The head of the Tourism Authority of Thailand is claiming the future of foreign and domestic tourism in Thailand couldn’t look better.
His statement comes after just about everybody else is reporting a 30 – 60% fall in low season tourism.
But his ‘message’ remains clear, ‘there is no need for doom and gloom because we are still BOOMING.’
Yuthasak Suphasorn, the TAT chief, said that trends reveal Thai and foreign tourists will be spending a mouthwatering 820 billion baht in the third quarter (July to September) which is 9% UP on the same period last year.
And 9.7 million foreigners are expected to visit, which is also up by 7%. They will be contributing another Bt530 billion, representing an 11% increase year on year.
The domestic market will see a 6% rise in tourists and a five percent increase in revenues.
This, he says, all points to a fourth-quarter rise that would conveniently enable the TAT to post year-end figures that meet their annual targets.
However, recent reports suggest the exact opposite with areas such as Phuket, Pattaya and Chiang Mai reporting they expect to be DOWN between 30-60% on the previous year.
The source of Suphasorn’s optimism and confidence remains unclear.
