Thailand tourism situation
Re: Thailand tourist slump continues
Next week is only 1 of the 3 Songkran make up days. The remaining 2 to be scheduled later. I'm guessing around Loy Kratong time for another big weekend.
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Re: Thailand tourist slump continues
https://www.khaosodenglish.com/news/cri ... -holidays/July 27 sits between two holidays: Sunday and Tuesday, July 28, which celebrates His Majesty the King’s birthday, effectively turning the Songkran substitute holiday into a long weekend.
Re: Thailand tourist slump continues
Tepid response to travel scheme
The domestic tourism stimulus scheme has registered a slow response from locals as limited supply and price gouging marked the first two days of booking, prompting the government to allowed non-licensed hotels to join the scheme this week.
"It is too soon to say domestic tourism consumption is weaker because the 'We travel together' scheme just launched a few days ago," said Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn, the tourism and sports minister.
Last week, he predicted most of 5 million nights of hotel accommodation would be redeemed within the first three days of the launch, but as of July 20, there are 87,960 booked transactions from 4.1 million total applications by Thais aged 18 or above who registered.
Mr Phiphat said the government will monitor hotel transactions closely for two weeks and will be ready to launch the second phase focusing on second-tier provinces and weekday booking, with even more attractive conditions.
He warned hoteliers that charge exorbitant rates will be banned from this scheme.
https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/19 ... vel-scheme
Dunno about 'tepid', we tried to book a hotel in Chumphon for Saturday night and the first six we contacted were all full. The rest, seeing this trend, have indeed hiked their prices.
The domestic tourism stimulus scheme has registered a slow response from locals as limited supply and price gouging marked the first two days of booking, prompting the government to allowed non-licensed hotels to join the scheme this week.
"It is too soon to say domestic tourism consumption is weaker because the 'We travel together' scheme just launched a few days ago," said Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn, the tourism and sports minister.
Last week, he predicted most of 5 million nights of hotel accommodation would be redeemed within the first three days of the launch, but as of July 20, there are 87,960 booked transactions from 4.1 million total applications by Thais aged 18 or above who registered.
Mr Phiphat said the government will monitor hotel transactions closely for two weeks and will be ready to launch the second phase focusing on second-tier provinces and weekday booking, with even more attractive conditions.
He warned hoteliers that charge exorbitant rates will be banned from this scheme.
https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/19 ... vel-scheme
Dunno about 'tepid', we tried to book a hotel in Chumphon for Saturday night and the first six we contacted were all full. The rest, seeing this trend, have indeed hiked their prices.
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Re: Thailand tourist slump continues
This report claims 3.6m rooms booked!!
https://business.inquirer.net/303036/ov ... s-campaign
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Re: Thailand tourist slump continues
As mentioned above, I would think most are for this upcoming long weekend, with those who are able taking Friday off as well.
Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. Source
Re: Thailand tourist slump continues
Tourism Council of Thailand warns of operators fleeing sector
Tourism-related businesses are at a tipping point after more than 30% of them have exited the market, with many set to follow, according to the Tourism Council of Thailand (TCT).
Chairat Trirattanajarasporn, president of the TCT, said the tourism industry predicts a further deterioration after six months of the coronavirus crisis, as many related businesses are terminating their operations or selling off assets, choosing not to wait for an uncertain recovery.
He said the main types of businesses affected by the crisis are tour operators, bus services with a small vehicle fleet, restaurants, souvenir shops and hotels that used to focus on foreign tour groups, especially the Chinese market.
Mr Chairat said the TCT is in the process of collecting the exact number of members fleeing the sector, which he believes should amount to more than 30% in the first half of the year, as Thailand continues to seal the borders to international tourists.
The Tourism Department said 1,111 tour operators in the January-June period gave up their licences and asked for their guarantees back.
The figure hit a crescendo in June as 262 companies permanently quit the market, while withdrawals in the second quarter made up 65.4% of all withdrawals in the first half as tourism reeled from lockdown measures.
If travel bubbles cannot be implemented this year, more than 30% of outbound operators will have to permanently shut down their business, said Thanapol Cheewarattanaporn, president of the Thai Travel Agents Association.
https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/19 ... ing-sector
What these officials fail to realise is that the vast majority of domestic tourism is just Bangkok hi-sos, which makes everywhere beyond SUV reach a dead duck outside of long weekends. Giving money to the rich to stay in 5* hotels is not going to revive the sector or help the thousands of small tourism businesses going broke.
