Kingdom set for post-flood tourism rebound

Marc Begassat, general manager of Pullman Bangkok King Power Hotel, said that not only foreign tourists, but also business travellers and Thais would require the use of hotels for meetings and events.
Many tourists and businesspeople put their plans to travel to Thailand on hold during the flooding crisis in October and November, but they are expected to return soon.
“We are receiving confirmations for many events that were postponed by local clients, while overseas customers have also started returning,” Begassat said.
He added some next year events are rescheduled and signed this year.
Kamonwan Wipulakorn, president of The Erawan Group, said many foreign businesspeople and specialists were expected to come to Thailand to take part in the rebuilding of businesses and factories damaged by flood water.
The firm predicts tourists from short-haul markets will return to Thailand in even greater numbers than usual as they resume postponed journeys.
“Flooding is a natural problem and tourists understand the situation, so they’re not worried about visiting Thailand,” she said.
According to Suraphon Svetasreni, governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), inbound tourism is expected to soar in the coming year as travellers make up for time lost to the flooding.
The TAT has estimated arrivals will total 18.4 million this year, down from its original projection of 19.5 million.
According to a report from the organisers of the International Tourism Bourse (ITB), the world’s largest tourism trade event set to take place in Berlin from March 7-11, the number of Asians travelling abroad rose 6 per cent during the first eight months of this year over the same period last year.
Increasing prosperity among the middle classes, particularly in China, India and Southeast Asia, is driving the tourism boom in the Asian-Pacific region, the ITB said.
It also said new products and low-cost airlines were key factors for the growth in the region.
More airlines from Arab countries flying to Asia will also generate an increasing number of trips.
Asia remains one of the world’s fastest-growing travel markets and has great potential for the European travel industry.
South and Southeast Asia reported significant growth. The countries ranked highest are Thailand, with close to 16 million visitors per year, and Vietnam with 5 million tourists from abroad.
Other increasingly popular countries include destinations such as Burma, Laos and Cambodia, all of which reported double-digit growth this year.