Steep drop seen in outbound travellers

While fewer foreigners than expected will make the long haul to Thailand this high season, the number of Thais heading in the other direction is dropping too.

"The cost of an overseas trip has already increased by 20 per cent [from last year]. It's telling us that we're facing a crisis situation," Anake Srishevachart, chairman of the advisory board of the Thai Travel Agents Association, which represents the outbound business, said yesterday.

The number of outbound travellers would drop dramatically over the rest of the year and into next year, he said, and  steep increases in fuel surcharges is the main culprit.

The round-trip fuel surcharge for Thai Airways International's Bangkok-Shanghai route has soared to Bt13,000, from Bt3,000 to Bt4,000 just a few years ago.

Malaysian Airlines is charging Bt7,000 for fuel between Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur, up from Bt2,000.

The fuel surcharge at one Japanese airline for Bangkok-Tokyo has risen Bt7,000 to Bt12,000. Apichart Sankary, president of the Association of Thai Travel Agents, which is associated with inbound tourism, also sees a decline in tourist arrivals due to higher costs as well as cuts in seats to Thailand.

Several airlines plan to ground flights to Thailand, putting the 16 million arrival projection set by the Tourism Authority of Thailand for next year in jeopardy, he said.

Anake, also the owner of a leading tour operator for Japanese visitors, said a charter flight from Sendai had to be cancelled because the members baulked at paying an additional fuel supplement of more 10 million yen, or about Bt3 million.

The flight had been due to bring 240 Japanese tourists this month.

More charter operators are considering cancelling their services for the same reason.

"Of the Japanese market, I think the number of visitors will drop by 5 to 8 per cent this year. Total numbers are expected to fall from last year's 1.4 million," Anake said.

The high season coming in October would be slower than in previous years because of many other threatening factors, such as political chaos.

To reclaim the Japanese market, the two travel agent groups suggest officials and operators revise their strategies by approaching new segments such as students and youth travellers.

Tour operators can also attract big Chinese clans to hold their annual reunions in Thailand.