Tourism-related businesses are at a tipping point after more than 30% of them have exited the market, with many set to follow, according to the Tourism Council of Thailand (TCT).
Chairat Trirattanajarasporn, president of the TCT, said the tourism industry predicts a further deterioration after six months of the coronavirus crisis, as many related businesses are terminating their operations or selling off assets, choosing not to wait for an uncertain recovery.
He said the main types of businesses affected by the crisis are tour operators, bus services with a small vehicle fleet, restaurants, souvenir shops and hotels that used to focus on foreign tour groups, especially the Chinese market.
Mr Chairat said the TCT is in the process of collecting the exact number of members fleeing the sector, which he believes should amount to more than 30% in the first half of the year, as Thailand continues to seal the borders to international tourists.
The Tourism Department said 1,111 tour operators in the January-June period gave up their licences and asked for their guarantees back.
The figure hit a crescendo in June as 262 companies permanently quit the market, while withdrawals in the second quarter made up 65.4% of all withdrawals in the first half as tourism reeled from lockdown measures.
If travel bubbles cannot be implemented this year, more than 30% of outbound operators will have to permanently shut down their business, said Thanapol Cheewarattanaporn, president of the Thai Travel Agents Association.
https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/19 ... ing-sector
What these officials fail to realise is that the vast majority of domestic tourism is just Bangkok hi-sos, which makes everywhere beyond SUV reach a dead duck outside of long weekends. Giving money to the rich to stay in 5* hotels is not going to revive the sector or help the thousands of small tourism businesses going broke.
Who is the happier man, he who has braved the storm of life and lived or he who has stayed securely on shore and merely existed? - Hunter S Thompson
Re: Thailand tourist slump continues
Even when tourists do start coming again it will be a very quick explosion, with everyone desperate arriving very quickly followed by another very Very long Low season
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pharvey
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Re: Thailand tourist slump continues
It's clear all are suffering worldwide, but one thing that concerns me with this regarding Thailand, is that when things do get back to (not-quite-normal), many of the "reliable and mostly safe" Tour Operators, Bus Services and (smaller) Hotels that have gone out of business could well be replaced by money grabbing operators who couldn't give a flying monkeys for safety, legality, service or otherwise.buksida wrote: ↑Wed Jul 22, 2020 7:58 am Tourism Council of Thailand warns of operators fleeing sector
Tourism-related businesses are at a tipping point after more than 30% of them have exited the market, with many set to follow, according to the Tourism Council of Thailand (TCT).
He said the main types of businesses affected by the crisis are tour operators, bus services with a small vehicle fleet, restaurants, souvenir shops and hotels that used to focus on foreign tour groups, especially the Chinese market.
How difficult is it to obtain a license and what kind of money (highlighting the previous comment)? Obviously wide ranging, but just say a small scale (not Mom & Pop) Tourist Operator or hotel/restaurant?buksida wrote: ↑Wed Jul 22, 2020 7:58 am The Tourism Department said 1,111 tour operators in the January-June period gave up their licences and asked for their guarantees back.
The figure hit a crescendo in June as 262 companies permanently quit the market, while withdrawals in the second quarter made up 65.4% of all withdrawals in the first half as tourism reeled from Lock-down measures.
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Re: Thailand tourist slump continues
This in The Guardian today:
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/ ... st-islands
Visitor numbers expected to plummet by tens of millions in crisis that eclipses the 2004 tsunami, bird flu and Sars.
The streets of Koh Samui, one of Thailand’s most popular tourist destinations, are eerily quiet. Along Chaweng’s Beach Road, a usually raucous party area, shuttered shops stretch into the distance.
Before the coronavirus pandemic, it was buzzing with traffic. Now, taxi drivers sit on the roadside, with little hope of finding customers. Where bikini-clad sunseekers once browsed souvenir shops and drank at neon-lit bars, a lone street dog stretches on the pavement.
Elsewhere, swathes of Samui’s idyllic, sandy white beaches are almost entirely free of people.
More at link.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/ ... st-islands
Visitor numbers expected to plummet by tens of millions in crisis that eclipses the 2004 tsunami, bird flu and Sars.
