A question to you expats in Hua Hin. I have been to Hua Hin in february the last three years and the last time it seemed to be much less people than the years before. I´m going again this winter and my question is, how is it looking this winter, is it even fewer tourists than last winter?
// mrco
Number of tourists?
Re: Number of tourists?
Yes. So there is more of everything for the few of us.mrco wrote:A question to you expats in Hua Hin. I have been to Hua Hin in february the last three years and the last time it seemed to be much less people than the years before. I´m going again this winter and my question is, how is it looking this winter, is it even fewer tourists than last winter?
// mrco
A friend is only one click away
Depends on who you listen to
Heard some encouraging views and depressing views
Methinks also that the tourist profile has changed. More families and couples and less single bar hunters
Heard some encouraging views and depressing views
Methinks also that the tourist profile has changed. More families and couples and less single bar hunters
RICHARD OF LOXLEY
It’s none of my business what people say and think of me. I am what I am and do what I do. I expect nothing and accept everything. It makes life so much easier.
It’s none of my business what people say and think of me. I am what I am and do what I do. I expect nothing and accept everything. It makes life so much easier.
The high season will be down - even on last years aready low figures and very short.
Pretty much everything will be full for two to three weeks over Christmas New year - but you can still find top end Hotels available in that period
After that - not sure. The Dollar and Euro zone have exchange rate favourabilty over UK.
Thailand is pricing it's self out of the market
Regards SJ
Pretty much everything will be full for two to three weeks over Christmas New year - but you can still find top end Hotels available in that period
After that - not sure. The Dollar and Euro zone have exchange rate favourabilty over UK.
Thailand is pricing it's self out of the market
Regards SJ
I'd agree with that one, looking around town and speaking to hoteliers and those in the business indicates that this high season is actually worse than last year.hhfarang wrote:Looks like fewer (nearly nobody) to me, but then I don't get out much.
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
Parts of it are. 200K or so south, I'm getting great value for money. Interestingly, today the missus phoned a centralish HH hotel to book 2 rooms for just one night a few days before Christmas. We checked the hotel website price first, then Sawadee and managed a substantial saving on both.Sabai Jai wrote:Thailand is pricing it's self out of the market
Regards SJ
I arrived a couple of weeks ago and the airport was really no busier than when I last arrived in March 08.
Talk is cheap
A friend flew back to London mid week last week on the Thai red-eye and said it was very quiet.
Anecdotally, I hear a lot more people saying that they are planning on going to Thailand for the first time.
I guess that adds up to a lot of intentions and fewer tourists.
4 weeks and 4 days 'til lift off, and counting
Jim
Anecdotally, I hear a lot more people saying that they are planning on going to Thailand for the first time.
I guess that adds up to a lot of intentions and fewer tourists.
4 weeks and 4 days 'til lift off, and counting
Jim
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For sure the tourist numbers are down and also its true the type of tourist here in Hua Hin are more family / couple orientated, less likely to "bar hop"
There are many reasons for the fall in numbers, such as the general worldwide economic climate and the stronger baht, but I think Hua Hin is being hurt harder than most other Thailand tourist destinations.
Back in December 2004 5 years ago, Thailand was hit by the tsunami. At that time, Hua Hin was a fairly small holiday destination struggling to attract the tourists who tended to opt for the more traditional destinations such as Pattaya, Samui and Phuket. When Phuket was hit badly a new destination was needed quickly and Hua Hin fitted the bill. At the time the western economies were strong and the baht weak, house prices in the west were going through the roof, credit was easy and many felt they could afford further distances to the likes of Thailand. Phuket was out of business so Hua Hin was used as an alternative by western tourist companies.
From 2005 till 2006 Hua Hin became a boom destination while Phuket recovered. It was during these two years we had a property boom. Thousands of tourists decended on Hua Hin that would otherwise have gone to Phuket. Many of these new tourists were tempted by the perceived great value of property prices and the local real estate business flourished. Hotels and bars did OK too but didn't make a killing because more bars, restaurants and hotels sprung up diluting the profits. With the influx of all the new tourists, a false optimism was born and a property building frenzy ensued.
2007 was still a good year for Hua Hin but the numbers were not quite as good as the optimists expected. Phuket was starting to attract the tourists back. Then we had the economy collapse. A double whammy. 2008 was quiet and 2009 looks quieter.
I recently visited Phuket for a week and I felt it had a much more holiday destination atmosphere / feel to it, and although there were many empty bars and restaurants, the beaches were full and Patong was thriving. Not only does Hua Hin have to contend with a diminishing world tourist population, it's no longer an alternative to the more popular Phuket destination.
Meanwhile Hua Hin has a huge amount of building going on so either the builders know something I don't or they are preparing for ghost holiday makers.
There are many reasons for the fall in numbers, such as the general worldwide economic climate and the stronger baht, but I think Hua Hin is being hurt harder than most other Thailand tourist destinations.
Back in December 2004 5 years ago, Thailand was hit by the tsunami. At that time, Hua Hin was a fairly small holiday destination struggling to attract the tourists who tended to opt for the more traditional destinations such as Pattaya, Samui and Phuket. When Phuket was hit badly a new destination was needed quickly and Hua Hin fitted the bill. At the time the western economies were strong and the baht weak, house prices in the west were going through the roof, credit was easy and many felt they could afford further distances to the likes of Thailand. Phuket was out of business so Hua Hin was used as an alternative by western tourist companies.
