Tourism businesses in Phuket are not worried about the return of zero-dollar cheap package tours, historically popular among Chinese tourists visiting Thailand, but are more concerned about the expensive air fares and limited direct flights available between Phuket and China’s cities.

 

Rangsiman Kingkaew, a board member of the Phuket Tourist Association, told Thai PBS that it will take a time for Chinese arrivals in Phuket to reach the numbers seen before the COVID-19 pandemic, due to limited direct flights from China to Phuket and because many tourists have to fly to Bangkok before connecting with flights to the province.

 

Although China is now allowing its citizens to travel abroad, he said that many Chinese businesses have not yet recovered, including package tour operators, adding that it may take a few years before Chinese tour groups, including zero-dollar, return to visit Thailand.

 

Full Story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/zero-dollar-tourism-not-a-concern-for-tourism-sector-in-phuket/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2023-01-18

 

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Off-topic, troll post reported and removed.

 

14 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Although China is now allowing its citizens to travel abroad, he said that many Chinese businesses have not yet recovered, including package tour operators, adding that it may take a few years before Chinese tour groups, including zero-dollar, return to visit Thailand.

Always a silver lining.

I actually thought the idea of tourism was to make money 

9 minutes ago, Thechook said:

I actually thought the idea of tourism was to make money 

It is "zero Dollar" only for the small players: street food, motorbike rental, small hotels and guesthouses, motorbike taxis, etc. But any "zero Dollar" tourist will have a larger contribution to the Thai GDP than a backpacker, or budget westerner. 

11 minutes ago, Boomer6969 said:

It is "zero Dollar" only for the small players: street food, motorbike rental, small hotels and guesthouses, motorbike taxis, etc. But any "zero Dollar" tourist will have a larger contribution to the Thai GDP than a backpacker, or budget westerner. 

How does that work?  

32 minutes ago, Patong2021 said:

How does that work?  

Backpackers go to guesthouse at 400 THB a night, Chinese go to hotel at 2000 to 6000 a night. Can this subtle hint get your modest brain into gear?

 

And I won't speculate about the often brainless shopping by Chinese tourist...

32 minutes ago, Boomer6969 said:

Backpackers go to guesthouse at 400 THB a night, Chinese go to hotel at 2000 to 6000 a night. Can this subtle hint get your modest brain into gear?

 

And I won't speculate about the often brainless shopping by Chinese tourist...

So you have no idea about the cheap Chinese package tours.

As long as air fare tickers are high and tour groups cannot travel, as better it is. 

 

5 hours ago, Boomer6969 said:

Backpackers go to guesthouse at 400 THB a night, Chinese go to hotel at 2000 to 6000 a night. Can this subtle hint get your modest brain into gear?

 

And I won't speculate about the often brainless shopping by Chinese tourist...

If the past is a good way to judge then almost all the hotels and restaurants used for the zero dollar tours will all be Chinese owned or backed with Thai front men, or the deals with the hotels and restaurants will include a major kick back to the tour operator.  The places the tourists are taken to shop will also have a big kick back arrangement with the Chinese tour operator.  Very little of the zero dollar tours money remains in Thailand, the vast majority goes back to China, which is why those tours are called, "Zero Dollar Tours".

 

The legitimately owned Thai hotels, restaurants, and shops that that don't go along with these arrangements will get screwed as usual.

I was going to comment on the fact that those [tourists ?] having to wade through almost 1 metre deep water.