The streets of Koh Samui, one of Thailand’s most popular tourist destinations, are eerily quiet. Along Chaweng’s Beach Road, a usually raucous party area, shuttered shops stretch into the distance.
Before the coronavirus pandemic, it was buzzing with traffic. Now, taxi drivers sit on the roadside, with little hope of finding customers. Where bikini-clad sunseekers once browsed souvenir shops and drank at neon-lit bars, a lone street dog stretches on the pavement.
Elsewhere, swathes of Samui’s idyllic, sandy white beaches are almost entirely free of people.
More at link.
Re: Thailand tourist slump continues
TOURISM MINISTER WANTS TO REVIVE CORONAVIRUS ‘TRAVEL BUBBLE’
The tourism minister on Thursday said he wanted to renew a push for an agreement that would allow travel exchanges with countries where the coronavirus pandemic is under control.
Minister Pipat Ratchakitprakan said the so-called travel bubble agreement is back on the negotiating table after the government gave a greenlight for four groups of foreigners to enter the country. The agreement will play a vital role in rescuing the crippled tourism industry, which heavily relies on foreign tourists, he said.
“Although we’re currently encouraging Thais to travel domestically, it’s still a difficult situation for entrepreneurs, since foreign tourists contributed to 2 out of 3 trillion baht of the total revenue,” Pipat said. “We will negotiate with PM Prayut Chan-o-cha and the health ministry to permit more travels into the country.”
The agreement, if approved, will allow tourism exchanges with certain cities or countries where the coronavirus threat appears to be under control. Countries and territories proposed for consideration include China, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan.
But the idea was later shot down by the civil aviation regulator earlier this month due to reports of a new surge of infections in partner countries.
To satisfy health concerns, Pipat said the renewed discussions will focus on tourists from particular cities or provinces instead of the whole country. However, only “high-end” travellers will be allowed to visit the country at the initial phase, he added.
“High-end travellers on a leisure trip will be allowed to come in first,” Pipat said. “We believe that they will be able to visit destinations such as Phuket, Krabi, and Koh Samui as early as September.”
https://www.khaosodenglish.com/news/202 ... el-bubble/
You can see the millionaires queuing up to come here for their over-priced two week quarantine, a wall of paperwork, and daily Covid tests, then to be driven on deadly roads to a mafia ridden rathole and double charged on entry to everything there ...
The tourism minister on Thursday said he wanted to renew a push for an agreement that would allow travel exchanges with countries where the coronavirus pandemic is under control.
Minister Pipat Ratchakitprakan said the so-called travel bubble agreement is back on the negotiating table after the government gave a greenlight for four groups of foreigners to enter the country. The agreement will play a vital role in rescuing the crippled tourism industry, which heavily relies on foreign tourists, he said.
“Although we’re currently encouraging Thais to travel domestically, it’s still a difficult situation for entrepreneurs, since foreign tourists contributed to 2 out of 3 trillion baht of the total revenue,” Pipat said. “We will negotiate with PM Prayut Chan-o-cha and the health ministry to permit more travels into the country.”
The agreement, if approved, will allow tourism exchanges with certain cities or countries where the coronavirus threat appears to be under control. Countries and territories proposed for consideration include China, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan.
But the idea was later shot down by the civil aviation regulator earlier this month due to reports of a new surge of infections in partner countries.
To satisfy health concerns, Pipat said the renewed discussions will focus on tourists from particular cities or provinces instead of the whole country. However, only “high-end” travellers will be allowed to visit the country at the initial phase, he added.
“High-end travellers on a leisure trip will be allowed to come in first,” Pipat said. “We believe that they will be able to visit destinations such as Phuket, Krabi, and Koh Samui as early as September.”
https://www.khaosodenglish.com/news/202 ... el-bubble/
You can see the millionaires queuing up to come here for their over-priced two week quarantine, a wall of paperwork, and daily Covid tests, then to be driven on deadly roads to a mafia ridden rathole and double charged on entry to everything there ...
Who is the happier man, he who has braved the storm of life and lived or he who has stayed securely on shore and merely existed? - Hunter S Thompson
Re: Thailand tourist slump continues
Looks like domestic tourism is slumping also, though you wouldn't have thunk it looking at all the Bangkok SUVs on the road last weekend ...
Government reports low numbers in airline passengers and hotel bookings for its domestic tourism package
The government’s measures to stimulate domestic tourism has had minimal impact on the number of airline passengers and bookings for hotels.
