Thailand: Low Demand For Excursion Services

The end of November is marked with overwhelming special offers for tours to Thailand. Thai travel market players do not feel enthusiastic towards the tendency. The increase in number of budget clients attracted by 500$ tours affects the demand for additional services, especially excursions, representatives of Thai incoming companies say. Thus, Andrey Shedko, Sales and Marketing Manager of the Thai incoming company, added that additional services is the main income item for local incoming companies. Tourists who buy budget tours do not rush into spending money on excursion services, in particular in Bangkok. Moreover, an excursion to the King’s Palace costs in average $5, while the same excursion with a guide costs $20. A month and a half ago excursions to the Palace and of the Bangkok were included in tour packages. But Thai tour operators made a decision to sell them separately as an additional programs. As a result they faced the problem of shortage of clients ready to pay for guided excursions. Meanwhile, Nikolay Salikhov, Managing Director of Ivan Susanin, commented on the situation as follows: ‘I hope the flow of budget tourists will stop by December 10th – 15th’. However, travel market experts forecast the same situation in January owing the next wave of special offers.