Chinese tourism obliterated, but not to worry they'll be back at the double later, says minister

[webfact]

Chinese tourism obliterated, but not to worry they'll be back at the double later, says minister

 

Picture: Spring News

 

Thailand's embattled minister for tourism and sports has told the Thai media that tourists from China have all but stopped coming to Thailand. 

 

But he has said that in the second half of the year twice as many as usual will flood back to Thailand.

 

Then the Thais can get back some of the expected 300 billion baht in lost revenues.

 

All this comes as his ministry prepares to meet with tourism business operators in a meeting chaired by the health ministry chief. 

 

Spring News reported tourism chief Pipat Ratchakitprakarn as saying that in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak Chinese tourist arrivals are down 85%.

 

From 30,000 Chinese visitors a day there are now barely 3,000. 

 

This will mean a year round shortfall of 300 billion baht,  reported the media. 

 

But there was hope on the horizon according to the minister. 

 

The current slowdown would be made up in the second half of the year when double the usual number would come back to Thailand. 

 

Whether this was based on any scientific analysis or was just a throwaway comment, the media did not elaborate, notes Thaivisa.

 

Spring News added that Public Health Ministry chief Anutin Charnvirakul would chair a crisis meeting between his ministry, Pipat's ministry and tourism operators next Thursday - the 13th. 

 

The ministers would listen to those at ground zero and discuss what to take forward to a ministerial meeting two days later on Saturday 15th of February. 

 

Source: Spring News

 

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2020-02-07

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[RotBenz8888]

That man is delusional. Sad.

[worgeordie]

Forever hopeful....

regards Worgeordie

[ThailandRyan]

I saw it for myself that they were back in double already, yes two Chinese Nationals in Lumpini Park taking photos.  Yes they have doubled.....lol.  They are delusional with the expectations of a recovery.  Time to move on folks, Nothing to see here......

[YetAnother]

17 minutes ago, webfact said:

But he has said that in the second half of the year twice as many as usual will flood back to Thailand.

doesn't thailand have a new department addressing fake news ? and why only twice as many ? why not ten times as many ?

[ThreeEyedRaven]

17 minutes ago, webfact said:

 

But he has said that in the second half of the year twice as many as usual will flood back to Thailand.

You just know the country is like a circus when you get Government Ministers behaving like a clown. Who knows how long the virus situation will be with us, or how willing Chinese will be to travel afterwards? Such statements are just stupid nonsense.

[neeray]

There's always tomorrow. (but not for sure)

 

This reminds me of when I used to participate in trade shows. They're often 3 days. Day one, other exhibitors and show producers excuse soft attendance as "first day". Day two, no better so they say day 3 (last day) will be the big attendance day. But day three, another flop.

 

"The current slowdown would be made up in the second half of the year when double the usual number would come back to Thailand".

 

The minister may just find that the "second half" will be a flop like the third day of the trade show.

 But then they'll just find another excuse.

[darksidedog]

That is quite a statement to make. Current events are the sort of thing which are likely when the dust settles, to make people think much harder about where they are going to go, and identify potential dangers. If that does occur, Thailand may be lucky to get back half, let alone return to normal, or hit what would be a truly amazing doubling of numbers.

[baansgr]

I hope not....Jomtien is like paradise now without every other vehicle being a noisy tour bus chucking out black smoke....forgot how wonderful life can be....dreading the return, and if in double numbers...aarrrggghhh

[bluesofa]

3 minutes ago, ThreeEyedRaven said:

22 minutes ago, webfact said:

 

But he has said that in the second half of the year twice as many as usual will flood back to Thailand.

You just know the country is like a circus when you get Government Ministers behaving like a clown. Who knows how long the virus situation will be with us, or how willing Chinese will be to travel afterwards? Such statements are just stupid nonsense.

It does make you wonder how the selection committee for ministers works:

Are they put in a room, given a news report concerning a grave situation, then given fifteen seconds to announce a positive reponse?

[sammieuk1]

That's like saying if the Chinese stop eating everything unnatural by July minister ???? 

[mtls2005]

31 minutes ago, webfact said:

From 30,000 Chinese visitors a day there are now barely 3,000. 

 

Barely?

 

3,000?

 

Is that the approximate number arriving each day? Or the total number currently in country?

 

 

[rkidlad]

Yes, all those poor people cooped up in their homes, worried to death and bored out of their brains, are just waiting for this to be over so they can come and help Thailand's ailing tourism.

 

All those people in their homes in Wuhan are now shouting from their windows, "Stay strong, Thailand!". Jesus wept. 

[Skallywag]

41 minutes ago, webfact said:

The current slowdown would be made up in the second half of the year when double the usual number would come back to Thailand. 

Infrastructure in Pattaya could not even handle the numbers before, and now they predict double?  

The zero baht tours are not helping many Thais from what I have read.  

[ezzra]

That's what doctors also tells you about gentile herpes...

Edited February 7, 2020 by ezzra

[neeray]

21 minutes ago, baansgr said:

I hope not....Jomtien is like paradise now without every other vehicle being a noisy tour bus chucking out black smoke....forgot how wonderful life can be....dreading the return, and if in double numbers...aarrrggghhh

But there are millions of others depending on the tourism revenue stream. Might you be acting just a little selfish!

