Year-end domestic travel expected to see 10% jump
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The number of domestic travellers is expected to grow by 10 per cent during the year-end season thanks to attractive promotions and the government's tax-deduction scheme for travel expenses.
Yuthachai Soonthronrattnavate, president of the Association of Domestic Travel, said a lot of Thais planned to travel across the country during the year-end season, especially between December 27 and January 4. Many of them would return to their homes in other provinces, visit relatives, or simply enjoy vacations.
The association predicted that the number of travellers during the nine-day period would grow by 10 per cent when compared with same time last year, when the travel sector was hit hard by the political chaos in Bangkok.
“Hotels in the provinces have secured advance bookings at up to 80-90 per cent,” Yuthachai said.
Several key factors will drive that growth, including the newly announced tax deduction. Moreover, travel operators are offering attractive packages. They also expect good sales at a travel fair scheduled to take place at Impact Muang Thong Thani from November 6-9.
According to Ittirit Kinglake, president of the Tourism Council of Thailand (TCT), the Ebola crisis overseas may have a positive impact on Thai tourism, as many Thais would travel within the Kingdom instead of going abroad. Even if they do leave the country, many will shift their year-end holiday plans to Asian destinations or other places free of any Ebola threat.
The TCT also predicts that domestic tourism will continue to grow through 2015 if the Ebola crisis continues and there are no more political issues at home.
Kitsada Tunsakul, president of the Thai Hotels Association Southern Chapter, said the association had proposed to Tourism Minister Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul that the number of visitors to Phuket be limited in order to avoid congestion during the peak period. The idea is being pushed as one of the THA’s strategies to turn the island from a mass-tourism to a high-end destination.
In Chiang Mai, La-iad Bungsrithong, president of the THA Northern Chapter, said hotels there and other northern provinces would have more guests as usual during the cool season.
“This year, there should be more foreign tourists coming to the Northern region after various promotions offered by operators overseas, such as in the Philippines and Singapore,” she added.
Chiang Mai alone received 5 million foreign and local tourists last year. The number is expected to jump by 10 per cent this year.
Hotels and travel operators in Chiang Rai – the second-most-popular destination in the North – are selling packages in Bangkok this weekend.
