July 5, 2008
Bangkok - Thai people put off their travel plans both at home and abroad due to soaring energy prices and higher cost of living.
Anek Srichivachart, president of the Thai Travel Agents Association, revealed the overseas and domestic travel would drop in the second half of the year as Thais were more careful about their spending.
The number of Thais travelling abroad would drop 10% from last year.
China was a favorite destination for Thai travelers. But they changed their travel plan after the Sichuan earthquake.
Macau is now a favorite destination for Thais as it is convenient to travel there and the traveling cost is reduced by a choice of the low-cost airline.
It is estimated about 3.5 million Thai people will travel abroad this year.
Anek said even the domestic travel market was not so good owing to the negative economic factors and oil prices.
The travel agents and Tourism Authority of Thailand have continuously discussed how to encourage Thais to travel at home. But it is unpredictable what the result will be.
