Jaunted

Tags: Hell No We Won't Go / Tourism Boards / → All Tags

Thais Trying To Turn Tourism Tide

Seems shutting down your international airport for eight days doesn't do good things for tourism! Thai officials say as many as 1 million visitors will now stay away in the wake of the closure and the broader political crisis in Thailand. This month alone, just 500,000 tourists are expected to arrive, just one third the crowd the country was expecting.

The head of Thailand's tourism ministry says the latest downturn is the worst in the agency's 48-year history, trumping even the crash after the 2004 tsunami. Hotels corroborate the stats from the government, talking to Reuters about 25 percent occupancy rates at a time of year when 7 of every 10 rooms are booked.

Even the transvestite go-go dancers are having a tough time:

“Right now, business is so slow. Some nights, only one customer,” said Jodie, a 24-year-old transvestite go-go dancer teetering around the capital’s Nana red-light district in spike-heeled, thigh-high boots.

Related Stories:
· Worst Slump in Decades for Thai Tourism [NYT]
· Bangkok International Airport Still Protest Central [Jaunted]
· Thai Airport Standoff Proves World Is Indeed Flat [Jaunted]

[Photo: René Ehrhardt]