Southeast Asia tours are back on track, data says.
In the first nine months of 2016 DF&TR sales in Asia Pacific grew 11.5% yoy driven by huge growth in the beauty category, revealed the TFWA President, Erik Juul-Mortensen yesterday morning at the China’s Century Conference in Guangzhou.
Juul-Mortensen talked about the importance and hope for sustainable economic growth in China; where the GDP is now forecast to grow 6.5% in 2017, slightly down from the 6.7% recorded in 2016. He talked about the expanding middle class in China as well as the huge investments in airports and aviation.
Tourism in Thailand and Neighboring Southeast Asia countries
Best places to visit in Southeast Asia Tourist arrivals in Thailand rose 6.5 percent in January from a year earlier, Thai government said on Thursday. As a result from a recovery in the number of visitors from China. Since Thai crackdown on cheap package tours affects its tourism industry.
Tourism accounts for 12 percent of Thailand’s economic output. And it has been a rare bright spot for Southeast Asia’s second-largest economy. which has lagged its regional peers.
The number of foreign arrivals were 3.2 million in January. A large number of visitors from China rising 5.5 percent from a year earlier to 860,000 that month. Pongpanu Svetarundra, permanent-secretary of the tourism and sports ministry, told a news conference.
Chinese tourists, Thailand’s biggest visitors tumbled 21 percent. In the final quarter of 2016 following the crackdown in September on “zero-dollar” tours aimed at Chinese visitors on a budget. Zero-dollar tourists pay everything up front.
China was the favorite destination for Southeast Asia travel bookers. In addition, they mention on their website, thanks to its rich calligraphy, temples, architecture, and a landscape that’s ideal for hiking.
“The karstic landscapes of the south of China, the rice fields, and the glaciers, are all incredible destinations to discover,” Botter wrote of the experience on their website.
Asia attracting half a billion visitors per year especially Southeast Asia region.
Hong Kong travel technology startup Klook, which runs a website. A mobile application offering up to 50 percent discounts on about 10,000 travel attractions, tours, and activities in Asia. It will speed up its global roll out after raising $30 million in a Series B round, led by Sequoia Capital China.
These include developments at Shanghai Pudong. The rising up of infrastructure development also showing signs in Beijing Daxing airports and host airport Guangzhou Baiyun International. The Chinese airport sector’s worth rise to $22bn by 2020.
The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) has on its latest analysis issue of present and long-term forecasts of international visitor demand for major destinations in the region. In which also includes medium-term forecasts through to 2021 covering 39 regional locations.
PATA says that based on existing year-to-date data. Its forecasting model for 2016 it is estimating that total inbound ‘foreign’ arrivals to these destinations exceeded 595m in 2016. It represents a 3.4% increase on historic 2015 results.
The United States has told those headed for South Asia to avoid Afghanistan altogether, avoid certain parts of Pakistan and Bangladesh, and mentioned “active” extremists in India.
The advisory replaced and updated one issued in September 2016. The travel warnings already in effect for 41 countries. 16 in Africa, 2 in Southeast Asia and Pacific region. 2 countries in Europe, 12 in Middle East and North Africa. In addition, 3 in South and Central Asia, and 6 in the Western Hemisphere.
“As terrorist attacks, political upheaval, and violence often take place without any warning, US citizens are strongly encouraged to maintain a high level of vigilance and take appropriate steps to increase their security awareness when traveling,” it said. Images Credits: Randy Lee Facebook
Leave a Reply