Thailand tourism situation

[Big Boy]

In preparation for my imminent visit to Samui, I've been looking at these live webcams https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmYyJa ... XHQ/videos

Either I've been looking at the wrong times, or Hua Hin is a thriving metropolis in comparison.

[Dannie Boy]

In an attempt to bolster tourism, there are proposals being put forward to extend tourist “visas” from 30 to 45 days.

“ The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is set to propose extending the length of stay for tourist visas and visa on arrival (VOA) to a maximum of 45 days.

According to TAT governor Yuthasak Supasorn, a proposal will be presented to the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) at a meeting due to be held on August 19.

The proposal will call for the period of stay for tourist visas to be extended from the current 30 days to a maximum of 45 days, while the period of stay for visa on arrival extended from 15 days to a maximum of 45 days.

The extension would be effective from the date of approval and run through to December 31, 2022.

Prior to formulating the proposal, TAT examined data from visa applicants at Thai embassies around the world and discovered that tourists wanted to stay in Thailand for more than 30 days, reflecting a trend in travel behavior in which tourists prefer to stay longer in Thailand.

If the extension to the period of stay is approved, TAT expects tourists to stay in Thailand for at least 5 days longer, spending an average of 4,000-5,000 baht per day per person.

Regarding a previous proposal to waive the visa fee for tourist visas and visa on arrival, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said the proposal needs to be examined in more detail.

However, Mr Yuthasak believes extending the period of stay is something that could be implemented more quickly.

“Extending the period of stay of tourist visas and VOA is something that can be done faster (compared to waiving the visa fee), so the TAT is preparing for the meeting with CCSA to discuss it on August 19, Mr Yuthasak told Thai language media.

“Since what can be done now should be done first because it needs to be announced ahead of time so that foreign tourists and entrepreneurs can plan accordingly. Regarding visa fee waiver, we need to discuss further at the policy level.” Mr Yuthasak said.

Extending the period of stay for both tourist visas and visa on arrival could bring a significant boost to Thailand’s tourism industry, particularly with from tourists from India.

In the absence of Chinese tourists, TAT has highlighted India as one of its key markets.

Indian tourists are one of the main beneficiaries of the visa on arrival program.”

[hhinner]

I think "tourist visa" in this context means visa exempt entry. Actual tourist visas are good for 60 day stay.

[PeteC]

Nightlife until 4 am as poll shows plans to move foreign tourism upmarket a ‘recipe for disaster’

https://www.thaiexaminer.com/thai-news- ... ket-shift/

Changes to the worldwide travel industry since 2020 are more like back to the future. Industry surveys show travellers are looking for tried and trusted holiday destinations. The success achieved so far by Thailand’s recovering industry is driven by visitors from traditional markets where the country’s nightlife and entertainment sectors have been proven, over the course of the emergency, to be a key factor in the kingdom’s appeal to foreign tourists and the money they leave behind.

The country’s tourism chiefs will present a proposal to the government in September to extend nightlife opening hours only in select and strictly controlled areas in foreign tourism hotspots in a plan designed to increase tourism earnings and attract more western travellers from the country’s key foreign tourist markets. It comes as tourism has emerged as the key to the ongoing economic recovery this year with a poll of Thai Examiner readers since July showing over 77% warning that plans to take the country’s tourism industry upmarket would be a mistake and a ‘recipe for disaster’ if it went ahead.

Figures released on Friday by Thailand’s University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce (UTCC) showed that the country’s Consumer Confidence Index rose for the second month in a row in July to 42.4% from 41.6%.

This improvement is seen to be the result of rising household incomes driven by an improvement in the economy, which since June has been boosted by the country’s full reopening to foreign tourism.

Economic growth of 3.1% projected for the second quarter with higher hopes for the second half of 2022

It comes as a panel of top economists polled by Reuters have suggested that the country’s second-quarter growth will be 3.1%, an improvement on a growth rate of 2.2% for the opening quarter of 2022.

The message is clear, foreign tourism, which according to government figures last week, saw over 1.03 million foreign tourists arrive in Thailand in July, is powering a recovery.

Highest level of visitor numbers since early 2020 with over 1 million foreign tourists arriving a month

This stronger performance is also helping to balance the country’s current account and is critically important to the government which aims to achieve stronger annual growth by the end of this year before a General Election following anaemic growth in 2021.

