Tourism
From The Report: Thailand 2017
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Tourism remains one of the primary drivers of economic growth in Thailand. While manufacturing and exports are sluggish and consumer demand weak, visitor numbers were up in 2016 and are expected to hit new records in 2017. After a slight dip in 2014, the upward trend seems to have been re-established. Looking ahead, tourism will remain an important part of the Thai economy and is expected to become an increasingly large component of GDP. Thailand is an attractive destination drawing guests from a diverse range of countries. Chinese and Russian tourists continue to come in great numbers, but at the same time more visitors are coming from ASEAN member states. Flows from the US and Europe are holding steady. Thailand’s government remains highly supportive of the sector, making visits easier, investing in infrastructure and, importantly, choosing policies to encourage inflows. This chapter contains interviews with Weerasak Kowsurat, Chairman, Thailand Convention & Exhibition Bureau; and Leanne Harwood, Vice-President of Operations for South-east Asia and Korea, InterContinental Hotels Group.

Articles from this Chapter

Overview

Star power: A leader globally and regionally, the country is intent on maintaining its competitive edge
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Tourism remains one of the primary drivers of economic growth in Thailand. While manufacturing and exports are sluggish and consumer demand weak, visitor numbers were up in 2016 and are expected to hit new records in 2017. After a slight dip in 2014, the upward trend seems to have been re-established. Looking ahead, tourism will remain an important part of the Thai economy and is expected to become an increasingly large component of GDP. Thailand is an attractive destination drawing guests…

Interview

Business and pleasure: Weerasak Kowsurat, Chairman, Thailand Convention & Exhibition Bureau (TCEB), on developing a new kind of tourism
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Interview: Weerasak Kowsurat How has significant growth in tourism contributed to the meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) segment in Thailand? WEERASAK KOWSURAT: Thailand enjoyed a significant boost in tourist arrivals over 2016, and the MICE industry made a significant contribution to this tourism growth. MICE travellers spent an average of 3.5 times more than the average leisure traveller during their stay in Thailand, and the industry contributed $3.2bn to the national GDP…

Analysis

Up in the air: Airlines are trying to increase capacity and improve standards
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Success has come at a price for Thailand’s tourism industry. With total visitor numbers increasing very rapidly and for many years, infrastructure is under strain. According to the World Bank, bottlenecks are starting to develop in places such as Bangkok, Chiang Mai and Phuket. The situation at the country’s airports is particularly challenging. Airports of Thailand told local media in June 2016 that it will spend $5.5bn over the next 15 years to upgrade its facilities. Near Crisis The…

Analysis

The China factor: Visitors from this market are vital to the sector
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China is essential to the tourism sector in Thailand, as the country provides the most visitors and the highest growth rates in terms of tourist numbers. At a time of concerns over arrivals from other countries and regions due to political and economic issues, China looks set to remain a solid contributor, despite drops in some months in 2016. Its sheer size, proximity to Thailand and the rising incomes of its people make the country of vital importance to tourism and overall economic growth.…

Interview

Gaining momentum: Leanne Harwood, Vice-President of Operations for South-east Asia and Korea, InterContinental Hotels Group, on Thailand’s potential
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Interview: Leanne Harwood What impact has Thailand’s strong rebound in tourist arrivals had on the nation’s hospitality sector, and what is expected for the future? LEANNE HARWOOD: Strong numbers in tourist arrivals in 2016 and recent years have had a positive impact on the hospitality sector, and this is reflected in key metrics. In Bangkok alone, the hotels industry has seen an increase in occupancy rates, the average daily rate (ADR) and the revenue per available room (RevPAR) over the past…

Analysis

Check up: Revamping the medical tourism segment will help the country gain yet another advantage
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Medical tourism is an important component of the tourism industry and a significant economic contributor. It has fuelled growth and has done so in a highly efficient manner, generating more income per visitor than the average. As Thailand continues its shift towards high-quality tourism offerings, health care-related development will remain a focus. However, the subsector is at a crossroads. While it is being heavily promoted by the government and remains the target of private investment,…