ATTA: Big drop in tour bookings

02 Jul 2014  2039 | World Travel News

Association of Thai Travel Agenst estimates tourist arrivals through its member companies this year will decline 35% from 4.28 million trips last year.
ATTA president, Sisdivachr Cheewarattanaporn, expected inbound tourism will improve in the last quarter, but the year will close with 35% fewer tourists than in 2013.
ATTA counts tourists who buy tour packages handled by a member tour company. The count is based on the fees ATTA members pay to the Airports of Thailand to gain access to their clients who arrive at the airport and need a meet-and-greet service.
“Inbound tour operators were suffering a slump since last year’s fourth quarter due to the political impasse,” he said, “It will take time to recover and there should be positive signs by the fourth quarter, but it will not be enough to fully recover what has been lost.”
The Chinese market should be the first to recover and there are already signs that more bookings are being made by mainland Chinese.
He then called on the National Council for Peace and Order to rehabilitate Thailand’s image and build confidence in top markets such as China, India and the Middle East.
Up to 20 June, tourist arrivals through the association members decreased 42.39% to 926,141 visits.
All of its 15 source markets recorded declines: China (326,837; -57.11%); Russia (279,202; -22.12%); India (66,639; -34.11%); Japan (48,436; -65.73%); South Korea (41,026; -53.08%); Germany (24,422; -38.46%); France (23,564; -24.29%); Taiwan (21,944; -69.33%); UK (17,971; -47.32%); Vietnam (17,580; -81.52%); Indonesia (16,999; -53.26%); Australia (11,454; -25.72%); US (11,146; -16.57%); Hong Kong (6,682; -87.94%); and Italy (5,827; -14.37%).
Last year, there were 4,282,696 tourist arrivals through the association members increasing 21.19% from 3,533,883 visits in 2012.
The figure based on fees member agencies pay to the airport to provide a meet-and-greet service for international clients at Suvarnabhumi Airport.

Sourced: ttrweekly

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