A recent survey conducted by The Tourism Council of Thailand (TCT), the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) and Chulalongkorn University showed that the number of tourists heading to Thailand along with the revenue they generate has increased once again.
The number of visitors that will come to Thailand in 2016 is estimated to be close to 34 million. If this prediction holds true it would be an increase of 13.35 percent y-o-y. The revenue from foreign tourists is predicted to come in at THB1.71 trillion, a nearly 18 percent jump. The survey revealed that the number of Chinese tourists could exceed 10 million for the first time ever. Last year 8.1 million Chinese visitors made their way to Thailand.
However, despite the growing number of arrivals, experts still have some concerns about the tourism sector as a whole. TCT president Ittirith Kinglake explained to local media that the segment is suffering from lower confidence due to fierce competition among business operators as well as global economic problems that have caused individual tourists to spend less during their visits. In addition to this, the increase in visitors is occurring only in certain segments which is also a cause of concern.
Another key takeaway from the survey was the fact that foreign tourists were less satisfied with their visits to Thailand. One of the biggest issues was the poor transport service found throughout the country. Foreign tourists wanted lower fares, more domestic flights, better local transport, transportation alternatives like passenger boats, better quality destinations and a better standard of service.
The survey also took a look at domestic tourism and found that the long holidays in July and August would help boost tourism in the third quarter. However, nearly half of the Thai citizens surveyed claimed that they would spend less on their trips this time around than in previous year. The amenities Thai tourists desire are cleanliness, a good standard of service and convenient transport.
