Thailand Voted A Favourite Chinese Tourist Destination

[JR Texas]

Just because it is a favourite place does not always mean good numbers. Weren't there stats posted here in the last few days showing that Chinese tourist numbers were dropping?

JR Texas: I am voting for an undisclosed island off the coast of Fiji..........yes, it is my favorite destination........the problem is that I have only been there once................

These types of polls are so useless.........distorted pictures of nothing (Picasso's and Pollock's they are not).

Yes, some "official stats" were published a short time ago showing a major drop in tourism in many Asian countries, including China and Japan.

I have something else on my wish list: I want to have sex with Victoria Principal. I think she would be my favorite destination. But I do not think I will ever get that wish :D :D

[Dakhar]

I speak Chinese:

I was sitting in an Airport in China, possibly Shanghai, can't remember. Any how, I was hearing a conversation and it went like this.

"Crap, I got to go to Thailand.... Thais think they are the worlds greatest." It gave me a chuckle.

Somthing else about the Chinese and tourism... they aint exactly "quality" in the eyes of vendors. What I mean is the common falang dosn't really bargain for cheaper prices. Culturally it is something that us falangs don't really understand... it comes from a niave up bringing from non corupt societies.

Now the Chinese on the other hand..... Oh they are ready to bargain, they come ready to argue, heck during the birthing process mom and dad are argueing at with the doctor....

"That's to expensive, I don't want it, you keep it" are the first words a Chinese baby hears.

[j_cheung]

I speak Chinese:

I was sitting in an Airport in China, possibly Shanghai, can't remember. Any how, I was hearing a conversation and it went like this.

"Crap, I got to go to Thailand.... Thais think they are the worlds greatest." It gave me a chuckle.

Somthing else about the Chinese and tourism... they aint exactly "quality" in the eyes of vendors. What I mean is the common falang dosn't really bargain for cheaper prices. Culturally it is something that us falangs don't really understand... it comes from a niave up bringing from non corupt societies.

Now the Chinese on the other hand..... Oh they are ready to bargain, they come ready to argue, heck during the birthing process mom and dad are argueing at with the doctor....

"That's to expensive, I don't want it, you keep it" are the first words a Chinese baby hears.

Mainlanders usually bargain en bloc; ergo obtain a bigger discount on sheer buy volume. If Thai Tourism considers "quality" tourists as a massive throng of SHORT-TERM visitors who eat, drink & buy all sorts of touristy goods in bulk, that's the way to go ... 冲啊！

[carnival1200]

Thailand and France I can imagine, sure!

But the Netherlands? Why do Chinese people like The Netherlands?

I think they have a bit of an obsession with western culture (european - i should say).  I watched a programme on UK TV last night and it

showed a new town built somewhere in Shanghai called Thames Town.  It was a  replica of 

an English town with churches, pubs, shops, red phone boxes - you name it.  Strange thing was it was deserted - almost - as most of the Chinese had bought the houses as investments, and apparantley

once you move into a house it becomes second hand and thus loses a lot of its value.

The only thriving buisiness was a studio where people would go to dress up in English style wedding

gear and have there photos taken outside the church as  if they were getting wed.  Fact is that most of them were already married (at a local office) and they just do it for the photos.

So my point is really, if a destination is to be a potential winner for Chinese tourists, then there must be some good photo oppurtunitys.  Although they had better get in quick before the Chinese replicate them.

[ssparks111]

Don't forget that most of Chinese are not freedom to visit or doing what they really want...during their Holiday

I wonder how can you conclude it?

All Chinese are freedom to visit or doing what they really want. for example, I visited Thai withother 6 young guys this yeare and did what we want. we have come to sumei, nanyuan dao and tao dao. next time I will com to north.