From 2005 till 2006 Hua Hin became a boom destination while Phuket recovered. It was during these two years we had a property boom. Thousands of tourists decended on Hua Hin that would otherwise have gone to Phuket. Many of these new tourists were tempted by the perceived great value of property prices and the local real estate business flourished. Hotels and bars did OK too but didn't make a killing because more bars, restaurants and hotels sprung up diluting the profits. With the influx of all the new tourists, a false optimism was born and a property building frenzy ensued.
2007 was still a good year for Hua Hin but the numbers were not quite as good as the optimists expected. Phuket was starting to attract the tourists back. Then we had the economy collapse. A double whammy. 2008 was quiet and 2009 looks quieter.
I recently visited Phuket for a week and I felt it had a much more holiday destination atmosphere / feel to it, and although there were many empty bars and restaurants, the beaches were full and Patong was thriving. Not only does Hua Hin have to contend with a diminishing world tourist population, it's no longer an alternative to the more popular Phuket destination.
Meanwhile Hua Hin has a huge amount of building going on so either the builders know something I don't or they are preparing for ghost holiday makers.
I too agree with JoeDoc but we all have to take an honest look at the town; it is at best scruffy.
The pavements are in some places dangerous to walk along and are often dirty and the smell of the drains seems to get worse each day.
To be honest when we have visitors we try to avoid taking them into town during the day - at least darkness covers some things up.
The majority of the hotels in the area are up-market ones and the town does not live up to this image.
As for the shops if someone does not need a tailor or optician then their choice of shop is somewhat limited unless they go to Market Village.
Having said that we love living here but rarely go into the town itself.[/list]
The pavements are in some places dangerous to walk along and are often dirty and the smell of the drains seems to get worse each day.
To be honest when we have visitors we try to avoid taking them into town during the day - at least darkness covers some things up.
The majority of the hotels in the area are up-market ones and the town does not live up to this image.
As for the shops if someone does not need a tailor or optician then their choice of shop is somewhat limited unless they go to Market Village.
Having said that we love living here but rarely go into the town itself.[/list]
From what I've seen there has been a large influx of 'family' people, particularly Skandi's, that arrived the weekend just gone, but they are holiday home owners out for the Christmas and New Year holidays. Wife's and other restaurants in the area (small, cheap and cheerful type places) have gone from very quiet to very busy overnight, but these people don't seem to venture into town much. I guess because they know Hua Hin now and don't want the tourist prices and taxi's into town etc.
Whether you would class these types as strictly 'tourists' I'm not sure, but they're mostly families many with little blond kids or elderly couples 60+, and just have a few beers with their meals, so they don't help the town tourist bars, restaurants, shops, taxis etc.
For strictly 'tourist tourists' the Hilton Road restaurants and night market are always a good gauge, while they seem to have got a bit busier lately I don't think it'll be anywhere near a good high season. And these are generally not bar drinking types, think the bars are gonna have a real hard time of it. To me the main factor is the global recession, maybe this time next year will be a bit better, the year after that maybe back to somewhere near normal, but who knows what with the political parties/Cambodia etc.
For me Hua Hin can't compete with Phuket as a all-round international tourist destination, and as JoeDoc said Phuket has moved on from the Tsunami factor. But then Hua Hin/Cha Am seem to appeal to people as a place to live as much as a tourist destination. Maybe because of the cheaper cost of living here than in Phuket, the golf, ease to Bangkok etc.
Regards property, while it's been hovering just above dead for the past year or so, people (incl. me) who are continuing to build or buy land believe that when the recession is over Hua Hin/Cha Am will still be popular due to Phuket being so much more expensive due to their lack of land. Time will tell on that one
Basically I reckon it's gonna be very hard for another couple of years for those depending on tourism. Just look around at how many shop units have had to close up and the number of places up for rent
SJ
Whether you would class these types as strictly 'tourists' I'm not sure, but they're mostly families many with little blond kids or elderly couples 60+, and just have a few beers with their meals, so they don't help the town tourist bars, restaurants, shops, taxis etc.
For strictly 'tourist tourists' the Hilton Road restaurants and night market are always a good gauge, while they seem to have got a bit busier lately I don't think it'll be anywhere near a good high season. And these are generally not bar drinking types, think the bars are gonna have a real hard time of it. To me the main factor is the global recession, maybe this time next year will be a bit better, the year after that maybe back to somewhere near normal, but who knows what with the political parties/Cambodia etc.
For me Hua Hin can't compete with Phuket as a all-round international tourist destination, and as JoeDoc said Phuket has moved on from the Tsunami factor. But then Hua Hin/Cha Am seem to appeal to people as a place to live as much as a tourist destination. Maybe because of the cheaper cost of living here than in Phuket, the golf, ease to Bangkok etc.
Regards property, while it's been hovering just above dead for the past year or so, people (incl. me) who are continuing to build or buy land believe that when the recession is over Hua Hin/Cha Am will still be popular due to Phuket being so much more expensive due to their lack of land. Time will tell on that one
Basically I reckon it's gonna be very hard for another couple of years for those depending on tourism. Just look around at how many shop units have had to close up and the number of places up for rent
SJ