Powerful foreign tourism economic engine is a hedge against other unpredictable events but needs priming

It is also being seen as a hedge against any unforeseen developments in a highly uncertain external environment and world economy.

The next move for Thailand’s tourism chiefs is to make the kingdom even more attractive to the country’s key tourism markets which, in the absence of Chinese tourists who made up 28% of the numbers seen in 2019, means western tourism markets and the country’s more traditional points of origin for tourists over past decades.

Both the Ministry of Tourism and Sports and the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) plan to present a proposal to the country’s Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) in September which would call for extending nightlife opening hours from 2 am to 4 am in tourist hotspots and even then, only in carefully targeted areas which are popular haunts for foreign tourist seeking nightlife activity.

This is designed to prime foreign tourist arrivals further and boost earnings.

Tourism agency chief says longer opening hours would mirror the different lifestyle habits of visitors

Last week, Yuthasak Supasorn, the Governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) explained the thinking behind this move which will not only make Thailand more attractive to its core market but also result in more money being left behind by visitors during their stay.

‘Extending the closing hours of entertainment venues is because people from some countries start having dinner around 9 pm or 10 pm, and around midnight onward, they would like to continue,’ he said. ‘If there is a longer spending period, then there will be more money entering the economy. This is not advocating for increased alcohol consumption,’ explained the tourism boss.

The extension of opening hours for tourist hotspots has long been resisted by more conservative elements within the Thai cabinet, in particular, Minister of the Interior, General Anupong Paochinda.

Similar moves in 2019 and 2020 were rejected

This resistance has seen similar moves by the Minister of Tourism and Sports Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn proving unsuccessful in 2019 and 2020.

It also comes at a particularly sensitive time with the deaths of 17 people and scores injured in a raging fire at the illegal Mountain B nightlife spot in Pattaya last week and a spree of fatal shootings and violence reported at night spots throughout the country which are now, again, allowed to open until 2 am following the pandemic emergency.

There is also a powerful anti-alcohol lobby in Thailand including top brass with the Royal Thai Police, in particular, often emphasising the links between violent crime in the country and the consumption of alcohol substances.

In addition to this, there is a strong body of conservative opinion in the kingdom which scorns the country’s nightlife industry, especially as a result of its links with the sex industry and the image of Thailand it projects abroad even though events since 2020, have shown decisively that it plays a critically important role in supporting Thailand’s foreign tourism industry which directly contributes 11% to the country’s GDP and indirectly helps power 20% of the economy.

Very targeted 4 am extended opening hours will not lead to higher alcohol consumption among the public

Experts and key advisers at the Ministry of Tourism and Sports and the country’s tourist promotion agency will argue that this proposal to extend opening hours to 4 am is limited to select areas and will not lead to increased alcohol consumption among the general Thai population as the extra two hours opening period will be targeted very specifically at foreign tourist areas such as Soi Bangla in Phuket, Walking Street in Pattaya or Bangkok’s nightlife areas frequented by foreigners such as Khao San Road, Nana, Ekkamai and Thong Lor.

It is thought the new provisions will only apply to areas in Bangkok, Chiang Mai Pattaya, Phuket, Krabi, Hua Hin and islands in Surat Thani such as Ko Samui.

Even then, the final areas to be allowed later opening hours will be managed in ongoing consultation with local governors and authorities in each area.

Industry-driven proposal to be presented on August 19th to extend all tourist visas to a 45-day stay

The Ministry of Tourism and Sports, Mr Phiphat, is also pushing forward with proposals developed in conjunction with the industry in the kingdom over recent months to extend tourist visa status including visa on arrival, to a uniform 45 days.

This would mean a 50% extension for tourist visas and a 300% extension for visa on arrival tourists.

This proposal is to be decided upon at a meeting with the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) scheduled for August 19th.

The plan to extend the opening hours of entertainment and nightlife venues in foreign tourist areas will be decided in September and if approved, it is hoped the new and longer opening hours will see a brighter performance for the kingdom’s recovering foreign tourism industry from October onwards.

Cannot just take bumper high season foreign tourist arrivals and earnings for granted at this stage in what is a vital year for the economy says minister

Minster Phiphat has underlined the importance of tourism to the kingdom’s economic performance this year and is also stressing that economic planners cannot take for granted that the encouraging signs we are now seeing in tourist arrivals, will translate into a bumper high season at the end of 2022 when at least 1.5 million foreign tourists are expected each month.

Thailand is aiming for 10 million foreign tourists this year or even more.

