Cost-conscious Chinese tourists staying closer to home for Lunar New Year

 

People are seen by an installation with Chinese characters reading, "Welcome Home", at the Zhengzhou Railway Station during the Spring Festival travel rush ahead of Chinese Lunar New Year in Henan province, China January 29, 2019. Picture taken January 29, 2019. REUTERS/Stringer

 

SHANGHAI (Reuters) - Trade tensions with the United States and a slowing economy are keeping Chinese tourists to budget-friendly destinations closer to home for the Lunar New Year holiday, with more likely opting for Bangkok than Sydney or San Francisco.

 

The week-long holiday, which takes place this year in the first week of February, is one of China's longest breaks and over 400 million people are expected to travel across the country for family reunions, according to Chinese travel agency Ctrip. It estimates 7 million will go abroad.

 

Hotels and travel agencies in Asian countries from Thailand to Japan anticipate higher numbers than a year ago of Chinese tourists, who have become a powerful spending force with the ability to make, or break, the fortunes of retailers and tourism brands.

 

But recently, the numbers going to the United States, Australia and New Zealand have fallen or only show small increases.

 

"We see the growth start to slow a little bit and per pax spending, especially on shopping, declining," said Hunter Williams, a U.S.-based partner at management consultant firm Oliver Wyman.

 

The consultancy says that average spending on overseas shopping a year ago was 5,800 yuan ($855), compared with 8,000 yuan around Lunar New Year in 2016.

 

In 2018, the Chinese economy grew at its slowest rate in nearly three decades, and economists expect a further decline this year, in part because of weakening consumer spending.

 

He Yanping, 26, who works in advertising in Beijing, was among those not venturing too far overseas for Lunar New Year, with an 11-day Malaysia holiday she estimates will cost between 8,000 to 10,000 yuan.

 

"I actually wanted to go to Australia but the problem is that it's too far, and the hotels and visa are expensive," she said.

 

FULL BALI FLIGHTS

Ctrip said bookings indicated the four most popular destinations are Thailand, Japan, Indonesia and Singapore, all within in seven-hours flying time from Beijing or Shanghai.

 

Incoming flights are full, said Ida Bagus Agung Partha Adnyana, chairman of the Bali Tourism Board, which represents the industry on the popular Indonesian holiday. "We are optimistic that bookings will be at least the same (as 2018)."

 

The Thai Hotels Association said bookings from China, which tumbled after 47 Chinese tourists died when a boat sank near Phuket in July, were back to normal levels.

 

Chinese outbound travel to the United States has seen a significant slowing since trade frictions between Beijing and Washington began escalating.

 

In July-September, such arrivals fell 20 percent from a year earlier, according to the private China Outbound Tourism Research Institute, which analyses Chinese travel data.

 

"For every citizen, it became clear that it is not politically correct at this moment in time to travel to the USA, especially for leisure," an institute spokesman said.

 

The outlook for Australia and New Zealand, in previous years popular during their summers, is also less rosy.

 

In November, Chinese arrivals in New Zealand were 4.4 percent below a year earlier, and in Australia they just 1.6 percent higher.

 

Air New Zealand on Wednesday lowered its profit outlook and forecast revenue growth would ease due to weaker tourism.

 

Du Ge, a sales director at Beijing Xinjie International Travel Service which organises tours to New Zealand and Australia, said bookings ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday have been weak, which he attributed to the economic climate.

 

"Three or four years ago, we could have more than 3,000 bookings. Now, maybe 1,000," he said.

 

"Tourism is considered a luxury, something to have after your stomach is full. But as people's disposable incomes fall, tourism will be impacted."

 

(Reporting by Orathai Sriring in Bangkok, Tabita Diela in Jakarta, Cynthia Kim in Seoul, Stanley White in Tokyo, Aradhana Aravindan and Jamie Freed in Singapore, Mai Nguyen in Hanoi, Marius Zaharia in Hong Kong, Josh Horwitz and the Shanghai Newsroom; Writing by Brenda Goh; Editing by Richard Borsuk)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-02-01

After the Cheap Charlie debate....the Cheap "Sanjay Sing" debate...here we go for the Cheap "Wong" debate....

A polite way of saying '' Thailand now sucks''....

Only last week TAT said 300 million Chinks are coming cant believe a word they say

1 hour ago, observer90210 said:

After the Cheap Charlie debate....the Cheap "Sanjay Sing" debate...here we go for the Cheap "Wong" debate....

Wan King coming also

We need more accidents involving Chinese , so they can stay home.  

