of 'a tourist'! Does an individual need to pass through the immigration border control, or is it enough to transit over a Thai international airport to become part of the count?

'In my days' (in Europe)(I'm retired now), the accent was more about how many nights/days 'a tourist' was spending on our soil, and, even more so how much he/she was spending during that stay...

Here it seems to be all about abstract numbers, I guess because TAT is 'evaluated' (is it? ever? how?) based on quantitative aspects only, which, probably, are the ones determining their 'budget', the big money they get and richly spend, to themselves (and, allow me, to plain lousy marketing and advertising campaigns).

As if those 'hi-so' 'mandarins' don't care the least little bit about the size and quality of 'the fish' getting caught in a net they visibly are too opinionated, ...dumb and proud to make attractive.

Kick the whole bunch out, outside of 'small hands' not too lame to do the job, and hire some high-level international tourism experts... Won't work, I know, as those experts won't be Thai, and could not, oh my, give instructions to, hire/fire, proud Thais!

I still succeed somewhere in keeping up high ideals for this country and its, small(!), people I love, but, hey, in the end, they get what they deserve, sad but true. I can't roll up my sleeves and do the job for them, actually, I would not even be allowed to...

P.S.: what goes for TAT, goes for THAI (even worse there), IMO  

Edited June 15, 2017 by bangrak

[bangrak]

1 hour ago, The Deerhunter said:

Phuket tourism has been in the doldrums for 4 or 5 years now.  I have a close associate who has an apartment there and spends a month or three there 3 times a year.  Business for sale and he says you could fire a gun down Bangla road some nights and never hit anyone.    Go back 10 years and it was gangbusters almost the whole year

Samui, Pha Ngan, Tao the same... What are these TAT people good at, expect costing the taxpayers a fortune...?

[bangrak]

12 hours ago, mstevens said:

And based on the queues at Immigration which seem to get longer and longer, I don't doubt that visitor numbers are indeed growing.

No link with the number of operating immigration counters, nor with the speed the border controls are done (more and more 'trainees', and 'youngsters' too, bloody slow, and needing confirmation for every bit from someone more senior, ...where are all the older ones from yore gone too, retired, ...in an 'inactive post', or what?), is it? 

[oldhippy]

9 hours ago, Srikcir said:

As tourism approaches 20% of GDP (now at 15%) the ruling oligarchy will find a greater number of foreigners even more sensitive and intolerant to its authoritarian-style of governing. That means that what had been the usual tools for population control such as cultural suppression, prejudiced law enforcement and judicial systems will create a greater potential backlash in terms of revenues. Especially for those tourists from "real" democratic societies.  The result will be a quicker collapse in tourism than previously experienced and greater impact on the economy.

 

 

Do you believe that tourism contributes 15% to GDP?

Many do, but it is completely wrong.

 

[bangrak]

17 minutes ago, oldhippy said:

Do you believe that tourism contributes 15% to GDP?

Many do, but it is completely wrong.

 

Please, give us your figures (don't forget to add the money arriving in Issan with Federal Express, as it's a consequence of 'tourism' too).

[tomacht8]

6 hours ago, Thailand said:

Where are they all?

They all sit in the secret sex show establishments and paying 2500 Baht per show.

Edited June 15, 2017 by tomacht8

[oldhippy]

Just now, bangrak said:

Please, give us your figures (don't forget to add the money arriving in Issan with Federal Express, as it's a consequence of 'tourism' too).

I do not have the figures, but as an ex lecturer of macro economics, I know what is possible and what is not.

It is a classic mistake, also made concerning exports of a country.

I am not saying that tourism (or exports) are not important / growing, but there is a fundamental mistake in the reasoning.

 

To put it in a simple way: if tourism accounts for 15% of GDP, that would mean that roughly 15% of the workforce works in  the tourism industry. Impossible by far!

 

I will try to explain this (very common) error.

Suppose I buy materials for 60, process them, and sell them for 100.

My contribution to GDP is 40.

My turnover (sales) are 100.

The common mistake is to compare the turnover of the tourist industry to GDP - to use 100 in stead of 40 when comparing the two.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[balo]

18 hours ago, webfact said:

) and the Middle East at 39,000 (down 19.31 per cent).

The Shisha ban must be working. 

[The Deerhunter]

14 hours ago, bangrak said:

Samui, Pha Ngan, Tao the same... What are these TAT people good at, expect costing the taxpayers a fortune...?

Answer:  Making the incumbent government look good!!!   QED!