Thai tourism shines bright in Q4

BANGKOK Thailand’s Ministry of Tourism and Sports reports tourism revenue continued to show a positive performance during October to December, last year.

Tourism and Sports Minister, Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul, said during the last quarter of 2016, the country’s tourism industry earned THB628,486.67 million, an increase of 4.41% over the same period in 2015.

Tourism related revenue is based on an estimated spend per visitor, a figure that has its origins in exit surveys at airports and takes into account data from credit card surveys.

Of gross tourism revenue, THB400,436.63 million came from the international market, up 2.03%, and THB228,050.04 million came from the domestic market, an improvement of 8.89% during the same quarter in 2015.

Total tourism-related revenue in 2016 was expected to reach THB2.51 trillion, or 4% higher than the earlier forecast of THB2.4 trillion. Of that total, THB1.64 trillion would be derived from foreign visitors and THB869 billion from domestic travel.

The minister added that up to 27 December, last year, the kingdom recorded 32.13 million tourist arrivals up 8.96% . The performance generated THB1.61 trillion in revenue, a growth of 12.68%.

The ministry projects Thailand’s tourism-related revenue in 2017 will reach THB2.71 trillion. Of that, THB1.78 trillion will come from foreign visitors and THB930 billion from domestic travellers.

In 2017, Thailand intends to focus on specific tourism segments such as sports tourism, medical and wellness, weddings and romance, marine, rail and ASEAN connect products, she added.

She claimed visits from Europe would increase this year as well as arrivals from neighbouring countries such as Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam.

However the latter markets are in a low-revenue category, while there is considerable doubt that the minister’s confidence in a European travel rebound is well founded. Europe is in the grip of an economic downturn which impacts on demand for long-haul travel.

She pointed out the need to increase capacity at airports such as Don Mueang, Phuket and Pattaya’s U-Tapao,  and drive marine tourism, while offering “linkage tourism programme policies”.