December bomb scares and threats have scared off Chinese travelers despite the Thai Government and the Tourism Authority of Thailand attempts to stifle the media.

Looks like the plan of the Thai Government Tourism Organizations, Ministry of Tourism and Sports and the Tourism Authority of Thailand failed in bomb “damage control”.

Happy Chinese New Year

With six bombs planted and found in December and the threat of additional bombings on Western New Year (Dec 31) it looks like the Tourism Authority of Thailand will be scrambling to win back Chinese tourists – or maybe just make the supposedly one-day event longer than the 3-10 days it currently is.

From the Bangkok Post, Chinese shun Thailand:

Chinese tourists are expected to buy fewer package tours to Thailand during the Chinese New Year this month due to safety concerns after six bombs were found in Bangkok shortly before the New Year.

I guess that the Tourism Authority of Thailand will be hard pressed to boast that tourist arrivals are up after the floods killed tourism in November and December 2011.

The Association of Thailand Travel Agents (ATTA) has revised down the number of charter flights from China to Thailand in the coming Chinese New Year to around 100, down from the projection of 150 flights earlier.

WOW!  A 33% drop in flights from China. How will the Tourism Authority of Thailand sugar-coat this?

“News about the six bombs was also broadcast in China and made many Chinese tourists rethink their trips to Thailand. Many of them postponed their travel to Thailand during the Chinese New Year,” said Sisdivachr Cheewarattanporn, the ATTA president.

I believe the bombs were a part of the cancellations.  Add to it the floods, Thai Government mismanagement of the floods, possible political turmoil, no value for money, and nothing new to see in Thailand.

To spur demand, tour operators will kick off more campaigns to boost package tour sales, especially in Shanghai.

Create a campaign, give it a different name than last year, have some meetings, throw some money at it, accomplish nothing – Tourism Authority of Thailand style.

The ATTA forecast that the number of tourist arrivals from China should be around 100,000-150,000 during the Chinese New Year, down from 200,000 last year.

I don’t know where ATTA gets the number 200,000 from since the “reported” number of Chinese arrivals in January 2011 was 143,477 and for February 2011, 183,163.  Maybe they are listening to reports from the Tourism Authority of Thailand.

Normally, a majority of Chinese tourists will buy package tours of 5-6 days with prices starting from 3,000 yuan (15,000 baht) and 4,000 yuan (20,000 baht) to 10,000 yuan (25,000 baht). Around 70-80% prefers to visit Bangkok while Phuket is now gaining popularity.

Love it when the Tourism Authority of Thailand or any Tourism Agency like ATTA uses numbers since they are usually wrong.  Do the math – if 3,000 yuan = 15,000 baht, and 4,000 yuan = 20,000 baht then 10,000 yuan = 50,000 baht.  Nothing is ever checked.

The association forecast Chinese tourist arrivals to Thailand will reach 1.8-2 million this year if no new negative factors emerge, up from 1.57 million in 2011.

The number 1.57 million is for January – November 2011 as the Department of Tourism has yet to post December’s very low numbers.  And, just like the Tourism Authority of Thailand, never believe numbers from a Thai Government Organization.

Mr Sisdiwachr said the ATTA and the Tourism Authority of Thailand will join hands to promote package tours including the Platinum package (priced 7,000-10,000 yuan), Gold (8,000 yuan), and Silver (6,000 yuan).

If the Chinese tourists aren’t coming using the 3,000-4,000 yuan packages, what makes ATTA and the Tourism Authority of Thailand think they will come for higher priced packages. I know.  Thai logic.  Right after a disaster that devastates Thailand, raise the prices.

Sansern Ngaorungsi, the TAT’s deputy governor for Asia and South Pacific, said Bangkok and Pattaya are the most popular destinations in the Chinese market.

You can see them by the bus loads – like lemmings being led to sea getting ripped off left and right on Walking Street.  Maybe they all come to see the show that the Tourism Authority of Thailand always promotes – Miss Tiffany.

TAT plans to promote new destinations such as Koh Samed because it is still value for money and convenient to go there. The three package tours will help attract high-end customers. The Platinum package will be tailor-made for golfers and family groups who prefer 4- to 5-star hotels, said Mr Sansern.

The Tourism Authority of Thailand is clueless.  Koh Samed is a haven for local Thais on the weekend and the beaches are trashed with rubbish and raw sewage.  I went to Had Sai Kaew in March 2010 and took photos of the nasty beach that was supposed to be sparkling white that is now putrid purple.

The Tourism Authority of Thailand still doesn’t get it.  They continue to think that local places that local people like will also be perfect for foreigners.  Not knowing your market will kill your business.

I wonder how many other countries read the news online about the bomb threats in Bangkok and also decided to cancel?

The Tourism Authority of Thailand will never tell.

Tags: 2012 bomb threats china chinese chinese new year flight cancellations floods tourism authority of thailand tourist tourist arrivals