[BestB]

Really makes you wonder why they are so concerned about the chinese market , totally disregarding all the rest. 
 

it sure as hell was not the chinese who built tourism over past 3-4 decades

[AndrewMciver]

 

 

1) There are tourists from other countries other than China.

 

2) He's probably rite, once this (hopefully) has dyed down, the Chinese will be back. 

[Bruce Aussie Chiang Mai]

They will come in droves full of gratitude because Thailand has found the cure with the magical cocktail mix of drugs.

????????????????❤????????

[Yadon Toploy]

7 minutes ago, neeray said:

But there are millions of others depending on the tourism revenue stream. Might you be acting just a little selfish!

They'll survive.

 

Might not be able to waste all their money on Pizza Company and Pick-up modifications, but they'll survive.

[CGW]

6 minutes ago, neeray said:

But there are millions of others depending on the tourism revenue stream. Might you be acting just a little selfish!

The problem with the "tourist revenue stream" is it comes bearing a "double edged sword" no attempt has been made to make it sustainable and it impacts heavily on others quality of life due to lack of investment and greed.

The primary reason for mass tourism from China is that for the Chinese, it is cheap, it is more expensive for them to holiday at home in China as they would not be allowed to be herded around in polluting transportation on mass like they are here, as an example, the tourism industry here is a victim of its own greed.

[bluesofa]

9 hours ago, Bruce Aussie Chiang Mai said:

They will come in droves full of gratitude because Thailand has found the cure with the magical cocktail mix of drugs.

????????????????❤????????

Sounds like an all-night beach party I went to once. Woke up daze later.

[Iron Tongue]

The Chinese will be back as they will support countries which did not implement travel bans, which is a public humiliation for them.  China has learned the might of economic boycotts as South Korea and Japan have discovered.

Unfortunately, it won't be this year as Chinese New Year is over and everyone has lost money & vacation time from their enforced quarantine & work stoppages.

[DrTuner]

Sure, as long as the illegal Chinese run condo hotels and tours run by the Chinese reboot. Nothing to be happy about. Unless you're on the take from them.

[Gweiloman]

34 minutes ago, CGW said:

The problem with the "tourist revenue stream" is it comes bearing a "double edged sword" no attempt has been made to make it sustainable and it impacts heavily on others quality of life due to lack of investment and greed.

The primary reason for mass tourism from China is that for the Chinese, it is cheap, it is more expensive for them to holiday at home in China as they would not be allowed to be herded around in polluting transportation on mass like they are here, as an example, the tourism industry here is a victim of its own greed.

This statement applies to Thailand as well as practically every country around the globe. From cities like Venice to Cesky Krumlov to Paris, one can’t help but notice the hundreds of tour buses ferrying tourists from all over the world. 
 

[stephenterry]

What a freaking <deleted>.

As they're allowing 3,000 Chinese visitors a day, odds are that some would bring in the Coronavirus with them - the numbers are too large to prevent that happening. 

 

And then there won't be any tourism for the Minister to worry about, just the population here, instead. 

[Misterwhisper]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

Whether this was based on any scientific analysis or was just a throwaway comment, the media did not elaborate, notes Thaivisa.

Neither. Instead, the dear minister probably has consulted the fortune teller TAT hired around Christmas last year to "help out with dwindling tourist numbers".

 

There is no other explanation. How else could he possibly be so sure that 1) the virus crisis will be resolved by mid-year, and 2) that Chinese arrivals will in fact be "double the usual number"? That information is just so accurate, it HAS to come from a fortune teller.

 

Will the utterly delusional announcements that so frequently emanate from this ministry ever abate? My own crystal ball says: "No. They're going to persist, now and for all eternity." I trust my crystal ball.

 

 

 

 

[DLock]

And it's comments like this that makes me want to see the entire tourism industry obliterated in Thailand.

[AndrewMciver]

53 minutes ago, Iron Tongue said:

The Chinese will be back as they will support countries which did not implement travel bans, which is a public humiliation for them.  China has learned the might of economic boycotts as South Korea and Japan have discovered.

Unfortunately, it won't be this year as Chinese New Year is over and everyone has lost money & vacation time from their enforced quarantine & work stoppages.

 

Nonsense. 

 

When one vacation, rarely does it crop into their mind "oh that neighbouring country treated us well, i shall go visit". 

 

They come to Thailand because of the climate, 'cheapness', etc 

 

I'm from the UK. Like millions of others, we enjoy going to Europe, be it Germany, France, Italy - never does it even enter ones mind 'oh those pesky Germans, let's boycott these beer festivals'. 

 

It will be the same for the Chinese. Once this is over, they will go on holidays as usual. If they can afford Japan, Korea, Singapore, then they will go there, regardless of whether during a virus outbreak those countries weren't seeming to lick their governments <deleted>. 

 

In saying all this then, it does beg the question why Thailand hasn't just gone ahead and introduced a temporary Ban on visitors from China, like others. Loyalty won't play a part in anyones vacation. 

[Beggar]

1 hour ago, Skallywag said:

Infrastructure in Pattaya could not even handle the numbers before, and now they predict double?  

The zero baht tours are not helping many Thais from what I have read.  

I was thinking the same. So I expect them to double the infrastructure in the next months so that they will be ready in time. Imagine all these Chinese want to come in huge quantities and can't because there are not enough rooms, busses, speed boats, tour guides... Perhaps they go to other countries then.