Wuhan virus expected to hit Thai and Asian tourism hard

[webfact]

Wuhan virus expected to hit Thai and Asian tourism hard 

By The Nation

 

File Photo/Nationphoto

 

The outbreak of the Wuhan virus may cost Thai and Asian tourism industries Bt100 billion in lost income, an economist has warned.

 

Preliminary estimates of the impact on tourism and related businesses in Thailand and other Asian nations are at around Bt80 billion to Bt100 billion, if the spread of the virus is contained by early March, Anusorn Tamajai, director of Economic and Business Research Centre at Rangsit University, said.

 

He warned that the impact could be more severe than that of SARS 17 years ago.

 

If the virus is not controlled by March, then the cost could be even higher, he said.

 

The Thai economy could expand by just 1.8 to 2.4 per cent in the first and second quarters, he said.

 

Asian economies this year may not recover to the average 6 per cent growth as expected and China’s growth may fall below 5.8 per cent.

 

The number of Chinese tourists are expected to drop by 1 to 2 million and foreign arrivals could be down by at least 2 per cent.

 

The Chinese government has already imposed travel restriction measures on Wuhan and other cities suspected of having cases of the new coronavirus infections.

 

The Thai government is targeting 41.8 million tourists this year with estimated revenue of Bt2.2 trillion, which will make Thailand one of the top six countries in terms of income from tourism. 

 

The UN World Tourism Organisation had forecast that Asia's tourism industry would expand by 7 per cent this year. However, the impact of the new coronavirus could slow growth to below 5 per cent, said Anusorn.

 

Speaking on a related issued, he said he did not agree with the Tourism and Sports Ministry’s proposal to offer cash handouts to foreign tourists.

 

The government should instead allocate a budget to develop tourism sites and clean up air pollution, or PM 2.5 dust particles, he said.

 

Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/business/30381104

 

-- © Copyright The Nation Thailand 2020-01-27

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[Soikhaonoiken]

Thailand you're putting all your eggs in one basket, and relying on Chinese and Indian tourist, now look what's happened and where it might leave you in the sh*t.... 

[ukrules]

This is another nail in the coffin for sure.

 

TAT had better change strategies if they want to remain employed.

[JHolmesJr]

53 minutes ago, webfact said:

The outbreak of the Wuhan virus may cost Thai and Asian tourism industries Bt100 billion in lost income, an economist has warned.

 

so?

 

who cares abut that? Isn't it more important to lock this thing down so more people don't 

die in the name of posting better financial results?

Edited January 26, 2020 by JHolmesJr

[Odysseus123]

9 minutes ago, ukrules said:

This is another nail in the coffin for sure.

 

TAT had better change strategies if they want to remain employed.

Ah..no they will always be employed...even if they are hawking TAT from a street cart..

 

..and now you have 'em earnestly looking up the noble country of Strategy on the world map left behind by Admiral Feng Shui of the Ming Empire..

[ezzra]

Like with every other epidemics, fear, confusions and uncertainty will always cause a ripple and disrupt people lives everywhere, what remain to be seen how long and at what cost this one will end?...

[lust]

1 hour ago, ukrules said:

This is another nail in the coffin for sure.

 

TAT had better change strategies if they want to remain employed.

How many nails are we at now? 

[Matzzon]

That´s how it is to focus to much on one source of income.

[Genericnic]

To paraphrase an old saying, beware of Chinese bearing gifts.

 

David

 

[justin case]

even there would be a  pandemic, TAT will still announce :  tourist numbers are up !

[rocket3rider]

They adopt a national uniform like 1.4 billion panel beaters ????, but all still walk around hacking and spitting gollies like camels. No wonder the joint’s a Petri dish for incubating and mutating virus’s ????

[ChipButty]

I was speaking to some guy yesterday here in Phuket and he is down 40% all Chinese cancellations

[tifino]

3 minutes ago, ChipButty said:

I was speaking to some guy yesterday here in Phuket and he is down 40% all Chinese cancellations

...but trying for 100% ? 

[Odysseus123]

15 minutes ago, rocket3rider said:

They adopt a national uniform like 1.4 billion panel beaters ????, but all still walk around hacking and spitting gollies like camels. No wonder the joint’s a Petri dish for incubating and mutating virus’s ????

Agreed..but please add into the mix the fixation with parts of exotic animals (and their glands) usually for the purpose of aphrodisiacs and you have a hell of a lot of monkey business going on...

[Somtamnication]

The Thais have no clue what is about to happen. The Chinese are furiously deleting social media videos that show a pandemic. Expect more robberies and assaults, people. Same same during the SARS issue 17 years back.

[RotBenz8888]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

offer cash handouts to foreign tourists.

Free coffins instead? Made in Thailand, of course.

[mike787]

It is and will hit it much much harder...

[miamiman123]

Thailand already in life support and if this virus is real....China is done economically and so is Thailand ....

iphone 12 made in China?

i don’t think so

watch it! 

[tifino]

 

The Mayor of Amity Island Lives ON, in spirit

[nobodysfriend]

That's what you get when you capture innocent wild animals , torture them by putting them in small cages and slaughter them in front of the' customers ' . DESERVED !

Edited January 27, 2020 by nobodysfriend

[saggicool]

maybe time for prayer at the Bat God !! as people in china started with bat eating with no proper preparation.. as they suspect it is from Bat eating !

????

 

 

[Geoffggi]

As usual the Thai government are last out of the blocks and the only steps being made are backwards ......... Unfortunately this situation is not funny.........

[TKDfella]

I read yesterday that some countries are considering denying all Chinese tourist entry. Never mind Thailand will accept them.

[Bundooman]

2 hours ago, lust said:

How many nails are we at now? 

Certainly nail-gun rapidity of fire quantity, but with an extra magazine or two?

[tifino]

2 minutes ago, saggicool said:

maybe time for prayer at the Bat God !! as people in china started with bat eating with no proper preparation.. as they suspect it is from Bat eating !

????

 

 

but is there any way of removing incurable Rabies from the menu either?

[saggicool]

human are too greedy , they eat wild animals not for survival but for pleasure ..! now other inocent people also infected..  hope those who catches and trade on those wild animals and dogs that kept in tight cages etc , handlers , slaughter and smuggler , get the 1st hand taste of the virus themselves..

 

Quoted :"innocent wild animals , torture them by putting them in small cages and slaughter them in front of the' customers ' . DESERVED !"

Edited January 27, 2020 by saggicool

[chilli42]

How about a healthy over reaction like closing the airports to all Chinese flights.  Sure it would be painful but better that than a health crisis in the country.  The government should be looking out for the well being of all Thai’s not hotel owners.

[Jimbo2014]

2 hours ago, lust said:

How many nails are we at now? 

[Sunderland]

It's too late. The virus will be firmly established in Bangkok within 2 weeks. The Thai government had a chance to put a proper plan into action, but sadly they don't have one. Whatever happens from here will be too little, too late.

[Assurancetourix]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

Preliminary estimates of the impact on tourism and related businesses in Thailand and other Asian nations are at around Bt80 billion to Bt100 billion,

What is still fantastic is that the first concern of the Thai authorities is the negative cost that this will generate from the point of view of tourism.

the health of thai people?
They don't care;
on the other hand the health of their brown envelops and wallets , there, it is very important;
the world of finance, in general and of Thailand in particular is really walking on the head.