BANGKOK, Sept 30 (TNA) — Tourism-related operators are losing their confidence in the second half of this year due to global economic problems and situations in Hong Kong, according to the Tourism Council of Thailand (TCT).
TCT president Chairat Trirattanajarasporn said that a survey from July to September conducted by the council, the Tourism Authority of Thailand and the Faculty of Economics at Chulalongkorn University found that tour operators’ confidence index stood at 91 for the third quarter and 94 for the fourth quarter of this year.
The figures showed that operators in the tourism industry were concerned and some of them were planning to reduce their investments and employment, he said.
Mr Chairat identified Hong Kong situations, the trade war between China and the United States and between Japan and South Korea and baht appreciation as serious negative factors. The Chinese economic slowdown cut the number of Chinese visitors to Thailand compared with their arrivals last year, he said.
He proposed the government issued new measures to stimulate tourist arrivals, including the legalization of ride-hailing services in the country.
The TCT predicted 10.41 million foreigners will visit Thailand in the fourth quarter of 2019, up 7.21% year on year. Their annual number was expected at 39.73 million throughout 2019, up 4.06%. The council estimated Thailand would generate 1.95 trillion baht from tourism this year. (TNA)
