Thai and English language media, led by TNN, a popular Thai news website, have reported over the weekend that the only way is forward for Thai tourism when it comes to the potential of the Indian market.
The Times of India, a popular Indian based newspaper, also regularly releases articles of celebrities, actresses and influencers in India visiting Thailand, like the one below, that are driving middle and upper class Indians to Thailand in droves.
Two million Indian tourists are expected to visit in 2019 – but that will rise to 14 million by the end of the next decade based on surveys done by the Tourism Authority of Thailand and the Thai government.
This year alone in Thailand the Tourism Authority reports a 25 percent increase in Indian visitors to the country, driven by one of, if not the, world’s fastest growing middle class.
TNN reported that the average Indian spends an average of 5,800 baht a day currently. The Pattaya News notes that exactly where they got this statistic from was not made clear and made no reference to reports from any official source, such as the Thai government. A link to their original article, in Thai, can be found at the bottom of this article.
TNN also noted that this amount is almost as much as the Chinese daily spend who spend an average of 6,400 baht daily. The reference for this statistic was also not provided.
Indian tourism – especially independent travellers with families that make up 67% of all arrivals – has seen a rise of 25% in recent years. This statistic is backed by recent reports from the Thailand Tourism Authority.
Additionally, the amount of independent travelers, also known as financially independent travellers, who are not part of a tour group and have a larger disposable income have grown significantly.
Beaches, theme parks and zoos are of special interest to the droves arriving from the sub-continent. Additionally, Indian themed restaurants and Indian style nightclubs have seen significant interest from Indian tourists.
In Pattaya alone the level of Indian restaurants and discos have greatly increased and many, such as the Nashaa group of discos on Walking Street, appear to be quite busy on a nightly basis. Nearly the entire South end of Walking Street near Bali Hai Pier is now a miniature Indian nightlife Haven…and booming nightly compared to other parts of town.
The Pattaya News notes that for those that believe that the cheapest price is a motivator for all Indian tourists that a single beer at most Indian discos will cost you around 250 to 300 baht. A meal for one person at most local Indian Restaurants? Between 400 to 800 baht for an average sized meal at many local places.
TNN said that Indian tourism is unlikely to surpass that of Chinese tourists in the long run- but merely mentioning the possibility in the same breath is an indicator to businesses about where their strategies for the future should concentrate. Many businesses in Pattaya and Thailand have already adjusted their business strategies to make Indian and Chinese tourists feel welcome.
By 2030 the total of Indians visiting Thailand is expected to be massively higher than where it is now – 14 million Indians arriving in Thailand annually is the expectation.
The top destinations? Bangkok, Pattaya and Phuket.
The sky seems to be the limit with only 5% of the Indian nation’s 1.3 billion people having passports according to the Indian government…although that number is rising daily.
The Pattaya News notes, however, that as Indian and Chinese tourists rise most European tourists have taken a slight drop. The Thai tourism Authority blames this on multiple factors such as the strength of the baht, the trade war between America and China and vacation companies like Thomas Cook going out of business.
Source: TNN and Thaivisa
