Voice TV report paints grim picture of Thailand’s tourism problems
Natthapong La-orwong of the Sofitel group claims that Thai tourism is suffering, and the lack of European visitors is part of the problem. The comments were made in a Voice TV report that paints a grim picture of the Thai tourism outlook in 2019, according to ThaiVisa.
Voice TV is unpopular withThai authorities with its forthright assessments and has been taken off air a number of times over the past five years under the military government. The station is owned by Pathongthae Shinawatra the son of fugitive ex prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.
Natthapong says that the lack of expected numbers from China and Korea was one thing, but the disappearance of Europeans from the Thai tourism sector was obvious. He cites Brexit and the strong value of the Thai baht as major contributing factors.
He also said that less tourists from Hong Kong were visiting due to the protests there and the lack of business people coming to Thailand was hitting trade.
Meanwhile, an unnamed hotelier in Phuket painted a picture of even greater doom and gloom. The hotelier said that following the Phoenix boat disaster tourism on the island was down 25-30% but even compared to 2017 levels it was down 20%, according to the ThaiVisa article.
The Voice TV segment pointed to the poor world economy and the strength of the baht that have hit the tourism industry.
“The industry had “lost momentum” after posting rises in numbers from 35.6 million visitors in 2017, 38.3 last year and only 19.8 in the first half of this year.”
“With the high season for tourism just around the corner the credit rating agency TRIS, the Thai Rating and Information Services, had deemed that the tourism sector was in trouble.”
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