Tourism Ministry, TAT hope to attract more Chinese tourists next month

[ellathai]

landed last night from Australia, passport control was near empty perhaps fifty to eighty in lines altogether. Took maybe 15 minutes from go to woo 

 

[bimmerbob]

......."hope" being the operative.....

[Cake Monster]

9 hours ago, AussieBob18 said:

The 'problem' with Thailand tourism is that there are too many Chinese tourists who dont spend money in Thailand - they pay packaged tours back in China and they mainly go to Chinese owned hotels, restaurants, and venues.  So the TAT solution is to try and bring in more Chinese toursists ??  ????????????

 

What do you reckon - TAT has their bonus payments linked to the number of tourists who enter Thailand?  Only the Thai Government could take something so good and completely stuff it up in less than 10 years.

 

The Chinese do spend Money in Thailand. However, most if not all of it returns via the Tour Operators back to China, or to a few filthy rich Thai/ Chinese Business people .

[Knocker33]

11 hours ago, bluesofa said:

Is that a photo of the minister attempting to 'lure' tourists to Thailand?

It looks more like he's ready to strangle the tourists with that hand gesture.

Or it could be. Oh what a lovely bunch of coconuts. 

I can see the next step being paying them  1000 baht to come shop,  eat at 7/11.

I think it's a case of even the Chinese being bored with Thailand 

[JBond009]

I have never seen it so slow in Pattaya. They put in a new beach, re-do the roads the <deleted> everybody off. I went to immigration for the usual experience and there were very few people there. Nobody on the beaches, nobody in the clubs. I think a lot of damage has been done, and it's going to get worse before it gets better. I feel bad for the local Thais.

[Baggy]

So very true,!!!!!!

[AussieBob18]

3 hours ago, DUNROAMIN said:

Same same Australia, Chinese don't spend money that stays in country. Coax more westerners who actually spend money would be better, but TIT not thinking upstairs, just more BS from Tourism minister.

Very True. But after an initial honeymoon period with Chinese tourists, Australia quickly realised they are not that great a value, and the toursim authorities do not faun over them and only them, like the TAT does. Australia does not ignore them, but it goes more for the 'sabbaticals'  (sort of back-packers) from western europe - because they spend in a lot of locations - they are allowed to work for up to 3 or 6 months and many do work - and they spend it all.  Spending 3 or 6 months in Australia is becoming a 'thing' - some even decide to apply to stay - I was served in clubs/hotels and had haircuts by many 'back-packers' in the big cities (Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane). 

[AussieBob18]

1 hour ago, Cake Monster said:

The Chinese do spend Money in Thailand. However, most if not all of it returns via the Tour Operators back to China, or to a few filthy rich Thai/ Chinese Business people .

As in my last respoinse, the same thing happenned in Australia years ago, but the Aussie tourism people soon realised it. Wonder why TAT cannot see it? Anyone can see if they look - even Expats can see it - and our wives/gfs/etc can all see it. But not TAT?  Is TAT run by Chinese families?? Is the Minister from a Chinese family?? Just asking. No offence meant.

[Ketyo]

TAT really needs to be targeting tourist receipts NOT tourist numbers.  When they do that they will see that targeting more Chinese doesn't move the dial that much on tourism receipts. What is does however, is degrade the tourism venues.

[BuckBee]

11 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

I hope he has an idea where all those Chinese tourists should go. Because some of he existing places are already more than overcrowded with Chinese tourists.

 

Maybe a year or two ago I visited the Ratchada Rot Fai Train Night Market several times. Lot's of food.

Now even at opening times its so overcrowded with mostly Chinese tourist groups it's impossible to walk in. 

More tourists need new places for tourists. Please somewhere far away.

 

I have friends/family who retail there and esplanade .

It use to have good balance of thai and tourism customers, most Thai's were working class from offices and businesses along ratchada and huay kwang and business pretty smooth and atmosphere very good.
Know it mainly catering to chinese and koreans and business pretty poor, place a mess and no longer a tendy place catch a meal and bit of live entertainment, thai's and expats avoid the place and traders struggling make any money as chinese don't buy much and atmosphere is poor . another little gem ruined .