The Airports of Thailand (AOT) said on Thursday that the total number of passengers coming through its airports are expected to drop by 72 per cent, down to 38.81 million passengers in 2020, in comparison to the 141 million passengers in 2019.
With less passengers, low-cost airlines are now experiencing an “over employment” situation, said Nitinai Sirismatthakarn, AOT’s president.
Nevertheless, AOT does expect more passengers over the next two years, predicting a figure of around 55 million in 2021 and 128 million passengers in 2022.
“The sector should be able to recover by October 2022, or two tears from now,” he said.
As of July 29, there are about 52,000 passengers each day. The pre-COVID figure sets the rate at 140,000 passengers per day.
Nitinai said with the entry ban still intact, the number of passengers at its airports will continue to remain at 25 per cent with no long-haul flights as 50 per cent of its passengers on domestic flights are usually foreigners.
The Ministry of Finance said on Thursday that more than 4.6 million citizens have registered for its domestic tourism package.
However, the number of bookings at 6,684 participating hotels has only reached 285,530 rooms as of July 29.
The registration for the “Tiew Pun Sook” campaign, which is valued at 22.4 billion baht, began two weeks ago and will run through July and October.
The campaign also includes the “Rao Tiew Duay Gun” package which introduces a 40 per cent refund for air tickets up to 1,000 baht.
Other deals include a 40 per cent co-payment for participating hotel rooms with a limit of 3,000 baht per night per room and an e-voucher of 600 baht per person.
The government is expecting the measures for 5 million people to generate around 70 billion baht worth of economic activity in returns.
But the low number of hotel bookings is now putting that estimate in doubt.
https://www.thaienquirer.com/16251/gove ... m-package/
The solution? Give the rich more holidays!
Government reports low numbers in airline passengers and hotel bookings for its domestic tourism package
The government’s measures to stimulate domestic tourism has had minimal impact on the number of airline passengers and bookings for hotels.
The Airports of Thailand (AOT) said on Thursday that the total number of passengers coming through its airports are expected to drop by 72 per cent, down to 38.81 million passengers in 2020, in comparison to the 141 million passengers in 2019.
With less passengers, low-cost airlines are now experiencing an “over employment” situation, said Nitinai Sirismatthakarn, AOT’s president.
Nevertheless, AOT does expect more passengers over the next two years, predicting a figure of around 55 million in 2021 and 128 million passengers in 2022.
“The sector should be able to recover by October 2022, or two tears from now,” he said.
As of July 29, there are about 52,000 passengers each day. The pre-COVID figure sets the rate at 140,000 passengers per day.
Nitinai said with the entry ban still intact, the number of passengers at its airports will continue to remain at 25 per cent with no long-haul flights as 50 per cent of its passengers on domestic flights are usually foreigners.
The Ministry of Finance said on Thursday that more than 4.6 million citizens have registered for its domestic tourism package.
However, the number of bookings at 6,684 participating hotels has only reached 285,530 rooms as of July 29.
The registration for the “Tiew Pun Sook” campaign, which is valued at 22.4 billion baht, began two weeks ago and will run through July and October.
The campaign also includes the “Rao Tiew Duay Gun” package which introduces a 40 per cent refund for air tickets up to 1,000 baht.
Other deals include a 40 per cent co-payment for participating hotel rooms with a limit of 3,000 baht per night per room and an e-voucher of 600 baht per person.
The government is expecting the measures for 5 million people to generate around 70 billion baht worth of economic activity in returns.
But the low number of hotel bookings is now putting that estimate in doubt.
https://www.thaienquirer.com/16251/gove ... m-package/
The solution? Give the rich more holidays!
Who is the happier man, he who has braved the storm of life and lived or he who has stayed securely on shore and merely existed? - Hunter S Thompson
Re: Thailand tourist slump continues
My yardstick (yes, another yardstick) for domestic tourism is the weekend congestion at the Southern End of Khao Tao, which seems to be on every Bangkokian's selfie trail.
As we pulled out of lockdown/restrictions the Southern end of Khao Tao was manic for a few weeks. However, the mania had reduced to a trickle by last weekend. Even driving back into Hua Hin was busy, but not the gridlock of previous weeks. I know the press are bigging up last weekend, but not according to my Mk 1 eyeball.
