Thailand overwhelmed by influx of foreign tourists

[buksida]

The Thai travel industry has called on the government to urgently increase the number of personnel in the tourism business to cope with surging numbers of foreign visitors to Thailand.

Thongyoo Suphavittayakorn, an executive board member of the Association of Thai Travel Agents (ATTA), reported a record number of foreign tourists from late last year until next week’s Songkran or traditional Thai New Year festival.

If foreign tourists keep on visiting Thailand at a steady rate, the country should see an increase by 15-20 per cent this year, he said.

He is concerned about insufficient facilities and personnel including coaches and tour guides to service foreign tourists.

Bangkok, Pattaya, Krabi, Hua Hin, Samui and Chiang Mai are most popular destinations among tourists.

Mr Thongyoo said the Thai travel industry is short of the necessary labour force and agencies concerned should speed up producing human resources in this field.

The highest number of foreign visitors is from China, followed by Russia, Japan, South Korea, India, Vietnam and Indonesia.

He said Suvarnabhumi Airport served more than 51 million people last year and the number will likely increase to 55 million this year, while it is technically capable of servicing 45 million passengers annually.

Source: MCOT

[STEVE G]

The highest number of foreign visitors is from China,...

The rise in Chinese tourism worldwide is quite incredible and something that anyone in that business should be looking at:
http://edition.cnn.com/2013/04/05/trave ... hpt=hp_mid

"Chinese travelers are now the top source of tourism cash in the world, according to a new report by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO).

Boosted by a rising Chinese currency, Chinese travelers spent a record US$102 billion on international tourism in 2012, a 40 percent rise from US$73 billion in 2011."

[MrPlum]

Is there any kind of breakdown by destination? Will Hua Hin see an uptick in Chinese in the off season?

[kendo]

Sadly not from Britain with the piss poor pound at less than 45 Baht to 1 GBP its a far cry from my first trip to Thailand when their was more than 70 Baht to the pound.

Kendo.

[kendo]

On the plus side just checked out flights with Westeast Travel and off the net you can get direct flight with Eva Air for £588 that has not really gone up in the last few years or maybe a little longer so that one small blessing.
Kendo.

[Big Boy]

On the plus side just checked out flights with Westeast Travel and off the net you can get direct flight with Eva Air for £588 that has not really gone up in the last few years or maybe a little longer so that one small blessing.
Kendo.

I don't know if it was a computer error, but I checked for a friend this morning, and the cheapest with West East Travel was something like £970 for Air India. Dates were 12 June to 20 July. Was able to find flights for £477 elsewhere.

Anyway, this is a little off topic, so please.

[kendo]

Ok i was looking at September but back to topic anyway.

Kendo.

[usual suspect]

With all these folk arriving at Songkran..do they realise once they leave Swampy or D.M. that the roads are stuffed, & that their transfer times will increase 3-4 fold..?
(Or is it a GOOD time to arrive..are the main BKK roads quite for the Songkran period, and just gridlocked either side of the holiday..?).

[Bristolian]

With all these folk arriving at Songkran..do they realise once they leave Swampy or D.M. that the roads are stuffed, & that their transfer times will increase 3-4 fold..?
(Or is it a GOOD time to arrive..are the main BKK roads quite for the Songkran period, and just gridlocked either side of the holiday..?).

If past Songkran’s are an indication, tumbleweed will by now be blowing along all of the main roads that do not lead to the main water fighting areas of Silom, Sukumvit, Khaosan Road etc.