[KKr]

6 hours ago, Mavideol said:

the don't book rather they make reservations in hopes of selling their tours and many times it back fires and they cancel 1-2 months prior to the dates, my ex worked in the hotel business and she explained that many times, last minute cancellations from tour operators can be costly to the hotels, sometimes operators try to negotiate the last minute reservations cancellations by requesting 50% price drop from hotels, it's a jungle out there, look at what happen with Thomas Cook

Absolutely. But cancel two months ahead, they do not start planning and booking on two months notice.

[OneMoreFarang]

43 minutes ago, BuckBee said:

I have friends/family who retail there and esplanade .

It use to have good balance of thai and tourism customers, most Thai's were working class from offices and businesses along ratchada and huay kwang and business pretty smooth and atmosphere very good.
Know it mainly catering to chinese and koreans and business pretty poor, place a mess and no longer a tendy place catch a meal and bit of live entertainment, thai's and expats avoid the place and traders struggling make any money as chinese don't buy much and atmosphere is poor . another little gem ruined .

Thanks for the info.

Unfortunately I am not surprised. It's so crowded it's impossible to enjoy that place.

And I guess if the groups are herded through the small paths nobody can just stop for even 5 minutes to buy something. Follow the group leader or get lost.

Sad.

[dave moir]

Desperation comes to mind! 

[zhorik]

having toured with Chinese tourists in Thailand when i was living in CHina the huge problem is that they do not speak other languages  . hence they go to places that speak chinese, The only thing that my group got their money out for was the latex mattresses.

if the thai tourist industry offered courses for people in the industry to learn Chinese then Thailand would benefit more. Chinese love to drink but rice wine is not readily available nor is decent beer given the stranglehold of the two thai breweries.

The other chinese love is gambling but again that is unavailable, China has bigger and better  Buddhas than THailand so if they want to attract the Chinese they will have to change.

[Oxx]

1 minute ago, zhorik said:

if the thai tourist industry offered courses for people in the industry to learn Chinese

 

You appear unaware that there is no one Chinese language.  There are dozens of them.

[ujayujay]

The despair is great about the self-induced tourist slump.  Thanks to the national bank and its artificially high thb exchange rate.

[Rocking Robert]

They need some Casino  Las Vegas gets 42.9 million tourists a yr.  and they all sent lots of money

[Oziex1]

This could be a good story in the making, get the statue over here grab it, replace with a copy, and let the fun begin. After all the blue diamond story is a bit dated now. 

[jerojero]

Should have hired some Pretties to advertise this. THST would draw far more interest that his ugly mug!

Is that a photo of the minister attempting to 'lure' tourists to Thailand?
It looks more like he's ready to strangle the tourists with that hand gesture.

[aspenbkk]

18 hours ago, StayinThailand2much said:

What happened to the prophecy that Chinese tourists would be rushing to Thailand during the Golden Week (October 1 to 7), i.e. THIS month?

yes you are right rubbish again from TAT they count all people in transit as coming to thailand all false numbers well down .

[bbbbooboo]

Hmmm..... More Chinese tourists. I suggest that  less would would be better until someone teaches them some manners.However TIT

[newnative]

   They don't need to spend one dime luring Chinese tourists.  Or, Indian tourists.  They're a short plane ride away and will come anyway.  And, are already coming in droves.  Spend your tourist promotion dollars convincing Canadians, Americans, British, French, Germans, Scandinavians, etc. to book a long plane ride to Thailand instead of somewhere else closer.

[kevinmartyn]

I read a "blog" about the chinese tourest that are coming to Thailand have know tangible benifit for Thailand. I be very surprised the numbers shall increase because of the unrealistic Thai Baht. If anything the numbers will be dropping

[0815]

Why don't these guys get in their shoes and go out to ask those people who really get in touch with tourists about their situation now ?
Do they have any clue where/how the Chinese spend money ?
Do they remember the full roads and night bazaars a few years ago ? Where did those tourists come from ?
 

[SuwadeeS]

Chinese tourists??? Wow, do they really spend money in Thailand???

Buying products made in China. Hahahaha

 

They should not have p..... o.. all the western tourists.

 

To so many countries left.

[RocketDog]

Woo hoo. Something to look forward to. More Chinese tourists.

????