More foreign visitors reported after free Thailand visa scheme

[bendejo]

Within days of the announcement suddenly the numbers are up, if any truth to that at all it's probably expats lying low in Malaysia, Cambodia, Lao and VN with their already too many Thai entry stamps.

 

 

[simoh1490]

33 minutes ago, realfunster said:

Fair enough, ‘‘twas poorly worded, however, Chinese mass market is clearly a major focus area.

 

Tourist numbers grew steadily from around 11m in 2002 to 16m in 2010. From 2010 to 2017 they grew to 35m. Over the same time frame Chinese visitors have grown from less than 1m to 10m.

 

Of the 20 countries given Visa fee waivers recently, only China and to a much lesser extent India (1m visitors per annum) were of any significance to the tourist market. 

I think there is a couple of parts to this: the first is that many posters associate Chinese tourism exclusively with tour buses full of jabbering Chinese peasants and flag leading tour guides that ramage through shopping centres and main shopping streets whereas that is only one sector. To see the other Chinese tourism sectors posters need to visit some of the more unique tourist attractions, visit some of the more upscale hotels and look in places that aren't typical of mass market tourists, they are there in the thousands if not hundreds of thousands.

 

The second part of this has to do with the growth numbers: the Chinese are late in coming to the expanded wealth party but they have arrived, as evidenced by the surge in visitors, but just because the numbers have jumped dramatically it doesn't mean they are all mass market tourists, far from it.

 

I was in the UK this year for three months, in Terminal 5 at Heathrow airport I was nearly mowed down twice by Chinese tour groups who were clearly on the poorer end of the tourist scale and far from seasoned travellers, evidence that Chinese have and are spending a lot more money on travel because London is far from cheap. Later in Bowness, otherwise known as Windermere in the Lake District, the entire town and the cruise boats on the lake were dominated by Chinese tourists, not tour groups but families and couples and judging from the way they were dressed and spending money in restaurants and shops, not poor by means. Later in Lancaster, I spoke with three Chinese tourists, they were doing a two week English course at Lancaster Uni. followed by one weeks holiday to see the sites, all independently arranged, the class size on the course was forty people- conclusion, Chinese have money and they are travelling and they are spending plenty, as confirmed by the spend per capitia stats.

 

[Jiggo]

2 hours ago, Oziex1 said:

It should also be mentioned that as the I'll fated tourist boat The Phoenix was raised, tourist confidence soared, look out theyre on their way. 

The Phoenix was going to be ''Raised'' any way it all ways is....????

[dave moir]

1 hour ago, simoh1490 said:

Why do you think Thailand is focussing just on the Chinese mass market?

Maybe the way they bend over backwards for the Chinese! 

[terminatorchiangmai]

Fake news again, i thought there was a law against that now ?

[prakhonchai nick]

 

There is always an increase in tourists in late November  --its the start of the peak.season

[Old Croc]

1 hour ago, stevew407 said:

very interesting article and commrnts  but as always where is the real or fake news and sources and perceptions and perspectives? How do I meet or have I mrt Rooster? Others?

You have a lot of chutzpah, albeit somewhat quixotic, wanting a date with Rooster.  If you're thinking of having a whizbang evening of scrabble with him, you may find his current partner may quickly exorcise you as some kind of a jezebel.

[IAMHERE]

Great, another TAT success 'story'. 

[ThaiFelix]

They would do much better if they offered free water wings!

[PerkinsCuthbert]

Gotta feel the love for TAT tho'.

[Lacessit]

If only they could make the retirement visa process that simple. What am I saying? All the unemployment that would be created.

[Redline]

Looks like they gave up on “quality tourists”

[balo]

Yeah....right....... complete nonsense. Another fake news day . 

 

 

[Media1]

Fake news election  gimmick. Keep destroying Thailand with those buses.

[NanLaew]

2 hours ago, dotpoom said:

I was looking for a "positive" reaction ...but gave up.

Methinks many on here are not happy people ..unless they have something to "grumble" about...even when the subject matter has nothing at all to do with them?

It's a bit much to expect the doom and gloomsters to ever see the sunny side of things in LOS. Even more so when the greater majority of them are only giving their tuppence worth on this thread while on a Sabbatical from the numerous 'OMG!' threads related to the sudden demise of the income letter.

