Airports of Thailand posts -22.2% fall in international passengers for May as political disruption hurts tourism – 15/06/09
Published: 15/06/09
Source: ©The Moodie Report
By Martin Moodie
THAILAND. Airports of Thailand suffered a -22.2% fall in international passenger numbers in May compared with the same month last year, it announced today.
Airports of Thailand operates six international airports – Suvarnabhumi and Don Muang in Bangkok, plus Phuket, Chiang Mai, Hat Yai and Chiang Rai. It handled 2,252,571 international passengers (embarking, disembarking and transit) in May.
The poor May figures are linked to the political instability in the country which has hit tourism hard, plus the global financial crisis and the Influenza A(H1N1). It has been a bad year for travel and tourism in Thailand with year-on-year monthly international traffic falls of -18.0% in January, -21.2% in February, -15.5% in March and -12.9% in April. For the first five months international traffic was down by -17.9% year-on-year.
Most of the country’s international traffic is through Bangkok (mainly Suvarnabhumi). The capital’s airports posted a -22.0% fall in international passenger traffic in May to 2,117,383.
For the first five months Bangkok’s airports suffered a -17.8% decline in international passengers.
The Thai government is working hard to stimulate the troubled tourism industry. It has given the Tourism Authority of Thailand THB1.4 billion (US$41 million) to revive tourism in the second half of 2009. Some 40% of the funding will be aimed at the domestic market and the rest at foreign visitors.
MORE STORIES ON THAI TOURISM
Thai tourism is hit again by political unrest – 13/04/09
Airports of Thailand issues vital relief measures for partners at Bangkok airports – 08/04/09
King Power (Thailand) forecasts flat sales in 2009 after solid 2008; launches major tourism marketing drive – 13/03/09
Protests cost Airports of Thailand as it posts US$48 million Q1 loss despite boost to non-aeronautical revenues – 16/02/09
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