 

1 hour ago, ChipButty said:

Only last week TAT said 300 million Chinks are coming cant believe a word they say

Maybe you should read before commenting:

"more likely opting for Bangkok than Sydney or San Francisco." 

As the Chinese government would be very happy if all the money going abroad could be contained in China, and all the Chinese staying in China to not be influenced by strange ideas, I guess less people going abroad would be welcome.

 

 

6 hours ago, webfact said:

Cost-conscious Chinese tourists staying closer to home for Lunar New Year

Huh! . . . that's a bummer.

Add to the list of Chinkese coming to beautiful downtown Chiang Mai, Wee Tu Low and Ho Lee <deleted>. Already this city is awash with them and it's only going to get worse in the coming days.

Sent from my CMR-AL19 using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

Why would they choose Thailand over say Malaysia or Cambodia ?  They don't drink that much usually (alcohol is far cheaper in China).  There are scads more Chinese speakers in there.  It's safer.  Cambodia has gambling. 

 

"For every citizen, it became clear that it is not politically correct at this moment in time to travel to the USA, especially for leisure," an institute spokesman said.

 

what do they mean politically correct? I guess it means the Chinese tourist would be offending their government to visit the US who has taken a stand against their government for corporate espionage and stealing IP..but it is politically correct to go to the US and deliver my baby..and go back to China..

 

 

 

3 hours ago, balo said:

We need more accidents involving Chinese , so they can stay home.  

 

Leave it with me. I've got the very boys, here. 'Mick, Mac, Paddy, Whack . . . some new bones for you, maybe.'

 

PS Does the 'more accidents' thing come from a high level?

1 minute ago, Bernie622 said:

 

"For every citizen, it became clear that it is not politically correct at this moment in time to travel to the USA, especially for leisure," an institute spokesman said.

 

what do they mean politically correct? I guess it means the Chinese tourist would be offending their government to visit the US who has taken a stand against their government for corporate espionage and stealing IP..but it is politically correct to go to the US and deliver my baby..and go back to China..

 

 

 

Or Mexico.

Its like waiting for the plague of locusts!!!…Im spending my Chinese new year away from China where i work and am NOT looking forward to them bringing their spitting, stink, loudness and idiocy over here!! I see enough of it the rest of the year!! Along with sleeping school kids, 5.30 am building work 7 days a week and companies that don’t want to pay to fix their own accommodation!! TV posters believe me - youre better off in Thailand!!

Edited February 1, 20197 yr by bizboi

What countries in the world openly detest low budget tourists? And uses terms like high and low quality tourists?

it is a known fact chinese like destinations that dont have the air pollution problems their own country suffers with

1 hour ago, RotBenz8888 said:

What countries in the world openly detest low budget tourists? And uses terms like high and low quality tourists?

Thailand maybe???? look at how they treat us

5 minutes ago, atyclb said:

it is a known fact chinese like destinations that dont have the air pollution problems their own country suffers with

Bangkok should be safe from the hordes ...

6 minutes ago, atyclb said:

it is a known fact chinese like destinations that dont have the air pollution problems their own country suffers with

if that's the case Bangkok should be off their list

Just now, Vacuum said:

Bangkok should be safe from the hordes ...

you beat me to it 555

And surprise, surprise CNY is testing new lows against THB at this very moment. THB is like from another planet.

Isn't the usual for CN New Year to visit relatives in CN and not bounce around the planet?

Edited February 1, 20197 yr by DrTuner

45 minutes ago, baruto said:

And surprise, surprise CNY is testing new lows against THB at this very moment. THB is like from another planet.

that supports the contradiction from TAT saying they want more Chinese but at the same time they lower the exchange rate, they appreciated the baht and Chinese are not coming in the expected quantities, what a way to shoot yourself 555

Free pleasure cruises for all!!!!

13 hours ago, balo said:

We need more accidents involving Chinese , so they can stay home.  

 

Man thats cold hearted, but true. And the staying home may just increase visits from other countries. 

All I know is Pattaya is packed with Chinese at the moment.

15 hours ago, mok199 said:

A polite way of saying '' Thailand now sucks''....

 

Thailand has sucked for a while, it just became more obvious recently.

 

 

 

Edited February 1, 20197 yr by HalfLight

8 hours ago, atyclb said:

it is a known fact chinese like destinations that dont have the air pollution problems their own country suffers with

erm. Oops.

 

 

 

The Chinese group booked low spending tourists are staying away.

Not to worry - the Indians are coming