Tourism Council of Thailand sample study reflects increased frugality
A study conducted by the Tourism Council of Thailand (TCT) has revealed that a significant number of Thais have been forced to be more frugal than they were during the Covid-19 pandemic, with expenditure on personal products, travel and entertainment among the first to be reduced.
The TCT set out to survey people’s travel habits in 2023 and 2024 by asking 418 Thais who earn more than 10,000 baht per month how much they have spent and how they were planning their next trips.
The study found that in the last quarter of 2023, respondents spent around 4,293 baht per person per trip, a significant drop from what they spent in the first quarter of last year at around 7,000 baht per person per trip.
Contracting inflation, rising interest rates, and a slowdown in the economy are among the reasons why Thais are more prudent when it comes to spending on non-essentials, the TCT said.
73% of the respondents said they are now being more careful about their spending compared to during the pandemic, 87% said they are cutting down on buying personal products, 79% are reducing expenses on travel and entertainment, and 56% said they are buying fewer electronics products.
The study found that factors that most affect people’s decisions when choosing a trip are reasonable prices (28%), followed by the beauty of the attractions (27%), sales promotion (18%), and convenient access (18%).
Respondents gave a 3.39 out of 5 satisfaction score on the quality of roads leading to attractions in Thailand, while rail travel received a score of 2.85.
Thai tourists gave a satisfaction score of 3.46 on travelling in second-tier provinces, with positive factors including less crowding, cheaper prices and better air quality. Meanwhile, respondents pointed out limitations of second-tier provinces as less convenient transport routes, less travel information available, and limited accommodation and amenities.
