TAT smiling about Hua Hin tourists, but almost 80% are Thai

[buksida]

Tourism Authority of Thailand in Prachuap were jubilant this week when they announced that 6.2 million tourists had visited the province, the majority in Hua Hin.

However the details revealed that 4.8 million of them, over 77%, were Thais compared to just 1.4 million foreigners.

Source: https://www.talknewsonline.com/79553/

[T.O.M.]

Does it really matter what nationality the tourists are..? They spend money in the province...good for business.

[buksida]

Not necessarily. TAT count their figures, stats, and budgets for tourism on foreign spending which equals money coming into Thailand. Thais spending money in Thailand does not really count, neither do the Chinese which have mostly pre-booked and paid in China.

But be happy, like TAT, because there are 35+ million of them coming here every year ... apparently! Those numbers are so important.

[oakdale160]

OK, the Chinese tourists may book and pay for their trip toThai in China. But the travel agents then book, hotels, restaurants, buses, entertainment for them in Thai and that money does flow into Thai. All at basement-bargain prices but still impacting the Thai economy.

[T.O.M.]

Not necessarily. TAT count their figures, stats, and budgets for tourism on foreign spending which equals money coming into Thailand. Thais spending money in Thailand does not really count, neither do the Chinese which have mostly pre-booked and paid in China.

But be happy, like TAT, because there are 35+ million of them coming here every year ... apparently! Those numbers are so important.

I know that the TAT-numbers is a pet-hate for you, but it doesn't change the fact that the 4.8 million Thai's visiting Prachuap Khirikan yearly spend a good money here, which is good for local businesses.
And since Prachuap don't have very many Chinese tourists, I presume the foreign arrivals here spend money as well...again good for local business.

[buksida]

Maybe - but the point is that tourism in Hua Hin is 80% domestic despite what the ministry of bullshit figures touts, but I guess you all knew that anyway.

[oakdale160]

Its Thailands Apartheid. 2 sets of tourists who never mix or interact.

[buksida]

That's a good way of looking at it - the Bangkok hisos that take over Hua Hin at the weekends look at farangs as if they are cockroaches.

[handdrummer]

That's a good way of looking at it - the Bangkok hisos that take over Hua Hin at the weekends look at farangs as if they are cockroaches.

I think that most people look at foreigners as if they were cockroaches and many of them are. Some are rats and some are pigs, others, cows and sheep, donkeys and hyenas. There's a whole menagerie out there.

[caller]

I had a look around town earlier, only because I was heading back from Makro and at a loose end and only because I was able to park okay, anywhere alongside the school and temple by the clock tower. It was noticeably devoid of people which surprised me, as there seem many tourists around the Malls in the week. Maybe it's just a town thing and they are elsewhere? From about 3.30 to 5pm.

[oakdale160]

I have to say there is no reason for any tourist to be around the clock-tower area in the late afternoon unless they have just got off a mini-bus from the bus station.

[Big Boy]

Thai money being spent in Thailand is making TAT happy - I wonder what TAT's job description states

[T.O.M.]

Thai money being spent in Thailand is making TAT happy - I wonder what TAT's job description states

The topic here was tourists in Prachuap Khirikhan province with focus on Hua Hin......Thai's or international visitors.
TAT is also in charge of domestic tourism..

One would think that the smartest posters here, would realize that many tourists to the province, where ever they are from, are good for local businesses....?

[buksida]

You would think that the only true way to get an answer would be to ask the small business owners that target tourists if they benefit from the hoards of SUV driving Bangkokians every weekend. Some of the not so smartest posters on here like to keep making assumptions which also assume they are always right.

[T.O.M.]

You would think that the only true way to get an answer would be to ask the small business owners that target tourists if they benefit from the hoards of SUV driving Bangkokians every weekend. Some of the not so smartest posters on here like to keep making assumptions which also assume they are always right.

Of course I am always right...

There are businesses catering to foreign visitors, they wouldn't notice if there were no Thai visitors to town...and there are businesses catering to Thai customers, and they wouldn't care, if all foreign visitors disappeared.

In that respect Hua Hin is very segregated.....

Peace