Minimal tourism fallout from Thai protests

Tourism stakeholders believe the impact of the latest round of political protests that started on March 12 would be short-lived, provided the demonstrations, which were still ongoing at press time, would end quickly and without violence.

Regional markets were far quicker to react to the situation than longhaul ones. Tour operators specialising in the European, Scandinavian and Australian markets, had not seen any cancellations at press time.

The Thai Hotels Association (THA) noted that the present 10 to 20 per cent dip in daily occupancy at Bangkok hotels stemmed mainly from Asian markets, especially China and Japan.

THA president Prakit Chinamourphong said hotels in other Thai destinations, particularly Phuket, continued to enjoy healthy occupancy as March was typically a high-season month.

China and Japan bookings for the Thai New Year in April were at their peak and remained intact, Prakit added.

Association of Thai Travel Agents (ATTA) secretary-general Jumpol Chadavadh said arrivals at ATTA?s Suvarnabhumi Airport counter had dropped but this was expected, given the current political tension. Arrivals on March 14 were a thousand fewer than the counter?s regular daily tally of 8,000 visitors.

Jumpol added that ATTA members would continue to operate city tours to three key tourism routes in the old Bangkok quarter, including the Grand Palace, Temple of Emerald Buddha, Wat Trimitr, Wat Pho and around the Rattanakosin Island by either road or river. These areas are close to the protest sites on Ratchadamnoen Nok and Ratchadamnoen Klang roads, which remained closed to traffic at press time.

Jumpol said although the number of tourists taking the tours had fallen from its usual 8,000 a day to around 4,000 on March 14 and 15, the tours operated without glitches.

?This shows that Thailand is a democratic country. While a protest is taking place, tourists can still go sightseeing in Bangkok,? he said.

Go Vacation Thailand, however, cancelled up to 900 Bangkok city tours on March 15 and 16 to spare tourists from being ensnared in massive traffic jams, according to managing director Christoph Mueller.

?But so far, (there have been) no cancellations. We have just been receiving several requests (for updates) on the situation,? said Mueller.