Chinese tourists still number one visitors to Phuket

[webfact]

Chinese tourists still number one visitors to Phuket

By Kritsada Mueanhawong

 

 

The Deputy Director of the Phuket Tourism Authority of Thailand, Montri Manator, says, “Numbers of Chinese tourists visiting Phuket in tour groups have been continuing to decrease after the Phoenix sinking on July 5 this year.”

 

“On the other hand, Chinese tourists who are visiting Phuket by themselves, called FIT groups (Free and Independent Travellers), has not decreased. They are continuing to visit Phuket in high numbers.

 

“These are Chinese tourists who book their own holidays, decide which hotel to stay at, where to eat and where to visit.

 

Full story: https://thethaiger.com/news/phuket/chinese-tourists-still-number-one-visitors-to-phuket

 

-- © Copyright The Thaiger 2018-11-16

[NamKangMan]

 

“These are Chinese tourists who book their own holidays, decide which hotel to stay at, where to eat and where to visit." - with 10 of them staying in one condo, and buying one pizza and sharing the photo opportunity.

 

As for choosing "where to eat" that is usually 7/11 or Family Mart, and for "where to visit" that's usually a location that does not involve an entrance fee. 

 

Picture your typical young western backpacker, and these "FIT groups" spend even less. 

 

Keep up the good work TAT.  ????

 

Edited November 16, 2018 by NamKangMan

[LivinginKata]

22 minutes ago, NamKangMan said:

 

“These are Chinese tourists who book their own holidays, decide which hotel to stay at, where to eat and where to visit." - with 10 of them staying in one condo, and buying one pizza and sharing the photo opportunity.

 

As for choosing "where to eat" that is usually 7/11 or Family Mart, and for "where to visit" that's usually a location that does not involve an entrance fee. 

 

Picture your typical young western backpacker, and these "FIT groups" spend even less. 

 

Keep up the good work TAT. 

 

 

That's not what I see in my travels. I see couples in one bed condos, usually hire a car or at least a m/bike, Big groups like 10 stay in a 4+ bed fancy home and have a mini bus at door. I can see them right now as I gaze from my balcony. Seem nice enough people, not like the rabble on the package deal who fit you 7/11 profile. spend plenty at our street independent minimart. We own that too  ???? and our new take away fast Thai food shop  ????

[Kopitiam]

1 hour ago, NamKangMan said:

 

“These are Chinese tourists who book their own holidays, decide which hotel to stay at, where to eat and where to visit." - with 10 of them staying in one condo, and buying one pizza and sharing the photo opportunity.

 

As for choosing "where to eat" that is usually 7/11 or Family Mart, and for "where to visit" that's usually a location that does not involve an entrance fee. 

 

Picture your typical young western backpacker, and these "FIT groups" spend even less. 

 

Keep up the good work TAT.  ????

 

You are not visiting the right places to see how the Chinese spend big time.  I went to the Hanuman World 3 days ago and 80% of the visitors were Chinese in small groups that came from different hotels.  Last week, I brought a visitor to the Rawai sea gypsy place for dinner and the patrons of most of the restaurants there were Chinese.  Many groups bought their seafood from the stalls across the lane and gave them to the restaurants to cook.  They may not be spending big in the bars like the western tourists but they do spend, especially those classified as "FIT groups".

[NamKangMan]

@ LIK and Kopitiam

 

I have seen the more wealthy Chinese around.  I have no doubt they are here.  I accept your observations.

 

The article says they have not decreased in numbers, as the Chinese tour groups have, but does not give a percentage of them in the overall number of Chinese tourists.

 

“Last month there are more than 120,000 Chinese tourists, which is still the number one foreign group of tourists who are visiting Phuket.” - what percentage of these are "FIT groups."  

 

TAT is talking them up because the tour group number are down.  Just because they haven't decreased in numbers, doesn't mean they have increased, only increased in percentage because the other numbers are down.  I would suggest that this  demographic of Chinese tourist was never a big percentage of the overall Chinese tourist numbers in the first place.

 

I would also be interested to know how TAT determines who is in a "FIT group" and who is in a "tour group."  What criteria are they using for that determination?

[LivinginKata]

13 minutes ago, NamKangMan said:

<snip>

I would also be interested to know how TAT determines who is in a "FIT group" and who is in a "tour group."  What criteria are they using for that determination?

 

Easy - package deal and not package deal. How easy can it be.

[the guest]

possibly right since nobody else is coming to Thailand, not rocket science !

[madmitch]

Actually, isn't the term "FIT Group" something of an oxymoron? If they are part of a group they are not free independent travellers.

