Thailand worries about being 'overtaken' by Vietnamese tourism

The number of international visitors to Thailand is falling sharply, causing the country to worry that it will lose its position as the top destination in Southeast Asia to Vietnam.

Thailand’s tourism operators fear that Vietnam will overtake them as Southeast Asia’s top destination in the next few years. The concern is based on the fact that Vietnam reported a nearly 50% increase in domestic tourism in March compared to pre-pandemic levels, while Thailand is struggling with sluggish growth.

Mr. Thanet Supornsahasrungsi - President of the Chon Buri Tourism Association of Thailand - said that it may only take 2-3 years for Vietnam to attract more foreign tourists than Thailand.

Vietnam aims to welcome 23 million international visitors this year, while Thailand’s Ministry of Finance has cut its forecast for international arrivals from 38.5 million to 36.5 million. Thailand recorded just 2.7 million tourist arrivals in March, down 20% from 2019 levels, while Vietnam recorded more than 2 million tourist arrivals in the same month, up 40% from 2019.

Vietnam has many advantages in tourism, making Thailand worried about losing its position as the top destination in Southeast Asia. Photo: Shutterstock.

Mr Thanet said Vietnam has a lower cost of living than Thailand. Family-friendly resorts and theme parks are also newer and cheaper than similar products in Thailand, while all-inclusive packages at hotels in Vietnam are half the price in Thailand, he said.

Vietnam supports foreign tour operators, such as those from Russia, by subsidizing flights and offering lower landing fees at airports, Mr Thanet said, prompting companies to shift their tours from Phuket to cities like Nha Trang this summer.

The president of the Chon Buri Tourism Association of Thailand said that foreign travel agents have told him that many airports in major Vietnamese cities are designated as international airports, allowing them to easily provide international flights. These airports are a 30-45 minute drive from tourist areas. In contrast, if tourists want to go to Hua Hin or Kanchanaburi, they have to spend more than 3 hours by car from airports in Bangkok.

"Thailand is relying on old advantages without developing new infrastructure and attractions to attract tourists," he said, adding that if the government does not pursue a more proactive approach to tourism and strengthen safety measures, it will be difficult to achieve the target of welcoming 36.5 million visitors.

Travel agents say Thailand is losing its appeal as Vietnam offers more new infrastructure. Photo: Apichart Jinakul.

Mr. Sanga Ruangwattanakul - Chairman of Khao San Road Business Association - commented: "Bangkok may record fewer tourists than last year due to the shrinking Chinese market and foreigners shifting to emerging destinations such as Vietnam".

According to Mr. Sanga Ruangwattanakul, Vietnam has many attractions, from nature and beaches to vibrant nightlife, with the famous walking street and night market in Ho Chi Minh City that can compete with Khao San Road.

Thailand's The Nation commented that Vietnam has made significant progress in attracting Chinese tourists, as Vietnamese provinces and cities have signed memorandums of understanding with each Chinese province to promote tourism.

To boost the tourism industry, the Association of Thai Travel Agents (ATTA) has submitted a proposal to the Tourism Authority of Thailand and the government requesting a subsidy worth 320 million baht to increase the number of Chinese tourists.

In addition, ATTA suggested that Thailand should cooperate closely with Chinese travel agencies to promote tour packages at special prices, through charter flights from second-tier cities.

The Thai Travel Agencies Association also proposed to organize a tourism roadshow and business matchmaking program in many Chinese cities such as Hangzhou, Nanjing, Chongqing and Zhuangsha. Among them, the southwestern region of China, led by Chongqing, has high economic growth potential of 5.6% in the first quarter and has attracted many large investments.

According to Thanh Huyen (TPO)

Source: https://baogialai.com.vn/thai-lan-lo-bi-du-lich-viet-nam-vuot-mat-post322086.html