ATTA stats for Jan to Jul 08

Travel agents handled 1,405,329 customers through Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport according to the Association of Thai Travel Agents’ latest statistics for January to July. It represented a decrease of 1.19% when compared with the same period in 2007.

During the first seven months, five markets in Asia showed a drop in business. China fell 7.48% to 205,961 arrivals; Korea down 25.56% to 176,563; Hong Kong down 42.17% to 35,053; Singapore down 42.94% to 21,728; and Philippines down 8.54% to 18,617.

The declines in these important short-haul markets are blamed on a global economic recession. Atta committee member, Suwannee Sakkumjorn, who runs a Korean tour company, claimed the increase in fuel surcharges on flights and the decline in charter flight business were directly related to the decline in spending power.

However, she expects an improvement mid-August when the tour prices normally go down following the end of Korean school break.

According to Atta’s chart, the top 10 markets during the seven months were China, Japan, Korea, Russia, India, Taiwan, UK, Germany, Vietnam and Hong Kong.

The highest increase in business was monitored in Vietnam that soared from 15,660 to 45,392 arrivals. The biggest decline was seen in Sweden where business dropped 60.61% from 9,971 to 3,928 arrivals.

Atta measures trips handled by its member countries, but its figures represent the most up to date and reliable indicator in the market.