A successful outcome could see GDP growth move from a projected level of 3.3% to 5% by the end of the year.

‘We have already asked each provincial governor to study the economic and social impacts as well as the necessity of extending operational hours,’ said Mr Phiphat as his department officials work on the proposal to be presented to the government in September.

The success being achieved this year as the kingdom flies in more visitors from western markets in addition to stronger numbers from India and the Middle East comes amid a surge in demand for international travel worldwide.

Different market from 2020 with travellers looking for the comfort of proven destinations, good prices and relaxation say industry experts and surveys

However, there is a difference after the pandemic emergency.

Travel agents in western countries are reporting that travellers are wary of new or eclectic destinations. They are looking for tried and trusted hotspots.

This has been confirmed in research by the loyalty division of the Marriott Hotel Group, Marriott Bonvoy in an extensive study of UK travellers.

Holiday makers are also signalling less of a demand for adventure and challenging holiday pursuits.

At the same time, heightened inflation and increased flight costs across the globe mean foreign tourists are looking for competitively priced holidays.

Anutin: time to halt foreign tourism price deals, Thailand to be the Louis Vuitton of the world travel market

In July, following a hostile reaction to a call from Deputy Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, the Bhumjaithai Party cabinet colleague of the Minister of Tourism and Sports, to make Thailand a premium and high-cost destination, we launched a survey.

Thai Examiner readers say No to Thailand as an upmarket, highly-priced and exclusive destination, 77.78% agree it is a ‘recipe for disaster’ in a poll

The results suggest that such a move for Thailand would be a costly mistake according to the poll carried out among our readers.

In the Thai Examiner survey of foreign holiday makers visiting Thailand, there was a response sample group of 540 people in the online poll in association with Survey Monkey. It revealed the following results.

A whopping 94.44% said the price was a critically important factor in deciding whether or not to visit the kingdom.

55.56% said the relatively lower cost of holidaying in Thailand was a definite factor in their decision to visit the country while a further 38.89% said it was somewhat of a factor. Only 5.56% declared that cost was not an issue.

With regards to plans to make Thailand a more exclusive, expensive and upmarket tourist destination, a decisive 77.78% agreed that this would be a ‘recipe for disaster’ while only 4.1% agreed with the proposition while 18.1% were not sure.

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[handdrummer]

It's just the usual backward thinking that permeates all of Thailand. You know; business down; raise prices, condos not selling; raise prices, etc.

Do the powers that be think that only tourists go to the tourist destinations? How can the locals scam the tourists if they don't go where the tourists are?

Is anyone in the govt. in touch with reality?

[StevePIraq]

It is like they are determined to destroy the economy. Why not just close all 1 to 3 star hotels, guest houses, hostels etc and make only 4 and 5 stat accomodation available. At the same time close all markets and street food.
After all isn't it about ensuring their buddies hi so hotels and restaurants are full

[PeteC]

Thailand’s once mighty foreign tourism industry lastingly damaged with lower spends and numbers

https://www.thaiexaminer.com/thai-news- ... to-france/

Figures this week from Paris show a French foreign tourist industry achieving revenues nationally at 22% ahead of figures for 2019 while Thailand will be aiming to achieve, at best, only 33% of the numbers seen three years ago or a 67% loss. This news must be disturbing for the sector in Thailand and raises questions about the permanent damage inflicted on the Thai industry since 2020.

Thailand’s foreign tourism sector appears to have suffered permanent damage due to the country’s emergency since 2020 with projected visitor numbers and a foreign tourism revenue stream this year which will be between 65% and 75% lower than that seen in 2019. The situation is in marked contrast to France which recorded bumper visitor numbers in July and August with expenditure in hotels up 22% on 2019 figures.

On Tuesday, executives at the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) talked up the possibility of targeting wealthy Indian families to come to Thailand to celebrate wedding events as the kingdom approaches the high season for the foreign tourism sector which begins in October.

However, despite the return of foreign tourists in numbers, there are disturbing signs that the country’s foreign tourism industry, once considered the jewel in the country’s economic crown and which has proven to be a key cash distributor to Thailand’s ‘grassroots’ economy, has suffered structural and perhaps permanent damage..... (Long article continued at link)

[handdrummer]

Time to invest in the manufacturing of foreign goods, and become the new China.
Many companies are leaving China to set up in other SE Asia countries, and Thailand could become one of them. That may require a change in leadership. Cough, cough.

