The number of Russian tourists visiting Thailand is expected to make a significant jump, rising from 10,000 visits in 2021 to 435,000 in 2022, according to GlobalData.
The leading data and analysis company, GlobalData, notes that tourism officials in Thailand must now ensure that they can capitalize on this demand by increasing direct flights from Russia and ensuring that aspects such as card payments can be taken into account in tourist areas.
If we consider Cyprus, one of the main destinations for Russians before the invasion of Ukraine, the number of visitors to the island is expected to drop by 42.6% year-on-year in 2022.
Thailand could potentially host a large number of these Russian visitors who now find it too difficult to travel to EU countries.
Ralph Hollister, travel and tourism analyst at GlobalData, comments:
"Thailand is set to fully reopen its borders to international tourists this year, without the need for a negative PCR test before departure.
In addition, it has imposed no restrictions on Russia regarding the current geopolitical crisis with Ukraine.
Although the number of Russian tourists traveling to Thailand is expected to reach only 29.2% of pre-pandemic levels (2019) in 2022, the aforementioned factors are likely to combine to create a staggering 4,421% year-on-year increase in Russian visits to Thailand in 2022. »
According to GlobalData's Q3 2021 consumer survey, 61% of Russian respondents said they typically take sun and beach vacations, making this type of trip the most popular for this market.
Thailand is world-renowned for its sun and beach product, with places like Maya Bay and Monkey Bay attracting tourists from around the world.
Cultural trips are also popular with this market, with 39% of Russians saying they typically take this type of vacation.
Thailand's unique culture, with its temples and palaces, is a major draw for international tourists.
Thailand has recognized that it now has the opportunity to become a major destination for Russian travelers in the coming years.
In May 2022, the Thai Commerce Minister said that Thai banks had shown interest in the Russian proposal to introduce the Mir payment system for Russian travelers in Thailand and committed to coordinating with the relevant tourism and transport ministries to facilitate direct flights from Russia.
Hollister concludes:
“Russian travelers having spent a total of $22.5 billion in 2021, which placed Russia in the top 10 globally for total outgoing tourist spending, Thailand could significantly benefit from the EU's ban on Russian travel, as the market is forced to change its preferred destinations due to the current crisis.”
Source: Hospitalitynet
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9 comments
Hello, it is far from safe for the Russian people to go on tourism in Thailand, there are too many Europeans and Americans whose brains have been formatted to hatred or even murder against Russians.
Yes, this will be well received by the United States and Europe and on the side of the economy of Russian citizens and their airlines, for example, no problem either…
Haha, sacred Thai analyst.
No problem, I'll go see them in Thailand, my little Russians. Yum-yum.
In total dishonor.
Yet another aspect that had escaped our elites…
In all areas, these financial sanctions will be catastrophic for our European economies.
The people will pay for the damage, as usual. But what will we be able to buy electric cars with in 2035 (another stupid decision…) ?
Very bad idea to spread such optimistic prospects for the revival of Thai tourism thanks to the Russians who are at war with Ukraine, militarily supported (and massively !!!) by Europe as a whole and the United States… (which concretely implies in a non-explicit way the NATO countries)….
It's understandable that Thailand remains in a corridor of political and military neutrality, but it should avoid flaunting its greedy complaisance in the media and social networks by welcoming Russian tourists with "joy and impatience" who will spend their money on their vacations and fill the coffers of the Thai economy!
Lack of restraint and tact…
But the Thai elites have long since accustomed us to adopting this kind of behavior when it comes to making hay while the sun shines, even with rotten and termite-infested wood!
The advisors are not the payers.
GlobalData wouldn't have spoken, it would have avoided being seen as either an idiot or incompetent, or both.
The MIR system is not yet installed in banks.
Will it be installed one day, I have great doubts.
Will the USA and Europe wait patiently for the installation of this network without saying anything?
Moreover, does THAI AIRWAYS have the capacity to take and bring back all Russian tourists? In my opinion, no.
If a Russian meets a Ukrainian, who is responsible for the death of one or both?
Thailand will do as usual, it will wait for the end of the conflict and will side with the winner.
Indeed, Christopher… I fear as you do that the MIR system will be put in place (when possible) without the Europeans lifting a finger…
The United States is the only one that can exert adequate pressure on Thailand to abandon this project and wait patiently and passively to see if it can attract Russian tourists deprived of their usual destinations.
Moreover, as you say, I doubt that Aeroflot or Thai Airways will launch into organizing flights whose profitability is far from guaranteed.
For now, only Qatar and Etihad offer direct flights between Moscow and Bangkok, at prices ranging from 2000 to over 8,000 euros for flights in early July.
I doubt that Russian tourists (apart from a few oligarchs who have other things to worry about) are willing to spend such sums to fly to Thailand and back!!!
So, in the current state of affairs, this is once again a wish on the part of the Thai authorities that will be difficult to materialize in a meaningful way…
And I won't talk about the violent conflicts with more or less serious consequences depending on the case, which could arise between people at the slightest disagreement involving a Russian and other people concerned closely or distantly by this conflict with Ukraine.
So, according to some here, Thailand like many other countries should bow to the demands of the US and Europeans?
What can I say, it smells a bit like imperialism, nostalgia for the colonial empires when everyone had to obey us to the letter.
Always this Western-centered point of view.
By what right do you want to impose this or that on independent countries?
The Thais and many others around the world do not feel concerned about this war in Ukraine.
Just like the majority of Westerners don't care about the war in Yemen, for example.
It's not about approving the war in Ukraine, but about keeping a level head and avoiding falling into authoritarian excesses.