The great tourism lie

I don’t disagree with comments about the need to improve infrastructure and so on (Editorial, Jan 7).

What I strongly object to is a continuing belief in comments from tourism authorities about increases in tourist arrivals. It is time their pronouncements were challenged.

I work in the hospitality industry in Chiang Mai. The consensus of those of us who actually deal with tourists (restaurants, guesthouses, hotels, tour companies) is that this peak season is down on previous years.

Furthermore, authorities seem determined to make life as difficult as possible for those working in the tourism business. Just three examples:

1. The current blitz in Chiang Mai to remove all guest house licences. Guesthouses provide a low-cost alternative to hotels and if they are removed then many simply won’t come here or will come for a day instead of several days.

2. The daily reporting by businesses to immigration authorities of every new arrival. When the Immigration Department site is down, as it is frequently, they insist on the delivery of paper copies of the information. Why should businesses carry the cost of their incompetence especially as everyone knows nothing is done with the information.

3. Authorities insist that an agency which books tours must have insurance. No-one in the TAT can explain why. Tour operators must have insurance which is logical because they actually transport and have responsibility for activities undertaken. So what does the agency insurance cover?

Tourism authorities have a vested interest in announcing that all is fine, but those of us working in the industry know differently.

FARANG Chiang Mai