Fewer Chinese group tours but more going solo to Chiang Mai

 

Picture: Chiang Mai News

 

Chiang Mai News reported the good news and the bad news for tourism in the capital of the north of Thailand. 

 

While group tours were down more Chinese were deciding to make their own travel arrangements. 

 

CMN said that group tours were down to 80% of previous levels amid safety concerns in Thailand and stories of Chinese nationals being taken advantage of. 

 

They quoted Pornchai Jitnawasathian of the Lanna tourism development board as saying that everyone must pull together to help boost the figures not just for Chinese tourism but all nationalities. 

 

He pointed to all the wonderful things that Thailand has to offer and encouraged operators to welcome and help tourists during their stays in the kingdom and in Chiang Mai. 

 

He said that one good thing was that more Chinese were eschewing group tours for personally organised trips. 

 

Source: Chiang Mai News

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2018-10-31

1 hour ago, webfact said:

While group tours were down more Chinese were deciding to make their own travel arrangements.

Pigeons will remain well fed!

Was talking to a Thai local business owner in Chiang Mai yesterday and he told me they don't want the Chinese, they want the Western Tourists to come back in decent numbers.   I told him if he could convince his Government to devalue the over valued Baht by 25%, teach more people English and make the Infrastructure a lot safer they would be back soon enough !

Last time I was in Chiang Mai, the hotel (Shangri-La) had a lot of young Chinese family tourists.  I would say about 30% of the guests and they were very well behaved.  There is a lot of difference between them and the Chinese tour groups.  Just the same as western tourists.

On 10/31/2018 at 4:23 PM, dunroaming said:

Last time I was in Chiang Mai, the hotel (Shangri-La) had a lot of young Chinese family tourists.  I would say about 30% of the guests and they were very well behaved.  There is a lot of difference between them and the Chinese tour groups.  Just the same as western tourists.

I totally agree as I experienced similar in a top hotel in Siem Reap, Cambodia. The hotel owner, a friend of mine, told me that the more discerning Chinese families were now booking independent holidays and not the group tours. During my stay, there were two families with children who could speak some English to the Khmer staff and their behavior was impeccable.