[StevePIraq]

Thailand will never change. They really do not want foreighners here. Remember the thai political party Thai Rak Thai, Thai love Thai.
They will never make it easier. That is why I sold up and will only rent from now on

[buksida]

Where are Thailand’s tourists?
Any revival of Thailand’s tourist industry will have little do with anything initiated by the Thai government or the enthusiastic Tourism Authority of Thailand. The old Thai tourism business model, honed over the past 30 years into a well-oiled machine, is failing to evolve to a very new world travel paradigm. And with a perfect storm of geo-political, economic and supply chain issues causing chaos for world travellers at the moment, Thailand’s tourism leaders appear not to have received the memo.

Tourists will not be returning to the land of smiles, in pre-Covid numbers, for many years to come. Despite widely reported “pent up demand”, the conditions that would lead to a global travel recovery have profoundly changed.

It’s now time for Thai tourism policy makers and tourism operators to re-invent the wheel.

It’s not as if we’re waiting for 2019 to happen again, it won’t. It can’t. So many things have changed, completely out of the control of the lever-pullers in the Thai government, and they appear disinclined to get creative and come up with a newer, more relevant product for the post-Covid world.

There will be fewer travellers to Thailand, a lot fewer. The same might be said for most other tourist magnets around the world. Thailand is not immune to many of the problems affecting global travel, particularly tourism, at this time.

Recession in many of Thailand’s feeder markets, a no-show of the previously lucrative and numerous Chinese market, a collapse of the Russian outbound travel market and complex global supply chain challenges, affecting everything from staffing to fuel costs, are just some of the reasons people will be staying home for a few years.

...

Meanwhile, the government-funded Tourism Authority of Thailand, who loudly trumpet the monthly tourist arrivals and spending, continues to flog the 30 year old ‘Amazing Thailand’ brand of beaches, bars and temples.

So where are Thailand’s tourists and travellers coming from at the moment? Primarily India and Malaysia, close-haul Asian destinations and a smattering of UK, European, American and Australian travellers. Across the board, the numbers are down around 75% compared to an average of 2019 inbound traffic.

The TAT are hoping that, by the end of 2022, the total foreign arrivals will reach 10 million. That looks achievable but these arrivals from overseas are not all tourists. They also include returning Thais, business travellers and returning expats.

https://phuket-go.com/phuket-news/phuke ... -tourists/

Good article saying it how it is as opposed to the TAT propaganda machine.
That said ... our plane back was full and HH seemed busier with farang tourists than I've seen it since lockdowns began so it must be slowly picking up.

[Pagey]

Where are Thailand’s tourists?

That said ... our plane back was full and HH seemed busier with farang tourists than I've seen it since lockdowns began so it must be slowly picking up. [/i]

Just hope they don't want to lay on a sun lounger or relax on a deck chair in the sun on Hua Hin beach because apart from the Thai style beach bars in front of the Hilton, and the Chang Sawang restaurant a bit futher South, I don't think there remains any bars actually on the beach to relax and have a beer, read a book, get a tan, listen to music etc all the way to Khoa Takiab. There are the high end resorts/hotels but they aren't actually on the beach like the bars previously at Soi 77, 83 etc, all removed by the authorities last month.

[Big Boy]

I said this back in July after the incoming restrictions were lifted. There was a mass exodus of Expats who had been basically trapped here for 2 years unless they wanted to pay a lot of money to get back. These guys left en-mass, and have been returning for the last 3 or 4 weeks. It gives a totally false impression, but TAT are clutching at straws.

[Dannie Boy]

Those that do return are likely to be very disappointed - Thailand 2022 is very different to Thailand 2019!!

[handdrummer]

There does seem to be an influx of Thais moving back to Thailand for their retirement years.

Friends in Orlando, Fl. are in the process of liquidating their business and returning after 20 yrs. in the US.

Another couple, He American, she Thai, are resettling in Thailand after 15 yrs. in San Fransico, citing the demise of the city, the filth, and the cost of living.

[Big Boy]

Those that do return are likely to be very disappointed - Thailand 2022 is very different to Thailand 2019!!

I'm talking about Expats trapped in Thailand for 2 years because they weren't willing to run the gauntlet of quarantine, additional insurances fees, etc when they returned. These people left in July 2022 when re-entry restrictions were eased, for around 6 weeks. Now their holiday is over, they are boosting TAT's entry figures.