Thai tourism rebounds

01 Sep 2015  2039 | World Travel News

BANGKOK Thailand’s tourism industry can still achieve its ambitious target of 28.8 million visits and generate THB2.2 trillion in revenue by year-end, although confidence in the country was badly shaken by the bomb attack at the Erawan Shrine, 17 August.
Speaking at Ministry of Tourism and Sports press conference, Wednesday, the ministry’s permanent secretary Areepong Bhoocha-oom said tourist arrivals declined by an estimated 7% in the week following the bombing, compared to past trends, and the tally over the next few weeks could fluctuate.
“After the bomb blast, average daily tourist arrivals dropped from 80,000 to 70,000… and around 3,000 to 4,000 business event visits have been cancelled in the area … however, tourist arrivals (all categories) during 1 to 23 August reached 2,100,036, which is a 31.68% increase over the same period in the previous year.”
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Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul, Thailand’s Minister of Tourism and Sports (third from right) chaired Wednesday’s press conference, which also had presentations from David Scowsill, WTTC’s president and CEO (far right), Carlos Vogeler, UNWTO’s executive secretary of Member Relations (second from right), Areepong Bhoocha-oom, permanent secretary of the Ministry of Tourism and Sports (third from left), Colonel Winthai Suvaree, spokesman of the NCPO (second from left), and Police Colonel Supaset Chokchai, deputy national commander of the Tourist Police Division (far left).
The comparisons are made with August 2014, which was a poor month due to the impact of the May 2014 military coup and a dip in travel from European markets due to an economic downturn. Last year, the country welcomed 24.80 million visitors an increase of 16.13% on 2014.
Also, tourists who were confirmed on holidays to Thailand, during August, would have found it difficult to cancel without incurring cancellation fees.
The real test will come in September, particularly from regional markets such as China. There is also a major national holiday due in the first week of October when thousands of Chinese holiday makers should travel to the Thai capital.
Areepong said: “It is undeniable that the Ratchaprasong incident will impact on the Thai tourism sector…it is up to the tourism ministry and related agencies to join forces to initiate measures that will ensure safety for tourists as well as reduce the risk of such events reoccurring in the future.”
Some possible measures include the use of innovative technologies that have been developed for safety and security purposes, increasing CCTVs at various blind spots and beefing up security forces, both uniform and plainclothes, to survey and monitor areas that are frequented by visitors.
The bomb attack was viewed as a wake up call for security agencies that were in the past lulled into a false sense of security due to a belief that Thailand was immune to terrorist attacks.
The Erawan Shrine bombing was unprecedented in Thailand’s modern history in its scale as well as the fatalities and injuries suffered. Up until the bombing, not a single tourist fatality had been registered even during a decade of violent political protests in the Thai capital.
In contrast, the Erawan Shrine bombing killed 20 people and injured 125.
Although newspapers speculated it was an act of terrorism, no terrorist related organisation has claimed responsibility.
National Council for Peace and Order spokesman, Colonel Winthai Suvaree, said from the evaluation made by security officers “this was not an act of terrorism.”
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inside no 1.1But it was the first time that a popular tourist attraction in the heart of downtown Bangkok was targeted. The shrine stands just a few metres from the Grand Hyatt hotel and directly across the street from the InterContinental and Holiday Inn hotels that are usually packed with corporate and high-spend visitors.
Tourism and Sports Minister Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul added: “We believe that the incident was not an attack on a particular group of people, or tourists, so the country is still on track to achieve the target of 28.8 million circulating THB2.2 trillion in revenue this year… Individuals and family travel are growing markets for Thailand.”
The Tourist Police division has been assigned to tighten safety and security measures at tourist destinations and collaborate with security agencies and foreign volunteers in Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Pattaya and Phuket.
To boost tourist confidence, the tourism minister said there would be no change in plans for ongoing promotions. The roadshow to China, 2 to 3 September, in collaboration with China’s National Tourism Administration in Chengdu province will go ahead. The roadshow will be attended by some 300 business enterprises and more than 30 media representatives.
She did not give details of the companies that had confirmed attendance or the media companies that would be hosted by the ministry for the China visit.
Ministry of Tourism and Sports and the Department of Rights and Liberty Protection has provided compensation for families of the deceased. Twelve families have been compensated at a cost of THB3.6 million.

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sourced:ttrweekly.com 

 

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