Thailand’s tourist arrivals in August fall 11.9%
The number of tourists arriving in Thailand in August fell 11.9 per cent from a year earlier after a 10.9 per cent drop in July, Department of Tourism data showed, suggesting the industry has not fully recovered from months of political unrest.
The tourist sector, which accounts for about 10 per cent of the Thai economy, suffered its biggest drop in visitors in June – the first full month after the army took power on May 22 in a bid to restore order and revive the economy.
However, overall tourist arrivals in August were 2.1 million, up from 1.9 million in July.
During the month of August, tourists from China, Thailand’s biggest source, declined 5.2 per cent on the year, a big improvement on a 25.3 per cent slump in July, following the military junta’s move to offer mainland tourists free visas to lure them back.
In January-August, overall tourist arrivals slipped 10.7 per cent from a year earlier to 15.7 million.
Meanwhile, Kasikorn Research Centre estimated that tourist arrivals from Russia will decline by 5.5 per cent to 1.65 million by year-end, which will “seriously challenge Thailand’s tourism sector,” the center said.
Arrivals have tapered off due to the political situation in Thailand and even though the situation has stabilised in the past four months, there are also economic issues in Russian that are slowing travel demand.
The number of tourists arriving in Thailand in August fell 11.9 per cent from a year earlier after a 10.9 per cent drop in July, Department of Tourism data showed, suggesting the industry has not fully recovered from months of political unrest. The tourist sector, which accounts for about 10 per cent of the Thai economy, suffered its biggest drop in visitors in June - the first full month after the army took power on May 22 in a bid to restore order and revive the economy. However, overall tourist arrivals in August were 2.1 million, up from 1.9 million...
The number of tourists arriving in Thailand in August fell 11.9 per cent from a year earlier after a 10.9 per cent drop in July, Department of Tourism data showed, suggesting the industry has not fully recovered from months of political unrest.
The tourist sector, which accounts for about 10 per cent of the Thai economy, suffered its biggest drop in visitors in June – the first full month after the army took power on May 22 in a bid to restore order and revive the economy.
However, overall tourist arrivals in August were 2.1 million, up from 1.9 million in July.
During the month of August, tourists from China, Thailand’s biggest source, declined 5.2 per cent on the year, a big improvement on a 25.3 per cent slump in July, following the military junta’s move to offer mainland tourists free visas to lure them back.
In January-August, overall tourist arrivals slipped 10.7 per cent from a year earlier to 15.7 million.
Meanwhile, Kasikorn Research Centre estimated that tourist arrivals from Russia will decline by 5.5 per cent to 1.65 million by year-end, which will “seriously challenge Thailand’s tourism sector,” the center said.
Arrivals have tapered off due to the political situation in Thailand and even though the situation has stabilised in the past four months, there are also economic issues in Russian that are slowing travel demand.