[jaiyen]

Of course the Chines are the No 1 tourists in Phuket. The westerners have been a few times and have had a gutful of the place and will never go back.  There are still millions of Chinese who are yet to visit and get ripped off. 

[NamKangMan]

15 hours ago, LivinginKata said:

 

Easy - package deal and not package deal. How easy can it be.

 

As madmitch says, and he alludes to the point I was trying to make, if the "FIT" tourists are in a "group" how does TAT distinguish them from a "tour group." 

 

Is the criteria any more than 30 people booking in a group is a "tour group" and any less than 30 people booking is a "FIT group?"

 

Does it go on hotel bookings or flight bookings?

 

Does it go on the "star rating" of the hotel the group is staying in? 

 

Does it go on the company who books on behalf of the "group/s?"  

 

Does it go on the information supplied on their TM Card? 

 

It's fine for TAT to talk up this demographic, but how do they identify them, and how do they classify them????????

[Johnnyngai]

Some bare feet peasants do eventually put on nice shoes and begin to spend some money.  

Do be nice to them and show them some good western manners.  

[beechbum]

I don't frequent Patong at all but see plenty of Chinese spending money at lots of other parts of the Island, also seeing more and more couples and small groups of independents out and about.

[bristolgeoff]

with what many friends have said about cambodia they are building huge hotels casino and everything else.all by the beach in private areas {like jamacia private beaches} and anything else.so i think that the chinese are heading to shinoukville now.so pretty soon they will not be so many.maybe the russians will come back and be willing to pay the high prices

[kevin612]

chinese people are everywhere

[Tchooptip]

18 hours ago, NamKangMan said:

 

“These are Chinese tourists who book their own holidays, decide which hotel to stay at, where to eat and where to visit." - with 10 of them staying in one condo, and buying one pizza and sharing the photo opportunity.

 

As for choosing "where to eat" that is usually 7/11 or Family Mart, and for "where to visit" that's usually a location that does not involve an entrance fee. 

 

Picture your typical young western backpacker, and these "FIT groups" spend even less. 

 

Keep up the good work TAT.  ????

 

 

Thai Visa undoubtedly the hub of negative thinkers about everything as far as Thailand is concerned 

Chinese tourists spent $292 billion (£224 billion) abroad in 2015, nearly three times as much as the second biggest spenders, the Americans, and nearly five times as much as Britons abroad. That’s roughly the same as the number of Americans (66 million) who travelled internationally in 2016. But here’s a difference: the Chinese are spending far more than anyone else.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/destinations/asia/china/how-chinese-tourists-travel-etiquette-and-money/

[NamKangMan]

10 minutes ago, Tchooptip said:

Thai Visa undoubtedly the hub of negative thinkers about everything as far as Thailand is concerned 

Chinese tourists spent $292 billion (£224 billion) abroad in 2015, nearly three times as much as the second biggest spenders, the Americans, and nearly five times as much as Britons abroad. That’s roughly the same as the number of Americans (66 million) who travelled internationally in 2016. But here’s a difference: the Chinese are spending far more than anyone else.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/destinations/asia/china/how-chinese-tourists-travel-etiquette-and-money/

 

Can you point out to me where Thailand gets a mention in your link?

 

As far as being "negative" I am just calling it as I see it.  Yes, I see the odd wealthy Chinese buying genuine branded items, but they are vastly outnumbered by the cheap Chinese tourists here, yet, the article, and TAT, want the reader to focus on the small minority of Chinese. 

 

I would suggest that these "FIT group" Chinese are not as wealthy as the TAT would like us to believe.   

 

I agree the numbers in your link are big, but with over a billion Chinese, they would be.  

 

I will not go into the "zero baht tourist" issue as it will be off topic. 

 

I just don't see "the spend" from the majority of what appears to be "independent" Chinese tourists, who may possibly be classified by the TAT as "FIT group" Chinese. 

 

 

 

[Mavideol]

20 hours ago, NamKangMan said:

 

“These are Chinese tourists who book their own holidays, decide which hotel to stay at, where to eat and where to visit." - with 10 of them staying in one condo, and buying one pizza and sharing the photo opportunity.

 

As for choosing "where to eat" that is usually 7/11 or Family Mart, and for "where to visit" that's usually a location that does not involve an entrance fee. 

 

Picture your typical young western backpacker, and these "FIT groups" spend even less. 

 

Keep up the good work TAT.  ????

