Thai Tourism Industry Hopes for More Chinese Travelers in October

[webfact]

 

by Na-ark Rojanasuvan

    

BANGKOK (NNT) - The Thai tourism industry is hoping to see more Chinese visitors during Golden Week in October.

 

Every year, China National Day is celebrated on October 1 to commemorate the founding of the People’s Republic of China in 1949. Chinese nationals enjoy a 7-day holiday from October 1-7, known as Golden Week.

 

Vichit Prakobgosol, vice president of the Tourism Council of Thailand, said that if the Thai government is able to fully reopen the country within the second quarter, the Kingdom would still have a chance to attract at least 5 million international tourists during the second half of 2022.

 

He reiterated that the sooner Thailand fully reopens, the more competitive it will be as a tourist destination. Furthermore, if China lifts additional international travel restrictions for its citizens in the fourth quarter, the total number of foreign tourists to the kingdom could reach 7-8 million by year-end.

 

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Vichit also projected that Thailand would regain 70% of its pre-pandemic tourist numbers next year and 100% by 2024.

 

The vice president noted, however, that many travel businesses have been unable to resume operations due to financial shortcomings. He added that since the pandemic, tourists have begun traveling in smaller groups, participating in more free-form tourism programs, and prioritizing relaxation activities.

 

They have also been spending extended periods of time within hotel grounds and developing an affinity for specific urban restaurants.

 

These shifts in travel habits pose further challenges for tour operators whose business models are based around large groups and scheduled programs, as well as shopping and dining in suburban areas.

 

 

-- © Copyright NNT 2022-04-19

 

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[jacko45k]

Be careful what you wish for.......

[FalangKino]

I don't think the Chinese can even leave their country right now.

 

And if they could, they aren't going to go visit a country where they have to apply for a visa through things like the Thailand pass, as well as possibly risking spending thousands of dollars for a hospital stay if they test positive for covid.

[jacko45k]

1 minute ago, FalangKino said:

I don't think the Chinese can even leave their country right now.

I know of someone who brought his Chinese wife here, so suspect it is not impossible.

[topt]

36 minutes ago, FalangKino said:

I don't think the Chinese can even leave their country right now.

The article was not referring to now for the Chinese - October is nearly 6 months away and a lot could change in that time frame - or not..........

1 hour ago, webfact said:

The Thai tourism industry is hoping to see more Chinese visitors during Golden Week in October.

 

[Guderian]

55 minutes ago, webfact said:

Every year, China National Day is celebrated on October 1 to commemorate the founding of the People’s Republic of China in 1949. Chinese nationals enjoy a 7-day holiday from October 1-7, known as Golden Week.

Far more importantly, the 20th Chinese Communist Party Congress will be held in October. This is the one, you may have read, where President Xi expects to become ruler for life. You can be certain that he's not going to allow anything to jeopardise that outcome and so relaxing travel restrictions, which would effectively mean dropping his beloved Zero Covid policy, before the Congress is out of the question. Thailand will just have to wait a few months (or maybe years if Chairman Xi decides after the Congress that Zero Covid is still the way to go) before it can welcome its beloved expectorating Chinese tourists back.

[freedomnow]

I call fast and hard currency crash by then - same as Sri Lanka.

[vandeventer]

Can't we put a hold on the Chinese tourist? A lot of them have been locked in their rooms crying out for food and water as covid is playing hell on the population over there. Do we really need tourist this bad?

Edited April 19, 2022 by vandeventer

[JonnyF]

No chance there will be any siginificant numbers.

 

China isn't going to jeapardize it's precious zero Covid policy by letting it's citizens come to a Covid hotbed like Thailand without very serious quarantine on return. I'm guessing minimum 3 weeks. More likely 4.

[Willy Wombat]

Shanghai residents are booking their tickets right now .

[JimHuaHin]

Vichit Prakobgosol, vice president of the Tourism Council of Thailand, seems to have zero understanding of what is happening in China.

[madmitch]

If...................

If..........................

If.............................

[alien365]

Travelling at the moment is perfect without the waves of Chinese. 

[freedomnow]

11 minutes ago, JimHuaHin said:

Vichit Prakobgosol, vice president of the Tourism Council of Thailand, seems to have zero understanding of what is happening in China.

Can you elaborate ?

[freedomnow]

Just now, alien365 said:

Travelling at the moment is perfect without the waves of Chinese. 

Build that wall higher and seal it like a ringfence.