This seems to be a very common misconception. My Chinese wife and I have traveled to dozens of countries, she on her mainland China passport. The only time we ever even considered using the Chinese "tour group" option was to buy air tickets at extremely low prices. On those tours, once she was in the country, she could go anywhere and do anything she wanted. She doesn't have to stay with the tour group at all. There are selected cities or areas that the Chinese government requires Chinese tourists to visit using a regulated tour group. But this is usually temporary, once the city is listed as an approved tourist destination, anyone can go there. Thailand is definitely a place where Chinese tourists can freely visit. They are even allowed VOA's!

[Scott]

Basically, my experience with the Chinese (from mainland China) is they will go anywhere they can. It is visa restrictions etc. that prevent them for going where they would like to go. If nothing else, they are a very practical and opportunistic group of people.

Now they can come to Thailand and buy cheap souveniers that were made in China!

[j_cheung]

Don't forget that most of Chinese are not freedom to visit or doing what they really want...during their Holiday

I wonder how can you conclude it?

All Chinese are freedom to visit or doing what they really want. for example, I visited Thai withother 6 young guys this yeare and did what we want. we have come to sumei, nanyuan dao and tao dao. next time I will com to north.

This seems to be a very common misconception. My Chinese wife and I have traveled to dozens of countries, she on her mainland China passport. The only time we ever even considered using the Chinese "tour group" option was to buy air tickets at extremely low prices. On those tours, once she was in the country, she could go anywhere and do anything she wanted. She doesn't have to stay with the tour group at all. There are selected cities or areas that the Chinese government requires Chinese tourists to visit using a regulated tour group. But this is usually temporary, once the city is listed as an approved tourist destination, anyone can go there. Thailand is definitely a place where Chinese tourists can freely visit. They are even allowed VOA's!

I think that mainland tourists are free to roam in Thailand. However, for longer trips to the West or Japan, the tour guide would confiscate their passports for "safe keeping" prior to leaving the terminal ...

[LaoPo]

Don't forget that most of Chinese are not freedom to visit or doing what they really want...during their Holiday

I wonder how can you conclude it?

All Chinese are freedom to visit or doing what they really want. for example, I visited Thai withother 6 young guys this yeare and did what we want. we have come to sumei, nanyuan dao and tao dao. next time I will com to north.

This seems to be a very common misconception. My Chinese wife and I have traveled to dozens of countries, she on her mainland China passport. The only time we ever even considered using the Chinese "tour group" option was to buy air tickets at extremely low prices. On those tours, once she was in the country, she could go anywhere and do anything she wanted. She doesn't have to stay with the tour group at all. There are selected cities or areas that the Chinese government requires Chinese tourists to visit using a regulated tour group. But this is usually temporary, once the city is listed as an approved tourist destination, anyone can go there. Thailand is definitely a place where Chinese tourists can freely visit. They are even allowed VOA's!

1. About the misconception: you're right, the Chinese can travel freely wherever they want, provided they have a visa (for the EU, USA etc.). But, it's easier for Chinese to get a visa through a tour-group travel agency than individually!

2. I'm in the same situation as you: wife with mainland China passport but we never travel with a tour-group but it's a good idea for the low airtickets...

3. However, touroperators who are granted a license to organize tour-groups (to foreign countries) are ALSO responsible for the return of their travellers and could loose their license if they face 'lost' tourists (who deliberately disappear in any given country).

4. I wonder how you overcame the situation with leaving the tour-group....did you talk to the tour-leader (for your wife)? Or gave him/her some money?

5. Apart from the above: 90-95% of the Chinese travel in groups because of several reasons:

a. visa difficulties

b. language problems (99% doesn't speak any other language than their own -dialect- or Mandarin, Cantonese)

c. they are first-time travellers and would feel absolutely lost, travelling individually, to a foreign country.

d. low cost group fares/tickets/hotels sigth-seeing tours etc.

e. most tourists have short holidays, 7-10 days max.

LaoPo

[artao]

LaoPo,since your wife has a mainland China passport, will she go there(http://www.doyouhike.net/forum/board37,1,0,30.html) and read more about todays mainlander tourists. Maybe she and you will gain more information because the Chinese there seldom travel aboard in groups.

Edited June 14, 2007 by artao