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REPORT–BRUNEI–ATF 2010: ASEAN arrivals to Thailand comprise the biggest market share of all visitors. Although there was a decline in the first half of 2009 due to the financial crisis and the impact of the H1N1 flu, the number of visitors rebounded in the third and fourth quarter of 2009.
International visitor arrivals to Thailand by Nationality in 2009 totalled 14.09 million of whom 3.92 million visitors were from ASEAN countries. This was a small decline of only 1.2 percent, a much better performance than expected.
Malaysia topped the list with 1.73 million arrivals, followed by Laos 639,692 and Singapore 563,191. Other markets that showed growth during the period include Cambodia, Myanmar, Lao PDR, and Vietnam. The markets that showed decline were Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, and Indonesia.
The growth in arrivals from the neighbouring countries in the Greater Mekong Subregion, especially Lao PDR, and Vietnam, is a very important trend. As the decline in arrivals from the other traditional sources of arrivals is expected to be only temporary, the combination of these new emerging markets plus a revival of the long-standing markets augurs very well for the future of ASEAN tourism to Thailand.
Immediate neighbour Malaysia has constantly been the number one contributor of arrivals over the last several years. In fact, in 2008, when tourism and travel recorded a drop in most countries worldwide, Malaysian visitors to Thailand increased more than 18 percent to more than 1.8 million visitors. Of these, some one million Malaysians travelled by land.
Most Malaysians view Thailand as a value-for-money destination with easy accessibility by air, land, and sea. The arrivals jump around the many Malaysian long holidays; such as, Hari Raya Pausa, Hari Raya Haji, Christmas, Deepavali, New Year, as well as the final term school holidays.
As self-drive is a popular activity, TAT recently organised two adventure drives by members of the Fourtrax Academy from Kuala Lumpur and eXpdc Club from Penang, who drove to northeast Thailand to celebrate Christmas for 12 days.
The outlook for the first quarter of 2010 is also expected to be good, especially during the Chinese New Year holidays. Airlines are reporting almost 100 percent bookings during the festival for flights from Kuala Lumpur to Bangkok, Chiang Mai, and Phuket.
This year, TAT has finalised plans to organise roadshows in a number of ASEAN cities. One roadshow has already been held in Penang on 12 January, and Kuala Lumpur on 14 January. In addition, the following are planned over the next few months, with more to come later in the year.
– Amazing Thailand Products Presentation in Cebu on 3 February and Manila on 5 February.
– Amazing Thailand Road Show in Surabaya and Jakarta, Indonesia on 1 and 3 March.
– Amazing Thailand Health and Wellness Products Presentation in Jakarta on 5 March.
– Amazing Thailand Health and Wellness Products Presentation in Ho Chi Minh and Hanoi on 10-12 March.
TAT also plans to participate in travel trade shows in ASEAN such as: NATAS Travel 2010, 26-28 February 2010, Singapore; PTAA 2010, 19-21 February,2010, Manila, and MATTA 2010, 12-14 March,2010, Kuala Lumpur.
Other factors that will help boost visitors from the ASEAN countries include increasing flight connections and stepped up media campaigns to put “new” Thai destinations on the map, especially in Singapore.
TravelDailyNews Asia-Pacific editorial team has an experience of over 35 years in B2B travel journalism as well as in tourism & hospitality marketing and communications.
