NOTE -- I highlighted the sentence about street food because I saw that in evidence nightly on Patpong One nightly on recent trip.

From Tourism Authority of Thailand

A Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) survey has revealed that foreign tourists have increased their spending on accommodation post-pandemic, showing a preference for luxury hotels or resorts despite higher airfares.

The survey, which involved 30,054 tourists in 2023, highlighted that average spending per trip rose to 50,900 baht, up from previous years. Accommodation costs accounted for a significant portion of this expenditure, averaging 23,518 baht per trip.

The survey also showed a shift in dining preferences among tourists, with an increase in those opting for street food, rising from 63% to 77.3%. This change has led to a decrease in the average spending on food and beverage to 4,094 baht, down from 5,875 baht in 2019.

Café hopping has emerged as a new trend, increasing in popularity among tourists. The TAT observed spending patterns among different nationalities, with tourists from the Middle East being the biggest spenders, followed by visitors from Oceania, the US, and Europe.

The survey highlighted the evolving landscape of travel bookings, with a majority of individual travelers (53.7%) using online platforms for trip arrangements. Despite this, travel agents and tour operators still play a significant role in the industry.

11 hours ago, reader said:

NOTE -- I highlighted the sentence about street food because I saw that in evidence nightly on Patpong One nightly on recent trip.

From Tourism Authority of Thailand

A Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) survey has revealed that foreign tourists have increased their spending on accommodation post-pandemic, showing a preference for luxury hotels or resorts despite higher airfares.

The survey, which involved 30,054 tourists in 2023, highlighted that average spending per trip rose to 50,900 baht, up from previous years. Accommodation costs accounted for a significant portion of this expenditure, averaging 23,518 baht per trip.

The survey also showed a shift in dining preferences among tourists, with an increase in those opting for street food, rising from 63% to 77.3%. This change has led to a decrease in the average spending on food and beverage to 4,094 baht, down from 5,875 baht in 2019.

Café hopping has emerged as a new trend, increasing in popularity among tourists. The TAT observed spending patterns among different nationalities, with tourists from the Middle East being the biggest spenders, followed by visitors from Oceania, the US, and Europe.

The survey highlighted the evolving landscape of travel bookings, with a majority of individual travelers (53.7%) using online platforms for trip arrangements. Despite this, travel agents and tour operators still play a significant role in the industry.

I mentioned in a recent post that the street food area in Patpong 1, which takes up at least one third of the soi, was buzzing in January.  Not a spare seat. Food looked pretty good. And beer was cheap. It was interesting  that there were still a few girly bars up that end, but they were sidelined by the food court.