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Thailand expects jump in Chinese tourists in Golden Week after year-ago lull

snoop1130

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snoop1130 Legendary Member

snoop1130

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Thailand expects jump in Chinese tourists in Golden Week after year-ago lull

By Orathai Sriring, Satawasin Staporncharnchai

 

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FILE PHOTO: People are seen on a beach at Ko Kut island in Trat Province, Thailand October 27, 2018. REUTERS/Jorge Silva

 

BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thailand is set to see a jump in visitors from China during the “Golden Week” holidays this week due to relaxation of visa rules and as safety worries after a boat accident last year recede, industry executives said.

 

While a recent rebound in the number of visitors from China, Thailand's biggest source of tourists, is encouraging for the industry, its outlook is weighed by China's slowing economy and a strong baht THB=TH, they said.

 

Chinese tourists accounted for about 27% of Thailand’s record 38.3 million arrivals last year, and tourism is a key driver of growth in Southeast Asia’s second-largest economy.

 

About 250,000 Chinese tourists are expected to come to Thailand during the long break from October 1 to 7, said Vichit Prakobgosol, president of the Association of Thai Travel Agents (ATTA).

 

That would be a jump of 38% from the 181,000 Chinese tourists who visited Thailand during the break last year. A boat accident in July 2018 off its resort island of Phuket that killed 47 Chinese tourists dampened arrivals due to safety concerns.

 

“Compared with last year, we should see a big jump. Visa fee waivers are also helping,” said Vichit.

 

Thailand has tried to lure back Chinese holidaymakers and to boost the overall sector by waiving visa fees paid by visitors from several countries, including China.

 

Supawan Tanomkieatipume, president of the Thai Hotels Association, also expects more than 200,000 Chinese visitors during the break, though hotel bookings remain low.

 

“There are not many bookings from China yet, probably because the Chinese economy is not that good,” she said.

 

Also, many tourists don’t book hotels long in advance, while the strong baht may be a concern for some, she added.

 

The baht is Asia’s best performing currency this year, up 6% against the dollar. It was at 30.64 per dollar on Tuesday.

 

“If it breaks 30, tourism will be bad,” ATTA’s Vichit said.

 

However, he predicts 11 million Chinese tourists this year, up from 10.5 million last year.

 

Kasikorn Research Center said the number of Chinese tourists is on recovery after hitting a million in August, while Hong Kong’s riots could turn more visitors to Thailand.

 

The government believes higher Chinese visitors will help the number of overall foreign arrivals reach its target of 40 million this year, said government spokeswoman Narumon Pinyosinwat.

 

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-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-10-01
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kingofthemountain Platinum Member

kingofthemountain

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2 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Supawan Tanomkieatipume, president of the Thai Hotels Association, also expects more than 200,000 Chinese visitors during the break, though hotel bookings remain low.

 

“There are not many bookings from China yet, probably because the Chinese economy is not that good,” she said.

 

Also, many tourists don’t book hotels long in advance, while the strong baht may be a concern for some, she added.

And of course it's not necessary to consider that a big percentage of them book on airnbnb and co.

In Pattaya for example, while most of the hotels are struggling trying to fill at least half of the rooms condos like The Base and others  are totaly full of chineses tourists and very very busy all the time.

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Woolsgibb60 Senior Member

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3 hours ago, BuckBee said:

they had visa fee waiver for absolute ages lol .

Who picking up the waiver free for the Chinese and the Indians the farang when I payed £130 for a multi tourist visa last year this year £160 just milking u for the free waiver

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neeray Gold Member

neeray

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8 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

while Hong Kong’s riots could turn more visitors to Thailand

That's a riot.

Now we're back on the Chinese as the saviours and less reliant on the Indians.

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mok199 Gold Member

mok199

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10 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

overall foreign arrivals reach its target of 40 million this year, said government spokeswoman

40 million new targets in town ,its like shooting fish in a barrel ....

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PatOngo Ruby Member

PatOngo

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About 250,000 Chinese tourists are expected to come to Thailand

That would be a jump of 38%

“There are not many bookings from China yet, probably because the Chinese economy is not that good,”

 

I guess they will be sleeping under bridges!

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dotpoom Gold Member

dotpoom

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What is this obsession with tourism...I'v never seen anything like it in my whole life. Is anybody telling me that the average person cares too hoots about it.

  During my over 5O years of drinking, before giving it up,....I do not ever remember the topic of "The tourism figures" ever cropping up as a conversation piece in the many thousands of pubs I frequented?

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DLock Platinum Member

DLock

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Thailand tourism model is flawed.

 

They are always looking for new tourists rather than take care of the ones they already have so they want to return, or tell their friends how great Thailand is.

 

Instead, they lure them with visa waivers and empty promises, only to throw them to the Thai vultures that prey on vulnerable new tourists from the moment they arrive...and most will not come back and will tell friends that Thailand is horrible.

 

They are finding that there are only so many new tourists and they get harder to find....and better, lower cost tourism options are everywhere.

 

Personally, I would love to see Thailand fail at tourism and cause the entire economy to suffer. They have had it too easy for too long. Now the Thai's are complacent, lazy and greedy. They need an attitude adjustment...

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animalmagic Silver Member

animalmagic

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10 hours ago, kingofthemountain said:

And of course it's not necessary to consider that a big percentage of them book on airnbnb and co.

In Pattaya for example, while most of the hotels are struggling trying to fill at least half of the rooms condos like The Base and others  are totaly full of chineses tourists and very very busy all the time.

Also likely that they are paying Chinese owners of accommodation here, in China before they come.  That's brilliant for the Thai economy.

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madmitch Platinum Member

madmitch

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Certainly seem to be quite a lot of Chinese in Karon/Kata this week.

 

what was disconcering for the tourism industry was an email from Booking.com basically saying that future bookings in the area for October were 57% down on this time last year. Airbnb etc can account for some of this but not all. OK, it's October but November is not looking too rosy at the moment either.

 

On another point, why can't Government spokespersons get their act togeether. Just last week the Minister of Turism admitted they were unlikely to reach the 40m tourist arrivals target hyet in this article we have someone else stating that the Chinese visitors will help Thailand reach the 40m target.

 

 

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30la Silver Member

30la

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Do you remember the years without the Chinese and the Indians? They were very prosperous years for Thailand, then you started to take advantage of them (not only the taxi drivers), the prices went up exorbitantly, result: the tourists who have learned not to save too much during the holidays, have turned their backs on you!
Now you have to settle for crumbs!
I remember the year 1999/2000, the hotels have put into effect their exorbitant request of the Christmas and New Year's Eve dinner (obligatory) there were prices per person of 14,000 Baht and more without the drinks!
Yes, but the farangs are all so rich ...

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newatthis Silver Member

newatthis

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2 hours ago, dotpoom said:

What is this obsession with tourism...I'v never seen anything like it in my whole life. Is anybody telling me that the average person cares too hoots about it.

  During my over 5O years of drinking, before giving it up,....I do not ever remember the topic of "The tourism figures" ever cropping up as a conversation piece in the many thousands of pubs I frequented?

+1

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