Chuck Kuhn's Asia in Photos: PATA has warned of challenging times ahead for travel & tourism industry

Tuesday, March 30, 2010

PATA has warned of challenging times ahead for travel & tourism industry

BANGKOK - The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) has warned of challenging times ahead for the travel and tourism industry.

International visitor arrivals to Asia Pacific destinations are forecast by PATA to grow at an average rate of 2.7 percent per annum over the next three years  

PATA chairman Phornsiri Manoharn warned, “These latest authoritative forecasts from PATA reflect the reality of the current market conditions.

“They point to a gradual and uneven recovery as the region picks itself up from the three percent decline in arrivals in 2009.

“We have witnessed significant changes in travel trends during the global economic recession. These changes have brought benefits to some and caused difficulties for others and it is clear that the next three years will prove to be both challenging and increasingly competitive for all our members.” 

Figures released by PATA show a significant slowing in growth rates from the pre-financial crisis level of seven percent per annual.   

Overall international arrivals growth to Asia Pacific destinations, are predicted to be marginal at just over one percent in 2010, rising to around 4.5 percent in 2011 and then stabilizing at around four percent in 2012.

PATA said the slower rates of growth “heralds the need for tourism-based businesses to continue to find profits in cost containment rather than in volume growth, at least for the current three-year cycle”.   

Growth is predicted to be uneven but there are some hot spots. Some origin-destination pairs are predicted to perform much better than the average Asia Pacific growth rates to 2012. These are:

China (PRC) to Korea (ROK) - a gain of 692,000 international arrivals. 

India to Thailand - a gain of 317,000 international arrivals .

Australia to Malaysia - a gain of 292,000 international arrivals.  

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They say "

“I can’t say what made me fall in love with Vietnam - that a woman’s voice can drug you; that everything is so intense. The colors, the taste, even the rain. Nothing like the filthy rain in London. They say whatever you’re looking for, you will find here. They say you come to Vietnam and you understand a lot in a few minutes, but the rest has got to be lived. The smell: that’s the first thing that hits you, promising everything in exchange for your soul. And the heat. Your shirt is straightaway a rag. You can hardly remember your name, or what you came to escape from. But at night, there’s a breeze. The river is beautiful. You could be forgiven for thinking there was no war; that the gunshots were fireworks; that only pleasure matters. A pipe of opium, or the touch of a girl who might tell you she loves you. And then, something happens, as you knew it would. And nothing can ever be the same again.”
― Graham Greene, The Quiet American

Tips on Travel to Vietnam

It's always warm in Southeast Asia apart from high mountains, so leave the heavy clothing at home. Cotton and breathable fabrics are always better than synthetics -- although cotton does wrinkle a lot when traveling! December through April is roughly the dry season in that region, although it can still rain a little. December is a good time to go in terms of temperature -- cooler than in the humid summertime. Either way, wearing more clothing (shirt sleeves and long pants) is always more respectful towards the Asian culture, especially when visiting temples and rural areas.