Today's tourism recovery story in the BP - https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/25 ... y-measures

Various Thai commentators licking their lips in the article at the prospect of high-spending Chinese tourists but there is a fly in the ointment. Apparently there is a lot of comment in Chinese social media about how unsafe it is in Thailand (BP does not of course tell us details of this). Consequently money will be spent enhancing security for tourists, in what is probably the safest destination for tourists in the world!

Worth bearing in mind that nothing spreads on social media in China without government permission. There is a view that they want to discourage foreign spending by their citizens while the current downturn persists.

https://www.pattayamail.com/latestnews/ ... rus-435813

Good article from the excellent Barry Kenyon. I had to chuckle at his Cambodia remarks, however (actually not his remarks, he is quoting someone).

In spite of Pattaya city appearing to be back to normal, the foreign tourist numbers suggest the cash tills are not ringing as merrily as in the pre-covid era. The Chinese market in particular has been slow to recover with less than half the arrivals of 2019. Although there are regular flights from Chinese cities into Bangkok, the expected boom in charter flights to the U-tapao air hub, near Pattaya, has not happened with direct flights from Xian and other provincial capitals actually curtailed.
The Tourism Authority of Thailand said that the lower-than-expected international arrivals means that Pattaya is still dependent on the domestic market, especially with a series of pageants and joyful events at weekends. Although about 70 percent of Pattaya hotels are back in business, occupancy rates are hovering around half-full especially mid week. Thanet Supornsahasrungsri, group executive of Sunshine Hotels and Resorts, said that a sluggish world economy and persistently high air fares were dominant features coming out of the covid recession.

Chonburi immigration, with headquarters in Jomtien, now offers airconditioned comfort and a streamlined service for many. But the queues of yesteryear have disappeared. “You no longer see lines of Russian tourists seeking documents to open bank accounts or obtain driving licences, whilst the number of longstay British and European tourists seems much smaller than in pre-covid days,” one reception volunteer told Pattaya Mail. The ladies at Joy Massage and the staff at Jomtien post office, situated in the same street, concurred that business had nowhere near recovered to 2019 levels.
Pattaya’s famed night life is firing on all cylinders to the casual observer, but there are significant issues. Seasoned observers such as Stickman Bangkok (who regularly reports on Pattaya) tell of falling customer numbers, especially Europeans, both in Walking Street and around Soi Buakhao. Partly as a response, drinks prices are rising. “Although new clubs are opening on a regular basis, others are closing at the same rate as competition for business intensifies,” commented Bangkok Dave in a recent blog.

The much-proclaimed Indian market in Pattaya has also ceased expansion and promises of mass flights from dozens of Indian cities to U-tapao haven’t been fulfilled. Meanwhile, Cambodia is preparing to open two international airports in the next 12 months which will be able to accommodate intercontinental wide-bodied jets for the first time. “There is growing competition from neighbors such as Cambodia and Vietnam, whilst Pattaya is struggling to repair its roads,” said a Thai tourism association spokesperson. He added that many business people were concerned that the potentially-violent controversies over the appointment of a new Thai prime minister could spill over into bad news for international tourism.

Here is Phuket its almost at 2018/2019 level, sans the chinese
and i would say that this high season ( if the Chinese return) will be back to 2018/19
IF the country doesn't go up in flames over this election, where the voice of the people is being ignored

Long live the Dinosaurs

yep:

Phuket bounces back

Overseas arrivals now exceed pre-Covid levels, with bold plans to add more

Phuket is targeting over 14 million international and domestic tourists with tourism-related revenue expected to exceed 200–300 billion baht by the end of this year, according to Phuket Tourist Association (PTA).

The number of German tourists has grown over 150% compared to the pre-Covid-19 period, Russians 130%, Australians 97% and Kazakhs 3,000%.

https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2612661/

currently lots of Indians and Arabs from the middle east

ego bibere nimis wrote: ↑Mon Jul 17, 2023 12:13 pm

Alex wrote: ↑Mon May 22, 2023 8:25 am

jaynewcastle wrote: ↑Sun May 21, 2023 11:34 pm Never quite sure why so many people on here get so agitated about Thailand getting so many tourists ?

I think it's the TAT's focus on quantity rather than quality or impact. They'd be quite happy to announce 100 million "tourists" because that's a stunning number, even if most of them turn out to be border runners.

"focus on quantity rather than quality or impact" I would argue the opposite when compared to it's neighbors. Programs like the Thai Elite visa encourages the right sort of long term expat rather than the balloon chasers.

I was commenting on the Tourism Authority of Thailand, nothing to do with longterm expats. Their focus on the number of arrivals has always been "amazing".

The Elite visa hasn't been very successful though, and the same applies to newer schemes to attract wealthy or well qualified longterm expats, the "Smart Visa" and the LTR. They simply have no idea how to entice those groups in anywhere near those numbers they've dreamed up. Maybe it's even impossible, even if you take away their ineptitude - those people have many options worldwide.

One thing that many leave out is the number of repeat tourists thailand gets>
Many here on Phuket in the travel industry say its upwards of 30% during the cold winters of Europe

Thailand is a survivor an what doesn't kill it, makes it stronger
Coups, SARS, Airport lockdowns, Bangkok Shutdown, Tsunami and on and on

agree with Alex, all these long term visas and such are great but, until they allow farangs a visa that allows them to stay as a resident LONG term if they buy a home,( with no threat if it being reversed by new government) it wont ever work