2012 data: Where Thais travel

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BANGKOK, 29 April 2013: Ministry of Tourism and Sports reported, last week, 5,721,485 Thais travelled overseas in 2012 representing an increase of 6.01% over 5,397,248 trips in 2011.

Ministry data showed that Malaysia continued to be the most popular destination driven by short overland trips from southern provinces to destinations in northern Malaysia mainly for shopping and trade.

Trips to Malaysia in 2012 reached 1,919,708 growing 6.54% from 1,801,883 trips in 2011.

Laos was the second most popular destination for Thais with 965,015 trips increasing from 925,830, while Singapore was third with 386,341 trips improving 6.52% from 344,286. All are short–haul destinations driven by strong overland travel, but in the case of Singapore low-cost airlines are a strong factor.

Singapore was the top destination for travel served only by air travel. Both Malaysia and Laos are supplied by a mix of overland and air travel.

Apart from the three top destinations, all the other top choices were medium to long-haul destinations with higher airline costs. China was in fourth place with 303,796 trips rising 6.28% from 285,841 in 2011.

Hong Kong ranked fifth with 224,606 trips, up 6.58% from 210,738 trips. The remaining top five destinations in 2012 were: Japan (202,015; +5.65%); South Korea (162,366; +8.10%); Taiwan (146,184; +12.40%); the United Kingdom (144,499; +4.76%); and Australia (117,283; +2.84%).

The UK continues to do well despite tough visa requirements, but it attracts considerable student travel.

In the regional category, East Asia was the top area visited (Southeast Asia is included) with 4,674,719 trips representing an increase of 6.42% from 4,392,862 trips in 2011.

Europe ranked second with 520,080 trips and recorded an improvement of 4.34% from 498,433 trips. The Middle East followed in third place with 210,553 trips growing 4.99% from 200,540 trips.

Oceania (Australia and New Zealand) was fourth attracting 135,483 trips with a growth of 2.87% compared to 131,701 trips in 2011.

Meanwhile, South Asia was in fifth place with 115,832 trips increasing 3.16% from 112,280 trips. The Americas was sixth with 56,428 trips improving 4.31% from 54,097 trips, while Africa was seventh attracting 8,390 increasing 14.38% over 7,335 trips in 2011.

Of the overall 5,721,485 trips, package tours represented just 1,051,044 improving 10.06% from 954,990, while independently booked trips stood at 4,670,441 enjoying an increase of 5.14% from 4,442,258.

Thailand’s outbound travel firms are regaining some traction mainly from tour group bookings, but the dominant trend is towards FIT travel driven by the ease of internet bookings.

However, the bulk of travel agency business to long-haul destinations is multi-point group travel that is still firmly in the hands of the trade as internet booking sites are unable to process complicated itineraries with current software.

In the package tour market, Malaysia was the top destination with 310,155 trips a slight increase of 0.47% from 308,695 trips in 2011. Laos was second with 116,356 trips improving 0.60% from 115,657 trips. China ranked third with 100,590 trips, an increase of 42.40% from 70,640 trips.

Japan followed in fourth place with 59,432 trips growing 78.68% from 33,262, while Singapore was in fifth attracting 56,087 trips increasing 30.67% from 42,923 trips in 2011.

Meanwhile,in the  non-package tour segment, Malaysia gained 1,609,553 trips with a growth of 7.79% from 1,493,188 trips.

Other popular destinations for independent travel were: Laos (848,659; +4.75%); Singapore (330,254; +9.59%); China (203,206; -5.57%); Hong Kong (203,048; +13.60%); and Japan (142,583; -9.73%).

In 2012, the estimated outbound spend was Bt137,861.37 million, an increase of 12.94% from Bt122,066.06 million in 2011.

Where Thais travel: Top 10 destinations in 2012

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2012 data: Where Thais travel