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☆ How much does ‘shoulder season’ travel save? We crunch the numbers in 5 top spots
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-29 | by ( Monica Pitrelli | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Nearly one in five Americans said they plan to travel less in 2024, with most citing costs as the reason , according to Intrepid Travel's 2024 Outlook Survey. And for some 70% of respondents of Intrepid's survey, that means avoiding peak season trips. Enter the era of "shoulder season" travel — or vacations booked between high and low seasons — which allows for cheaper trips, thinner crowds and better weather. Travelers are typically adults without school-aged children, however "parents are increasingly willing to take kids out of school for travel," he told CNBC Travel. Similar patterns of year-round travel are happening in parts of the Caribbean and Mexico, too.

Persons: James Thornton, Kiatphaibool, CNBC's Organizations: Intrepid, Intrepid Travel, CNBC Travel, Tourism Authority of Locations: Tourism Authority of Thailand, Caribbean, Mexico

☆ Tourist arrivals were 'beyond' our expectations in 2023, says Thai tourism body
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-19 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailTourist arrivals were 'beyond' our expectations in 2023, says Thai tourism bodyThapanee Kiatphaibool, governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand, names the top five markets that travelers came from and discusses the outlook for 2024.

Persons: Kiatphaibool Organizations: Tourism Authority of Locations: Thai, Tourism Authority of Thailand

People flee following shots fired at the luxury Siam Paragon shopping mall, in Bangkok, Thailand, October 3, 2023. China is vital to that effort as the biggest source of foreign visitors to Thailand in pre-COVID years. 'SHOCKED'Chinese visitors accounted for 11 million of a record 39.9 million foreign tourists to Thailand in 2019, before the pandemic. Thailand recorded 20 million foreign tourist arrivals in the January to October period, who spent 839 billion baht ($22.58 billion). At the re-opened Siam Paragon mall, on a typically gridlocked thoroughfare, crowds were trickling back.

Persons: Devjyot, Srettha Thavisin, Thapanee Kiatphaibool, Somsong Sachaphimukh, Dong Peijian, Napat Wesshasartar, Thomas Suen, Robert Birsel Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Police, Siam Paragon, Tourism Authority of, Tourism Council, Thomson Locations: Siam, Bangkok, Thailand, Rights BANGKOK, China, Myanmar, Asia's, Tourism Authority of Thailand, Thai, Southeast Asia

Bangkok, Thailand CNN —A teen suspected of shooting two people dead at an upscale shopping mall in Thailand has been charged with six counts including premeditated murder, police told CNN Wednesday. The 14-year-old boy was arrested on Tuesday shortly after the shooting rampage at the busy Siam Paragon mall in central Bangkok’s bustling commercial and tourist district. Thai Police General Torsak Sukvimol told reporters Tuesday the suspect “surrendered himself” after the shooting and still had ammunition when he was apprehended. Staff repair the glass doors of a furniture store where a 14-year-old suspect was apprehended after a shooting rampage in Bangkok. And the shooting of Chinese victims in downtown Bangkok may make some tourists think twice about traveling to Thailand.

Persons: Thailand CNN —, Kanchana Patarachoke, General Nakarin Sukhonthawit, ” Nakarin, Nakarin, Lauren DeCicca, ”, Torsak Sukvimol, “, Thanamorn Noonart, Thanamorn, ” Thanamorn, Bangkok’s Pathum, “ it’s, Jack Taylor, Torsak, Lillian Suwanrumpha, Thailand ”, Srettha Thavisin, ” Srettha, Srettha Organizations: Thailand CNN, CNN, Siam Paragon, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Police, ” Police, Thai Police, Rajavithi Hospital, Video, Thai, Getty, Staff, Tourism Authority of, Survey, SAS, Institute for Health Metrics, University of Washington’s Locations: Bangkok, Thailand, Siam, Myanmar, Laos, Pathum Wan, Nakhon Ratchasima, Bangkok’s, Bangkok’s Pathum Wan, Thai, AFP, China, Southeast Asia, Tourism Authority of Thailand, Cambodia, Weibo, Switzerland, Philippines, Nong Bua Lamphu