I guess, with all of the restrictions, and the knock-on effect on wages, people are realising there is a bottom in their purses/wallets.
Even when they visit, are they really spending their cash? After my daily walk, I call into a little cafe for a smoothie. A few weeks back, it was very busy - nowadays I'm often the only one in there.
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Re: Thailand tourist slump continues
Exactly, even where I live down south they turn up in their flash cars on long weekends, book six to a room, and sit on the beach with a bottle of booze and their own food. The local restaurants/bars/businesses do not benefit whatsoever from this ilk ... and the beach looks like Beirut come Monday morning.
Who is the happier man, he who has braved the storm of life and lived or he who has stayed securely on shore and merely existed? - Hunter S Thompson
Re: Thailand tourist slump continues
'Safe and Sealed' brings hope for tourism rally
Tourism operators are proposing a new inbound tourism plan, called Safe and Sealed, to replace travel bubbles and keep Thailand from realising the worst-case revenue scenario of 675 billion baht next year, down from 3.01 trillion baht in 2019.
At Wednesday's joint meeting of the Tourism and Sports Ministry and the private sector chaired by Tourism Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn, tourism-related groups offered a proposal to let inbound tourists restart their trips to Thailand in the fourth quarter with safer screening and more flexibility for many countries than the bilateral travel bubble scheme would have afforded.
Vichit Prakobgosol, president of the Association of Thai Travel Agents, said that while Thailand has started to welcome certain groups of foreigners, the total will be fewer than 100,000 visitors and cannot prevent tourism-related businesses from falling into bankruptcy.
The new inbound plan is expected to draw at least 500,000 tourists to Thailand and generate 50 billion baht in revenue. The cost of the package would be 100,000 baht per person, higher than the average price of 50,000 baht before the pandemic.
Mr Phiphat said the scheme is the last bid to let the majority of tourism businesses survive and avoid layoffs in the fourth quarter if Thailand continues to close its borders to international tourists.
"Safe means we will select only guests from a city with a record of no infections for at least 30 days, and they can travel under the sealed conditions provided by tour operators in designated hotels and provinces that agree to welcome those tourists," he said.
Other necessary screening processes are also required, such as an infection-free certificate 72 hours before a flight, as well as insurance and swab tests.
https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/19 ... rism-rally
They really do think that Thailand is the most desirable destination on the planet and billions of people are queuing up to get in here ...
I can already see their next 'incentive' - Covidism, virus-free tourism, at a price! "Come visit the safest country in the world"
Tourism operators are proposing a new inbound tourism plan, called Safe and Sealed, to replace travel bubbles and keep Thailand from realising the worst-case revenue scenario of 675 billion baht next year, down from 3.01 trillion baht in 2019.
At Wednesday's joint meeting of the Tourism and Sports Ministry and the private sector chaired by Tourism Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn, tourism-related groups offered a proposal to let inbound tourists restart their trips to Thailand in the fourth quarter with safer screening and more flexibility for many countries than the bilateral travel bubble scheme would have afforded.
Vichit Prakobgosol, president of the Association of Thai Travel Agents, said that while Thailand has started to welcome certain groups of foreigners, the total will be fewer than 100,000 visitors and cannot prevent tourism-related businesses from falling into bankruptcy.
The new inbound plan is expected to draw at least 500,000 tourists to Thailand and generate 50 billion baht in revenue. The cost of the package would be 100,000 baht per person, higher than the average price of 50,000 baht before the pandemic.
Mr Phiphat said the scheme is the last bid to let the majority of tourism businesses survive and avoid layoffs in the fourth quarter if Thailand continues to close its borders to international tourists.
"Safe means we will select only guests from a city with a record of no infections for at least 30 days, and they can travel under the sealed conditions provided by tour operators in designated hotels and provinces that agree to welcome those tourists," he said.
Other necessary screening processes are also required, such as an infection-free certificate 72 hours before a flight, as well as insurance and swab tests.
https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/19 ... rism-rally
They really do think that Thailand is the most desirable destination on the planet and billions of people are queuing up to get in here ...
I can already see their next 'incentive' - Covidism, virus-free tourism, at a price! "Come visit the safest country in the world"
Who is the happier man, he who has braved the storm of life and lived or he who has stayed securely on shore and merely existed? - Hunter S Thompson
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Re: Thailand tourist slump continues
If they treat tourists to the hoops they made me go through, aint gonna be none
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