Thailand Tourism Update - Travel News Thailand

With world tourism figures slowly dropping through the floor, Thailand is surprisingly benefitting from the misfortunes of other nations. Although the obvious root cause of the decline in worldwide tourism is the widespread economic problems, the recent outbreak of swine flu has sparked concern in the minds of travelers.

Thailand has become one of the nations to combat the virus effectively. Natta Ruttanaburee, Pattaya Health Expert, cites the reason why the Thais have brought the spread of the outbreak to a so effectively, “Thais are famous for being the most hygienic nation in Asia,” said Ruttanaburee. “We have always prided ourselves on our own personal cleanliness, and believe this to the major reason for the virus’ decline.”

Phuket International Airport, has also gained many accolades and plaudits over the past six weeks for how they have dealt with the crises. Piyaphan Champasut, Airports of Thailand (AOT) Chairman, also stated, “Fortunately, we’re not a swine flu transmission area. We have 60,000 tourists arriving here from Sweden between July and September this year. Many of these tourists normally go to the United States at this time of year. But since swine flu is spreading over there, they’ve changed their plans and are coming to Phuket.”

Thailand tourism overall, has strengthened its resolve, with Emirates and other airlines dramatically dropping their prices for flights to Bangkok, and Air Asia also giving away two million domestic flight tickets. Instead of wallowing in tourism mediocrity, Thailand has looked for unique ways to encourage travelers to visit this enchanting country.

Hotel bookings are physically in decline, but first impressions can be deceptive, because booking of holiday home style rentals are soaring through the roof. This growth industry is benefitting from an increase in the level of service offered by rental companies, and the actually quality rental properties themselves throughout Thailand. Award winning property company, Siam Real Estate are one of Thailand’s market leaders, and Manager, Patrick Lusted explained the change in demographics, “Although we have noticed a slight decrease in resale properties, holiday home rentals, long and short term have performed incredibly well. Improved services, alongside added utilities and facilities have become important factors in the success of holiday rentals. Furthermore, tourists have come to appreciate the privacy and seclusion a rental property brings, and with the competitive prices Thailand is famous for, these are no doubt fundamental aspects of the success of this market segment.”

Therefore, it would seem that tourist figures have not quite declined in the way that some hoteliers are suggesting. Favorite tourist destinations, such as Pattaya, Phuket, and Koh Sumui are still some of the most visited beach holiday locations in Asia, and will continue to remain so for the foreseeable future.

Pattaya is one of Thailand’s most celebrated regions, and does not suffer from dramatic high and low season deficits, as do Phuket and Koh Samui. Pattaya maintains a steady stream of tourists all year round, with 2009 being no different. Australian expatriate restaurateur, Paul Stevens, tells us that business is turning over as usual, “I don’t understand all the doom and gloom talk at the moment,” said Stevens. “We are seeing an influx of tourism akin to 2007, which was one of Pattaya’s finest. We see many families dine at our restaurant every night, with most of them renting holiday homes this year, as opposed to staying in the resorts. It seems to me that the Thailand tourist industry is still booming, it doesn’t matter how many negative articles local journalists write, because my accounts spreadsheet is showing great profits as usual, and many of my friends are in the same position.”

Travelers flock to Thailand for numerous reasons, which include basking in the all year round high temperatures, diving at some of the most beautiful coral reefs in the world and last but not least, medical tourism.

People who believe Thailand is a third world nation would be strongly recommended to reconsider that notion. The private hospital and dental sectors are second to none, with such affordability that people travel to the country for this reason alone. English national, Shane Walvin explained why he travelled to Thailand just for some dental work, “I never looked after my teeth when I was younger, and I am so embarrassed to smile because of the god-awful mess my teeth have become. I craved to receive a total new set of teeth, but the quotes I received in England ran into hundreds of thousands of baht,” said Walvin. “In Thailand I received the best treatment money can buy, with the latest technology and highly trained experts. The price for a new set of teeth wired into my gums came to an unbelievable 70,000bht. I was so impressed with the work, and I enjoyed an amazing holiday in this fabulous country at the same time. I cannot describe how happy I am, just look at my smile.”

Having healthy teeth will be important when visiting this magnetic kingdom, because the food is quite possibly the best in the world. The stalwart tradition of Thai cuisine is the fresh ingredients, and Thai people position high quality food at the top of their daily agenda.

The combination of healthy and zesty ingredients, alongside amazing value-for-money, ensures that Thai restaurants are the first port of call for most tourists. International chef Roland Barros expressed his love for all food Thai in a recent interview in a Bangkok publication, “Being a first-class chef, I know the difference between healthy food and processed food. The standard of Thai cuisine is lofty, because Thai people expect nothing less. In the health conscious world in which we live, fresh and organic ingredients have become important for consumers. I personally know tourists who came to Thailand on a three-week vacation and returned to Europe lighter that when they left. This is amazing when you consider that holidays are all about excess.”

People visit Thailand for a diverse selection of reasons, but the overwhelming feedback shows that over 30% of these tourists return to the Land of Smiles year after year. If this is not an indication of the magnetic pull of this country, then what is?