☆ Mid-Autumn Festival holidays: Millions of Chinese tourists are going on holiday again -- many headed for Thailand
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-29 | by ( Kathleen Magramo Kocha Olarn Berry Wang Carina Cheng | Kathleen Magramo | Kocha Olarn | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

Only 2.2 million Chinese travelers arrived between January and September 10 this year, according to data from the Tourism Authority of Thailand. Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin greeted travelers on the first day of the government's visa-free scheme for Chinese tourists. “Competition is really intensifying in the region to attract Chinese tourists amongst all countries, and you have to make it as easy as possible,” said Bowerman. Chinese tourists pray in front of Thai dancers at the Erawan Shrine in Bangkok, Thailand on September 22, 2023. Rumors, film complicate efforts to lure back touristsPrior to the announcement of the visa-free policy this month, Chinese tourists had been slow to return to Thailand.

Persons: Srettha Thavisin, It’s, ” Sretta, “, Chiang, Wang Wenbin, Peerapon Boonyakiat, pare, Gary Bowerman, ”, Bowerman, Huang, “ I’ve, coronavirus, Trip.com, Jin Junhao, Joanna Lu, Anusak, Wolfgang Georg Arlt, “ There’s, Thailand ”, Sisdivachr Cheewarattanaporn Organizations: CNN, China’s, Tourism Authority of, Thai, Civil Aviation Administration, China Railway, Asia, Tourism Research Institute, Thailand’s Ministry of Tourism, Sports, Thai Travel Agents Association Locations: China, Shanghai, Bangkok’s, Chiang Mai, Bangkok, Pattaya, Phuket, ”, Beijing, Thailand, Southeast Asia, Tourism Authority of Thailand, Asia, Sichuan, South Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, Australia, United Kingdom, Erawan, Myanmar, Cambodia, Weibo

Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin handed out gifts and posed for pictures as his tourism minister and other VIPs greeted about 300 travelers from Shanghai. He said that the government plans to promote Thailand’s smaller cities as destinations for Chinese tourists to encourage them to stay longer and spend more. Tourism Minister Sudawan Wangsuphakijkosol said there has been about a 30% surge in accommodation and flight bookings since the policy was announced. Chai Wacharonke, a spokesperson for the prime minister, earlier said that Thailand received 15 million international visitors in the first seven months. He said the government aims to draw 28 million tourists and generate 1.4 trillion baht ($39.2 billion) in revenue in 2023.

Persons: Srettha Thavisin, ” Srettha, Srettha, Dai, Chiang Mai, Peng, Wan Yi, Sudawan Wangsuphakijkosol, Thapanee Kiatphaibool, Chai Wacharonke Organizations: Bangkok’s, Central, Tourism, Tourism Authority of, Ministry of Tourism Locations: BANGKOK, Shanghai, Thai, Thailand, Bangkok, Phuket, Wan, Wat Arun, Chinatown, Central Asian, Kazakhstan, China, Tourism Authority of Thailand

LGBTQ+ people from China, frequently scorned and ostracized at home, are coming to Thailand in droves, drawn by the freedom to be themselves. Thailand doesn't keep figures on LGBTQ+ tourists. But through mid-August, it has counted 2.2 million Chinese tourists out of an overall 16 million. But LGBTQ+ people in China face other pressures to conform that can make the free expression of their identities difficult. Another draw for tourists, inside and outside the LGBTQ+ community, is Thailand’s loose enforcement of prostitution laws and renowned nightclub shows.

Persons: Xinyu Wen, Wen, “, ”, ” “, hasn't, Apichai Chatchalermkit, Owen Zhu, Jade Yang, Yang, Adisak Wongwaikankha, Eros Li, Li Organizations: Thailand Tourism Authority, The Nation Locations: BANGKOK, Thailand, Bangkok's, Thai, China, Bangkok, “, Beijing, Malaysia, Asia, asia

REUTERS/Jorge SilvaBANGKOK/NEW DELHI, July 17 (Reuters) - Indian tourists are streaming into Southeast Asia, cementing the world most populous country's position as a key growth market for a travel and tourism sector that is feeling the pinch of China's slower-than-expected re-opening. "Southeast Asia is obviously very well positioned for a lot of the growth that is inevitably going to come from India," aviation analyst Brendan Sobie told an industry conference last month. Tanes Petsuwan, deputy governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand said 1.6 million Indians were expected to visit the kingdom this year. Indians are helping to sustain a post-pandemic rebound for hospitality chains, including Minor Hotels, which has 45 properties in Southeast Asia with more than 6,000 rooms. Thailand's central bank expects 29 million visitors this year and 35.5 million in 2024.

