How's Business?

[Buadhai]

I wonder if any of you in the dive industry have noticed a decrease in business this year as compared with last year? The hospitality industry in Bangkok is crying the blues about very low occupancy rates in Bangkok which are the result of negative publicity regarding the flooding in central Thailand. Uncertainty seems to be the enemy of tourism and there's plenty of that to go around just now.

Even me. I'm flying from Bangkok to Phuket weekend after next and as of now I'm still not sure if my flight will depart, as scheduled, from Don Meuang (very convenient for me) or from Suvarnabhumi (rather inconvenient).

 

[lord khram]

Hotels and rooms for rent in Pattaya are all prety much full at the moment due to people affected by the floods in Bangkok and other areas coming here to stay while their homes are flooded.
I was talking to someone a few days ago who was strugling to find a room for his friend. That is unheard of this time of year.
Not sure if dive shops are affected in any way

 

[Buadhai]

No surprise...

Wrong message being sent abroad
Tourist confusion rampant, say hoteliers

BANGKOK: -- The government needs to do a better job of communicating to protect the country's tourism image, as reports of current flooding in foreign media are creating confusion abroad, say executives of Centara Hotels & Resorts.

Many international tourists misunderstand current conditions in Bangkok because of frequent media reports saying Bangkok's airport is flooded.

They are not aware that the flooding affects only Don Mueang and not Suvarnabhumi, prompting Asian tourists shift to other countries and European tourists to postpone trips to unaffected areas including Phuket, Samui, Krabi and Chiang Mai.

Full article here: Wrong Message Being Sent Abroad

 

[Quero]

Phuket is fine. People are arriving, boats are filling up, and flights are full. I've got a customer (family of three) arriving from abroad today, and their flight from Bhutan is coming in to BKK later than expected, so I worked to get their ongoing flight to HKT changed for them (it's understandably difficult for them to do it themselves from where they are at the moment). They'll have to wait 5 hours at BKK for their connection because all the other flights are booked out. It's going to be a very long day for them!

 

[Buadhai]

That's encouraging. Perhaps divers are less prone to irrational pessimism than other tourists.

 

[Quero]

Maybe, or perhaps it's because mostly our divers are FITs and not package tourists on charter flights.

 

[Ringo]

Hi
I dont know about the rest of Thailand but in comparison to last year most of the DC's I know on Phuket are up. The hotels and bungalows are filling up. It looks - touch wood - like it is going to be a great high season.

 

[Buadhai]

Looks like my journey from Korat to Phuket next weekend is going to be more trouble than normal. I had planned to take the bus from Korat, get off at Don Meuang and fly Orient Thai to Phuket. Normally I could do this in one day with ease.

Unfortunately, Don Meuang is flooded and I see no sign that it will be flight ready by next weekend. The bus trip from Korat to Bangkok is now taking six to eight hours instead of the usual three.

At the moment I'm guessing I'll have to take one day to travel to Bangkok, spend the night and then head out to Suvarnabhumi the next morning for my Noon flight.

Any other ideas?

 

[Quero]

Mike, how about a shared-ride van from Pak Thong Chai to Victory Monument in Bangkok and then the Skytrain link to Phaya Thai (one stop) and then the local airport train to Suvarnabumi (not the express which originates further out and is more expensive).

 

[Buadhai]

^Interesting idea. Pak Thong Chai is a bit far but I'm sure there are closer vans.

Thanks.