[DrTuner]

If the cost of visa is a factor in visiting Thailand, these quality tourists must be pretty skint. Why not bring back the zero dollar tours while at it, all that matters are numbers. Maybe start importing corpses to get a few more.

[Percy P]

3 hours ago, stevew407 said:

very interesting article and commrnts  but as always where is the real or fake news and sources and perceptions and perspectives? How do I meet or have I mrt Rooster? Others?

Foreign currency exchange my boy .The only thing keeping Thailand head above water. 

[britishrepublican]

4 hours ago, colinneil said:

What a load of nonsense.

Last week it is announced that the tourist visas would be free for a short time, suddenly tourist numbers increase.

So tourists suddenly change their travel plans because of this BS.

Just more brain dead nonsense.

I was just saying the same thing to my girlfriend. It amazes me because everything reported in any of thai media is always a fantastic success but they can even lay down a decent footpath. 

[Percy P]

3 hours ago, stevew407 said:

very interesting article and commrnts  but as always where is the real or fake news and sources and perceptions and perspectives? How do I meet or have I mrt Rooster? Others?

Foreign currency exchange my boy. More currency exchange more Billions instead of Million of Baht.

[xylophone]

12 minutes ago, britishrepublican said:

I was just saying the same thing to my girlfriend. It amazes me because everything reported in any of thai media is always a fantastic success but they can even lay down a decent footpath. 

Or know how to use a roundabout!!!!

[Formaleins]

What out and out utter garbage! Do they really think that within one or two weeks people are going to completely change all of their travel plans, possibly change their travel destinations just because they can get a cheap or free visa to Thailand? Do they think anyone arranges a holiday based on the price of a visa? I can just see thousands of tourists booked up for Florida, cancelling en masse just to take up the opportunity of an extra free land entry from Laos! 
What a complete pack of lies. These idiots live in a self contained self generated bubble that isolates them from reality.

[manchega]

funny that, so changing the name did'nt get em out of the safety issues

 

it works on the roads though

[joecoolfrog]

3 hours ago, dotpoom said:

I was looking for a "positive" reaction ...but gave up.

Methinks many on here are not happy people ..unless they have something to "grumble" about...even when the subject matter has nothing at all to do with them?

Sheer logic suggests that the announcement of free visas does NOT translate to an immediate upsurge in international bookings.

The huge majority of tourists plan well ahead , they dont just decide to holiday the following week.

Im sure many of us on this forum are old and grumpy , but we are clearly not so stupid as to believe the nonsense that regularly gets spouted by TAT.

If you want to swallow the propaganda without thought then good for you , just dont criticise those who know better.

[ronaldo0]

Will someone please buy these people a new drum because the one they keep banging is broken !!! Even the most brain dead people in this country know its utter lies about the numbers they keep pumping out .

If there was any increase in numbers coming here it would be only for a few days for Loy Krathong then they would be gone . But even they will be down due to not being allowed to set of fire lanterns in certain areas which is a big part of the spectacle. But never fear as Vietnam holds the same display yearly !!

[BritManToo]

9 minutes ago, joecoolfrog said:

Im sure many of us on this forum are old and grumpy , but we are clearly not so stupid as to believe the nonsense that regularly gets spouted by TAT.

I don't think we are the target audience for their announcements.

Thais are generally far more conditioned to believe government propaganda.

[Charlie1]

Fake News.

[SheungWan]

4 hours ago, grumbleweed said:

I'm sure, being attracted by a free visa, they'll be of the big spending variety

The multiplier effect on all spending is effective.

[joecoolfrog]

26 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

I don't think we are the target audience for their announcements.

Thais are generally far more conditioned to believe government propaganda.

That is absolutely correct. You would think the chap who I responded to would appreciate that fact.

Its ironic that when a Farang does something stupid ( Thai style ) , we are told he should know better. However when the same Farang shows he does know better , he is labelled as grumpy and acting contrary to Thai cultural norms.

[tonysilly]

Yea sure. Oh! Free visa, let's go to Thailand lol China is happy now lol

[happy chappie]

4 hours ago, HiSoLowSoNoSo said:

If they lower the cost of Mamma noodles in 7/11 there will be millions of Chinese coming next week.

Sorry mate but they bring their own with them from China.