Bangkok--23 May--Spark Communications
Top Thai Destinations for Overseas Travellers,Bangkok, Phuket and Koh Samui are the most popular destinations from global travellers, according to latest Hotels.com Hotel Price Index
The tourism industry continues to be an important part of the Thai economy. The country was hit badly by the floods of 2011 but has bounced back with an increase in international tourist arrivals during 2012, making Thailand one of the fastest growing countries for the travel and hospitality industry. Thailand also remains a popular leisure and backpacker destination for many Europeans seeking to escape the cold winter at home.
According to Hotels.com’s Hotel Price Index (HPI), Bangkok remains the most popular Thai destination for overseas travellers in both the leisure and business sectors with many visiting for its vibrant nightlife, shopping attractions and cultural sights in its vicinity. The capital traditionally offers great value hotel rates at all star levels of accommodation
Tourists also travel down to the southern beach resorts and islands. This area occupied six top destinations with the islands of Phuket and Koh Samui ranked at Nos 2 and 3, Krabi at No 5 and the last three places in the table filled by Koh Phangan, home to the full moon parties, Ko Phi Phi and Ko Tao.
The north is the main region for trekking and adventure travel with its forested mountains and Chiang Mai reached No 6 in the 2012 list.
The last two slots were taken with destinations closer to the capital with Pattaya at No 4 and Hua Hin at No 7.
“International tourism is on the rise in Asia. Looking forward, two mega trends are affecting Asia positively in 2013 and beyond: the continued rise of Chinese outbound travellers and the increase in low cost carriers across Asia. China stayed top of the source countries followed by Malaysia, Japan, Russia and South Korea. Thailand is one of the fasting growing countries as a top tourist destination with 21 million foreign visitors in 2012*. Travellers from all over the world seek out Thailand for its weather, cultural attractions, and variety of travel destinations with Bangkok and Phuket ranked as the most popular destinations for travellers from China, Hong Kong, Australia, and New Zealand” says Rajiv Malhotra, Head of Marketing, Southeast Asia, Hotels.com.
Top Thai destinations for overseas travellers in 2012 according to Hotels.com’s Hotel Price Index (HPI)
Rank Destination
1 Bangkok
2 Phuket
3 Koh Samui
4 Pattaya
5 Krabi
6 Chiang Mai
7 Hua Hin
8 Koh Phangan
9 Ko Phi Phi
10 Ko Tao
Source:
* Tourism Authority of Thailand