[StayinThailand2much]

1 hour ago, FalangKino said:

And if they could, they aren't going to go visit a country where they have to apply for a visa through things like the Thailand pass, as well as possibly risking spending thousands of dollars for a hospital stay if they test positive for covid.

Certainly true. Most Chinese tourists travel in tour groups and have that tour organised from A to Z by a travel agent. So that agent would have to do the Thailand Pass applications for everyone, as the tourists may not want to do them by themselves. - Good luck with that, Thailand!

 

Not to mention, with all the lockdowns in China still going on, expecting the government there to let the tourists travel in early October, and travel agents having to organise the tours weeks earlier, October 2022 seems very optimistic.

Edited April 19, 2022 by StayinThailand2much

[Anton9]

7 minutes ago, freedomnow said:

Can you elaborate ?

Chinese won't come to holiday in Thailand, they face 2 or 3 weeks quarantine in quarantine facilities when they go back to China.

Flights are super expensive if you even can find any available.

China will be isolated from the world until they drop their nonsensical zero covid madness.

[LivingNThailand]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

Vichit also projected that Thailand would regain 70% of its pre-pandemic tourist numbers next year and 100% by 2024

Sad, so sad.   I wish I had kept all the predictions about tourism they made over the past two years, including all the bubble talk.  It would make interesting reading when you needed a good laugh.

[Anton9]

1 hour ago, jacko45k said:

I know of someone who brought his Chinese wife here, so suspect it is not impossible.

Yes they can, going back to China is the issue

[herfiehandbag]

25 minutes ago, JimHuaHin said:

Vichit Prakobgosol, vice president of the Tourism Council of Thailand, seems to have zero understanding of what is happening in China.

He is vice president of the Tourism Council of Thailand, so it is unlikely that he has much of a grasp on what is happening in Thailand!

[Nabby]

Did Xi change his mind about allowing his countrymen to travel overseas? If not, what are the Thai authorities hoping for? The Chinese diaspora in Canada and the US?

[IamNoone88]

I am not looking forward to the return of the Chinese tourists, in-fact exactly the opposite. It more than pleasant without them.

[StayinThailand2much]

19 minutes ago, LivingNThailand said:

Vichit also projected that Thailand would regain 70% of its pre-pandemic tourist numbers next year and 100% by 2024 (...)

Make that 70% by 2024 (at the earliest) and 100% by 2025 (at best), with many 'ifs' and 'buts' thrown in, like flight prices, a possible recession/economic downturn in a number of countries, and what other destinations (will) have to offer...

Edited April 19, 2022 by StayinThailand2much

[hotchilli]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

The Thai tourism industry is hoping to see more Chinese visitors during Golden Week in October.

Gone full circle, every nation they could think of and now back to Chinese.

[bkk6060]

This is 6 months away Thai pass will be non existing before that and China should not be in lock down.

Thailand will welcome them but the only thing I see China doing is some type of travel restriction or more difficulty to travel.  In fact,  there was a recent study released (sorry no link) that they want to maintain domestic travel as a priority while not necessarily encouraging outbound trips.  Should be interesting to see how many actually come, but I bet the numbers will be much lower then previous years.

[StayinThailand2much]

6 minutes ago, hotchilli said:

Gone full circle, every nation they could think of and now back to Chinese.

Well, those organised tours are good for kickb@cks, which individual tourists from other countries don't provide.

[sambum]

"Hopes for", "Projected that", "Dreams of" etc etc.,

 

Same , same but different?

Edited April 19, 2022 by sambum

[Puccini]

1 hour ago, freedomnow said:

I call fast and hard currency crash by then - same as Sri Lanka.

Which country's currency, China or Thailand?

[Cake Monster]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

He added that since the pandemic, tourists have begun traveling in smaller groups, participating in more free-form tourism programs, and prioritizing relaxation activities.

 

They have also been spending extended periods of time within hotel grounds and developing an affinity for specific urban restaurants.

Basically, the few " Tourists " that have vacationed in Thailand , have been too scared to go outside the confines of the Hotel in case they catch Covid.

Or, is it the ones who spent extended time within Hotel Grounds were on Quarantine time.

[Pmbkk]

1 hour ago, freedomnow said:

I call fast and hard currency crash by then - same as Sri Lanka.

 

What Thailand or China?

 

Thailand seems to be getting away with it(been saying the same for years and years). China - check your shorts or TV - they're made there - U.S. anti Chinese propaganda.

 

Sri Lanka - love the place, but a bit of a swerve-ball. Where did that come into anything ?

 

You need more depth to your "predictions" with reasoning.