Thai weddings all the rage for young Chinese

[webfact]

Thai weddings all the rage for young Chinese 

By Suwatchai Songwanich 
Chief executive Officer, 
Bangkok Bank (China)

 

 

China’s 1.5-trillion yuan wedding industry has been built on centuries-old customs, but today affluent young Chinese couples are shifting away from traditional ceremonies in favour of quality, customisation and social media resonance.

 

For the generation of young people who have grown up with an eye to the outside world, destination weddings are becoming particularly attractive, with Thailand serving as one popular spot to tie the knot.

 

In contrast to weddings held in palatial hotel ballrooms attended by up to a thousand guests (many of whom the couple do not know), many millennials are saying “I do” in picturesque places around theworld, including Bali, Greece and the Maldives.

 

 In recent years, the value of the overseas wedding market in China has tripled with nearly 60 per cent of young Chinese couples planning to marry overseas.

 

There has also been a noticeable increase in wedding budgets, with young couples taking advantage of loans and instalment payments to hire wedding vendors that haven’t been available in the Chinese market before.

 

However, a wedding outside of China doesn’t necessarily mean a smaller bill.

 

Thailand has long been a top-ranked wedding and honeymoon destination, and foreign weddings can bring in between Bt5 million and 20 million. The Destination Wedding Planners Congress, held in Bangkok last year, named Thailand as the No 1 wedding destination in Asia.

 

China has become Thailand’s largest and fastest-growing tourism market, particularly since a more convenient visa-on-arrival policy was introduced.

 

Thailand’s status as a top wedding destination was further strengthened by the Tourism Authority of Thailand’s “Thailand Wedding Destiny” campaign last year. Aimed at showcasing Thailand’s massive potential as a world-class wedding destination, the campaign invited nine couples from nine countries around the world, including China, to get married in Koh Samui, Phuket, Krabi or Sukhothai.

 

Of course, one of the key benefits of a Thai destination wedding is the country’s natural beauty, supported by local groups building picture-perfect resorts specifically to cater for weddings and honeymoons. With the prestige that these exotic weddings hold in China, it is no surprise that they have lasting impact on young couples’ WeChat newsfeeds.

 

Even for these couples with spectacular WeChat-worthy overseas weddings, tradition still plays a role. After the international ceremony, many couples will host large banquets back in China, “encouraged” by their parents. This is an expensive compromise, but one that keeps everyone happy!

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/opinion/30347415

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-06-11

[Bluespunk]

39 minutes ago, webfact said:

In contrast to weddings held in palatial hotel ballrooms attended by up to a thousand guests (many of whom the couple do not know), many millennials are saying “I do” in picturesque places around theworld, including Bali, Greece and the Maldives.

 

39 minutes ago, webfact said:

Even for these couples with spectacular WeChat-worthy overseas weddings, tradition still plays a role. After the international ceremony, many couples will host large banquets back in China, “encouraged” by their parents.

Erm...

[mok199]

living soi1 and beach rd we see the full effect of the new tourist and I enjoy them..they are young and enthusiastic even the older tour groups are ok..its the buses and loud thai tour group herders with their over the top loud staff who create all the chaos and noise...pattaya north is changing and I for one am waiting for the announcement ''Pattaya the new Las Vegas''..

[Alex Sharp]

Mainland Chinese couples can only be legally married in China. 

[1337markus]

Another new HUB? Wedding hub of SE Asia?

[marko kok prong]

One can only imagine these young Chinese enjoy the garbage strewn roads and beaches.