 

You are 100% correct, it's happening at other places as well, Chinese always asking for discounts, they don't spend money, order from the street vendor 1 fried rice for 6 of them, saw it last night..... TAT is not seeing the all picture

[Mavideol]

20 hours ago, LivinginKata said:

 

That's not what I see in my travels. I see couples in one bed condos, usually hire a car or at least a m/bike, Big groups like 10 stay in a 4+ bed fancy home and have a mini bus at door. I can see them right now as I gaze from my balcony. Seem nice enough people, not like the rabble on the package deal who fit you 7/11 profile. spend plenty at our street independent minimart. We own that too  ???? and our new take away fast Thai food shop  ????

there are exceptions and the type you described are a VERY minimal %

[Mavideol]

2 hours ago, Tchooptip said:

Thai Visa undoubtedly the hub of negative thinkers about everything as far as Thailand is concerned 

Chinese tourists spent $292 billion (£224 billion) abroad in 2015, nearly three times as much as the second biggest spenders, the Americans, and nearly five times as much as Britons abroad. That’s roughly the same as the number of Americans (66 million) who travelled internationally in 2016. But here’s a difference: the Chinese are spending far more than anyone else.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/destinations/asia/china/how-chinese-tourists-travel-etiquette-and-money/

does your account includes the ones (foreigners) living here and feeding a lot of family members mostly in cash thus how can it be accounted for, your numbers are irrelevant for this post

[Kopitiam]

3 hours ago, NamKangMan said:

 

As madmitch says, and he alludes to the point I was trying to make, if the "FIT" tourists are in a "group" how does TAT distinguish them from a "tour group." 

 

Is the criteria any more than 30 people booking in a group is a "tour group" and any less than 30 people booking is a "FIT group?"

 

Does it go on hotel bookings or flight bookings?

 

Does it go on the "star rating" of the hotel the group is staying in? 

 

Does it go on the company who books on behalf of the "group/s?"  

 

Does it go on the information supplied on their TM Card? 

 

It's fine for TAT to talk up this demographic, but how do they identify them, and how do they classify them????????

Go ask TAT.  No one here can give you an answer.

[NamKangMan]

2 hours ago, Kopitiam said:

Go ask TAT.  No one here can give you an answer.

 

Thus, no one will ever know the truth.  Right? 

[beechbum]

3 hours ago, Mavideol said:

You are 100% correct, it's happening at other places as well, Chinese always asking for discounts, they don't spend money, order from the street vendor 1 fried rice for 6 of them, saw it last night..... TAT is not seeing the all picture

But you are.......OK

[White Christmas13]

4 hours ago, NamKangMan said:

 

Can you point out to me where Thailand gets a mention in your link?

 

As far as being "negative" I am just calling it as I see it.  Yes, I see the odd wealthy Chinese buying genuine branded items, but they are vastly outnumbered by the cheap Chinese tourists here, yet, the article, and TAT, want the reader to focus on the small minority of Chinese. 

 

I would suggest that these "FIT group" Chinese are not as wealthy as the TAT would like us to believe.   

 

I agree the numbers in your link are big, but with over a billion Chinese, they would be.  

 

I will not go into the "zero baht tourist" issue as it will be off topic. 

 

I just don't see "the spend" from the majority of what appears to be "independent" Chinese tourists, who may possibly be classified by the TAT as "FIT group" Chinese. 

 

 

 

well I can show you this is per person by country

[Mavideol]

1 hour ago, beechbum said:

But you are.......OK

I am a little more aware of them because they stay at my place, deal with ""small"" FIT groups on a daily basis and know their requests and expenses

[beechbum]

1 minute ago, Mavideol said:

I am a little more aware of them because they stay at my place, deal with ""small"" FIT groups on a daily basis and know their requests and expenses

Yeah ok, cool story.

[Kopitiam]

4 hours ago, Mavideol said:

does your account includes the ones (foreigners) living here and feeding a lot of family members mostly in cash thus how can it be accounted for, your numbers are irrelevant for this post

The thread is about tourists not long term stayers.

[Mavideol]

6 minutes ago, Kopitiam said:

The thread is about tourists not long term stayers.

 many ''long term stayers" are considered tourists as well, many have to go out to renew their visas and some are staying with ""tourist"" visa

[NamKangMan]

18 hours ago, White Christmas13 said:

well I can show you this is per person by country

 

"well I can show you this is per person by country" - really? 

 

Can you show me which part of the bar graph represents the expenditure in Thailand????

 

 

 

Edited November 18, 2018 by NamKangMan

[NamKangMan]

16 hours ago, Kopitiam said:

The thread is about tourists not long term stayers.

 

I'm a "long term stayer" but classified as a tourist. 

[White Christmas13]

1 hour ago, NamKangMan said:

 

"well I can show you this is per person by country" - really? 

 

Can you show me which part of the bar graph represents the expenditure in Thailand????

 

 

 

http://www.thaiwebsites.com/tourism-income-Thailand.asp