Asia business picks up for agents

BANGKOK, 17 December 2012: Association of Thai Travel Agents’ member companies handled 3,165,578 international tourists at Suvarnabhumi Airport in the first 11 months of 2012 representing an improvement of 21.16% from 2,612,710 visits during the same period last year.

ATTA released its data, late last week, based on fees member agencies pay to the airport to provide a meet-and-greet service for international clients. It is considered an accurate barometer for the tourism industry but is limited to travel through Bangkok.

For January to November this year, China continued to be the strongest supplier for Thailand’s travel firms with 929,510 trips increasing 67.31% from 555,556 trips during the same period last year.

Russia followed in second place with 420,435 trips, up 5.49% from 398,570 trips.

India ranked third and supplied 226,285, but it was a small  increase of 0.07% from 226,129 trips.

Japan was fourth with 201,604 trips growing 35.96% from 148,279 trips in 2011.

Showing a decline of 12.76%, South Korea was in fifth place with 164,570 trips compared to 188,631 trips during the same period last year.

The next top five suppliers in the first 11 months of 2012 were: Vietnam (163,386; +46.84%); Taiwan (98,405; -28.43%); Hong Kong (94,641; +14.61%); Indonesia (74,600; +15.77%); and the United Kingdom (67,719; +10.61%).

Tour companies that have relied on Europe for their core business have faced tough times due to the eurozone crisis and need to reinvent themselves. Some have found it a difficult task to shift their emphasis from Europe’s tour operators to those in China, Japan, India and Korea.

In the past, many of them looked down on their colleagues in those so called “cheap” and in some instances “zero-dollar” tour markets. India was the first market that saw the big eurocentric Thai tour companies attempt to redress their market share with a better Asian mix.

In November, the association confirmed a massive improvement of 203.93% to 404,163 trips compared to 132,977 trips during the same month last year.

However, the November increase has to be considered in the context of a substantial drop in November 2011 when floods hit Bangkok’s suburbs and destinations in the central plains.

The dramatic rebound shows the  impact  a natural or political crisis can exert on Thailand’s tourism industry particularly in the markets of China, Japan and Korea.

China led the field with 125,249 trips representing a remarkable growth of 1,474.47% from 7,955 trips during the same month in 2011.

Russia followed in second with 77,685 trips improving 67.26% from 46,447 trips.

Japan in third also showed a massive increase of 1,294.42% to 34,512 trips from 4,475 trips during the same month last year.

South Korea ranked in fourth with 20,138 trips growing 164.56% from 7,612 trips.

India was in fifth place with 19,411 trips, up 49.92% from 12,948 trips during the same month in 2011.

The next top five markets in November were: Vietnam (9,989; +975.24%); Taiwan (9,945; +2,960.00%); Hong Kong (9,137; +3,997.31%); France (8,481; +78.66%); and UK (7,213; +57.90%).

Sourced:ttrweekly