Tourism rank fears
Thailand's ranking on the list of most attractive countries in Asia might fall from fourth to fifth next year, due to the rise of China, especially Macau, and travelling inconvenience and certain unimpressive facilities, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) warned yesterday.
Citing International Air Transport Association (IATA) information, TAT deputy governor Akkapol Preuksawan said Thailand's tourism market share in Asia could possibly decrease from 9 per cent to about 5 per cent, while China would take 49.77 per cent. Macau has become another fierce competitor, given that the territory experienced impressive growth last year at 18.52 per cent, which was close to Thailand's 20.01-per-cent growth. Vietnam has also become a strong competitor, with many international travellers, particularly the Japanese, increasingly preferring to visit that country. "International travellers worry about the current political uncertainty and southern unrest, although they are still impressed with Thai friendliness, scenic destinations and cheap costs," Akkapol said. In terms of tourism competitiveness, Thailand ranked 43rd among 124 countries and seventh among Asia countries. In terms of transportation competitiveness, the Kingdom is ranked 25th for air transportation and 28th for ground transportation. Both rankings are below Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan and South Korea. Nitida Asawanipont The Nation
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