Persons: Jorge Silva, Brendan Sobie, Tanes Petsuwan, Chai Eamsiri, Chai, Vinay Malhotra, IndiGo's, Sobie, Dillip, Pratyush Tripathy, That's, Somsong Sachaphimukh, Somsong, Pasit, Stefanno Sulaiman, Neil Jerome Morales, Robert Birsel Organizations: REUTERS, Jorge Silva BANGKOK, Thai Airways, Organisation for Economic Cooperation, Reuters, Asian Development Bank, Tourism Authority, IndiGo, Airbus, Minor, Bank of, Tourism Council of, Thomson Locations: India, Thailand, Patong, Phuket, DELHI, Asia, China, Thai, Singapore, Indonesia, Southeast Asia, Jakarta, Bangkok, Kolkata, Pattaya, Europe, United States, Thailand's, Bank of Thailand, Tourism Council of Thailand, BANGKOK, JAKARTA, MANILA

☆ Shut out from their top destinations, Chinese travelers are turning to other places
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-14 | by ( Monica Pitrelli | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Chinese travelers favored Southeast Asia for trips during the Lunar New Year holidays, which ended in early February, according to Trip.com Group's Chinese language booking website, Ctrip. Overseas hotel bookings by mainland Chinese travelers quadrupled from last year too, Ctrip said. He said of the 30 million tourists Thailand is expecting this year, 12 million to 15 million may come from China. South Korea announced last week it would resume issuing short-term visas to Chinese travelers, according to Reuters. Visas aside, Chinese travelers are also worried about getting sick, said Lee.

TOKYO, Feb 7 (Reuters) - The popularity of Japan's crisp powder snow among foreign skiers, surging back into the country, is luring more to seek the thrill of pristine backcountry slopes - sometimes with deadly impact. Japan's snow, prized among skiers for dryness caused by local atmospheric conditions, is a big draw. The head of Japan's National Governors Association last week said a national system of safety measures is now essential. BACKCOUNTRY CULTUREThe reputation of Japanese snow took off after the Nagano Olympics. Japan wants to welcome foreign skiers, but they need to know the reality of the risks involved, said Kenji Kubota, a researcher with the Japan Rescue Organization.

☆ Want to cash in on China's reopening? Bank of America and UBS have some less obvious stock picks
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-26 | by ( Zavier Ong | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

China's unwinding of its strict Covid-19 controls has got analysts scrambling to identify reopening beneficiaries in the stock market. But there could be another way to play the reopening, with Bank of America and UBS having identified a raft of less obvious beneficiaries outside of China. UBS' stock picks Thai hospitality group Minor International is one of UBS' top picks. Within Thailand, UBS also named rail transit operator BTS Group, expressway and metro operator Bangkok Expressway & Metro, as well as Bangkok Bank as reopening beneficiaries. Student placement provider IDP Education, as well as property groups Lendlease Group and Mirvac Group also made the UBS list.

One of Asia's most popular travel destinations, Thailand is seeing a much-needed tourism boom, with 1.75 million visitors in November, quadruple the number received for the whole of last year when flights and foreign arrivals were limited by the pandemic. Russian arrivals in November represented about 60% of the number who visited in the same month in 2019. A top destination for Russians is Phuket, where they account for about a quarter of the island's visitors, helped by direct flights to there and Bangkok, according to Yuthasak Supasorn, governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT). "In the evening you'll see Russian families strolling in the park along with locals," he said, adding some were staying until March. ($1 = 34.6200 baht)Reporting by Chayut Setboonsarng and Orathai Siring; Editing by Martin PettyOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

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