Floods: Decrease in tourism

Tourism industry losses mount as peak season in December approaches. 25 billion in losses if floods continue through December, 15 billion if not.

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TRAVEL TITBITS: Floods reduce the number of foreign tourists by Karnjana Karnjanatawe

The total number of foreign tourists visiting Thailand this year is expected to be 18.8 million, falling short of the previous target of 19.5 million visitors, according to the Tourism Department. 

It will take a while before the Ayutthaya Historical Park and other attractions in areas affected by the floods see tourist numbers rise back to normal.

The target was revised after 28 provinces in the central region, including Bangkok have been flooded for the past couple of months, leaving millions of people homeless, the World Heritage Site in Ayutthaya submerged and accessibility by land to various provinces hampered. 

During the first eight months of 2011, foreign tourists arriving in the country increased by 28.6% from last year to 12.9 million visitors, making the original target achievable, but the number of international visitors started to decline in September. 

On average, the number of international tourists arriving in the country is in the range of 1.5-1.8 million visitors a month, but during September, the number dropped to 1.4 million visitors and there were about 90,000 fewer visitors in October. For November, there are about 25,000 foreign tourists arriving in Thailand each day and the forecast for this month will drop by almost half to 750,000 visitors.

Although the Tourism Authority of Thailand has worked hard to promote other parts of the country that have not been affected by the floods, the target of 19.5 million visitors seems too high to reach. 

The Kasikorn Research Centre also predicted that the flood situation in Bangkok will cause the tourism industry losses of 15-25 billion baht during the fourth quarter of this year. 

If the floodwaters recede this month and the tourists are confident enough to visit the country in December, the total number of foreign tourists could reach 18.9 million visitors with an estimated loss of 15 billion baht. 

If the flood situation continues to December, the total number of foreign tourists visiting Thailand this year could decline to 18.6 million visitors and business lost for the tourism industry alone could reach 25 billion baht.

(Source: Bangkok Post, TRAVEL TITBITS, Floods reduce the number of foreign tourists, 21/11/2011, Karnjana Karnjanatawe, link) 

Tourism Industry Vocabulary

titbit - a small and interesting piece of information
travel titbit  - a small and interesting piece of information about travel

expected - believe will happen คาดว่า (จะเกิดขึ้น)
foreign tourists visiting Thailand this year is expected to be 18.8 million,

target - a goal; the amount you are planning to achieve เป้าหมาย
falling short - not reaching, not achieving, not attaining

falling short of the previous target of 19.5 million visitors

achieve (verb) - reach your goals; succeed in doing what you planned to do
achievable (adjective)  
achievable target - a goal that can be done or reached (not too difficult)

original - existed at the very beginning, the first one before being changed or "revised"
original target - the first target or goal; the first target before it was changed or "revised"

making the original target achievable

revised - change, rewritten and improved เปลี่ยนแปลง
the target was revised

revise target - change your goal, change the amount that you are planning to achieve or reach

couple - about or around two (not exact)
flooded for the past couple of months

World Heritage Site - a place such as a forest, mountain, lake, desert, monument, building, complex, or city  listed by the United Nations organization UNESCO as of special cultural or physical importance, "as of 2011, 936 sites are listed: 725 cultural, 183 natural, and 28 mixed properties, in 153 States Parties. Italy is home to the greatest number of World Heritage Sites to date with 47 sites inscribed on the list" (See Wikipedia)

submerged - under water จมน้ำ อยู่ใต้น้ำ
accessibility - when someone can get or use something
hampered - made it difficult for them to so something

the World Heritage Site in Ayutthaya submerged and accessibility by land to various provinces hampered. 

international - ระหว่างประเทศ between countries
the number of international visitors started to decline in September

range - all the numbers or quantities between two numbers
in the range of 1.5-1.8 million visitors a month

forecast - a statement about what will happen in the future based on information available now พยากรณ์
For November, there are about 25,000 foreign tourists arriving in Thailand each day and the forecast for this month will drop by almost half to 750,000 visitors.

promote - promote a product, try to increase the popularity and sales of a product
promote other parts of the country that have not been affected by the floods

the Tourism Authority of Thailand has worked hard to promote other parts of the country that have not been affected by the floods

quarter - a period of three months on the official accounting calendar of a company or government  
fourth quarter - the last three months of the year (October, November, December)

predicted that the flood situation in Bangkok will cause the tourism industry losses of 15-25 billion baht during the fourth quarter of this year 

recede - to move back; to move further away into the distance ถอยหลัง
confident - being certain of your abilities or of having trust in people, plans, or the future มั่นใจ

if the floodwaters recede this month and the tourists are confident enough to visit the country in December