Arrival of Chinese Tour Groups Still Unexpectedly Low in Thailand, Says Leading Thai Tourism Association

[webfact]

file photo

 

By Tanakorn Panyadee

The number of Chinese tour groups travelling to Thailand remains unexpectedly low due to a lack of flights, said Sisdivachr Cheewarattanaporn, president of the Thai Association of Tourism Businesses (ATTA).

Sisdivachr disclosed to the Thai media that most Chinese arrivals in Thailand were free independent travelers (FIT), which refers to tourists who travel on their own without a tour guide or joining a tour group. These types of visitors are largely attributed to the majority of recent Chinese arrivals while the number of tour groups was still very low despite China already allowing outbound group travel, Sisdivachr said.

 

The ATTA president associated this unexpected phenomenal with insufficient flights.

“The current number of Chinese arrivals is still not that exciting, but there has been a continuous recovery since the beginning of this year,” said Sisdivachr, “This is especially notable when compared to the period of 2021-2022, during which Chinese tourists were unable to travel abroad. As a result, the Chinese visitors, which is a major market for Thailand, disappeared altogether.”

 

Full story: https://thepattayanews.com/2023/02/21/arrival-of-chinese-tour-groups-still-unexpectedly-low-in-thailand-says-leading-thai-tourism-association/

 

-- © Copyright The Pattaya News 2023-02-22

 

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[geisha]

Maybe they’re not coming in hoards ? Did that even cross the ATTA minds ? Chinese holidays are over for a while.

[bangon04]

It sounds like maybe the Thai economy is somehow dependent upon Chinese tourism.....   how can that be?

[Gknrd]

China is a walking time bomb, US economy is heading for recession. War in Russia, China will start supplying Russia with weapons, accompanied by mass sanctions. China will have no choice but to invade Taiwan to boost nationalism.   But, of course Thailand will boast a blistering tourist trade next week.  And all is well in the LOS's.

[Millcx]

Time to wake up and smell the coffee .. Thailand are not Tourist friendly .. Double pricing and double standards

[daveAustin]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

The current number of Chinese arrivals is still not that exciting

Exciting for me, if that’s the word. Was expecting a mass exodus to these shores. 

[ChintaHuma]

It takes time. How can Thailand expects pre-Covid Chinese arrivals in two months only. It will take a few years. 

[ikke1959]

Expectations are too high.......

[Willy Wombat]

You lock everybody out for years and expect millions to come running back when you eventually open like Thailand is some sort of Garden of Eden.

[jacko45k]

3 minutes ago, Willy Wombat said:

You lock everybody out for years and expect millions to come running back when you eventually open like Thailand is some sort of Garden of Eden.

Well that is what happened with Indian, then Russian tourists, no reason Chinese should be different. 

[nigelforbes]

9 minutes ago, jacko45k said:

Well that is what happened with Indian, then Russian tourists, no reason Chinese should be different. 

The Chinese aren't the only game in town and 2022 was a bad year for international tourism:

 

 

https://www.thaiwebsites.com/tourists-nationalities-Thailand.asp

[bkk6060]

After 3 years of purgatory international conflicts will not affect their travel plans.  They just finished their New Year.  I certainly am seeing many more maybe they just don't want to be controlled by tour logistics. 

[nigelforbes]

1 minute ago, bkk6060 said:

After 3 years of purgatory international conflicts will not affect their travel plans.  They just finished their New Year.  I certainly am seeing many more maybe they just don't want to be controlled by tour logistics. 

Air travel costs are probably still too high for the mass tour market to be attractive to native Chinese, FIT is much prefered anyway.

[BoganInParasite]

Don't underestimate how devastated the Chinese economy is and the severe impact it has had on the disposable income of the folks that once travelled abroad.

[RichardColeman]

Course not.

1. The Chinese economy is floundering 

2. They have shut down many of the Chinese people making money off the non-Thai profit tours.

3. Covid is still rife in China and they fear welded in isolation on return.

 

And what are the idiots in charge of this country proposing - yep - taxing the ones that do come. What a total joke of a country Thailand is becoming

[ThailandRyan]

1 hour ago, ChintaHuma said:

It takes time. How can Thailand expects pre-Covid Chinese arrivals in two months only. It will take a few years. 

Not how some see it...funny isn't it. Down here in PKK it's great, empty in the morning for our walks along to ocean and in the Mangroves.

Edited February 22, 2023 by ThailandRyan

[ThailandRyan]

1 hour ago, ChintaHuma said:

It takes time. How can Thailand expects pre-Covid Chinese arrivals in two months only. It will take a few years. 

Not according to TAT and the Tourism roadshow....lol

[yogavnture]

is it possible they are fearful of covid backlash

[Lifetraxx]

13 minutes ago, ThailandRyan said:

Not according to TAT and the Tourism roadshow....lol

Exactly, the trouble with Thailand is that they "expect" everything and then promote it as hard fact. 

I'm sure every Thai "expects" to win the lottery every week as well 

[nigelforbes]

January 2023 saw 99,500 Chinese visitors, that's about 40% of the 2022 total, just in one month.

 

2023 also saw 2.1 million International tourists in total, compared to 2.250 mill in December and 1.750 mill in November.

 

https://www.bot.or.th/App/BTWS_STAT/statistics/ReportPage.aspx?reportID=875&language=eng

 

https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/thai-pm-sees-over-30-mln-foreign-tourists-this-year-spokesperson-2023-02-07/#:~:text=Overall foreign tourist arrivals were,travel curbs were in place.

 

 

[nigelforbes]

2 minutes ago, Lifetraxx said:

Exactly, the trouble with Thailand is that they "expect" everything and then promote it as hard fact. 

I'm sure every Thai "expects" to win the lottery every week as well 

I suspect you've never lived in a country that is dependent on tourism to such a significant degree and where the English language newspapers publish the Tourist Boards estimates or forecasts. Every significant business and sector has forecasts, not all of them get shared with the public. But since the TAT forecasts are shared, it's not unreasonable that they set expectations as a result. After all, what's the  better alternative, depress the entire country and say our forecasts are completely naff and nobody's coming,.....come on now.

[ross163103]

Winner winner chicken dinner!

[arick]

The Chinese airlines are not flying yet.  Wait until they start up again in June . Even British airways isn't  flying to china until April 

 

[wombat]

2 hours ago, bangon04 said:

It sounds like maybe the Thai economy is somehow dependent upon Chinese tourism.....   how can that be?

Zero dollar tourists talk and BS walks?

[ThailandRyan]

15 minutes ago, nigelforbes said:

I suspect you've never lived in a country that is dependent on tourism to such a significant degree and where the English language newspapers publish the Tourist Boards estimates or forecasts. Every significant business and sector has forecasts, not all of them get shared with the public. But since the TAT forecasts are shared, it's not unreasonable that they set expectations as a result. After all, what's the  better alternative, depress the entire country and say our forecasts are completely naff and nobody's coming,.....come on now.

Yet Thailand has always insisted Thai tourism was but a small fraction of the GDP. It turns out they are more reliant in tourism then they say.

[nigelforbes]

9 minutes ago, ThailandRyan said:

Yet Thailand has always insisted Thai tourism was but a small fraction of the GDP. It turns out they are more reliant in tourism then they say.

As you will already know from being subscribed to the Baht Thread, International Tourism represents about 12% of GDP whilst Domestic Tourism is about 8 or 9%. Domestic (Private) Consumption on the other hand is a major recipient of tourist spending and that represents 50% of GDP.

Edited February 22, 2023 by nigelforbes
add private for clarity

[ThailandRyan]

8 minutes ago, nigelforbes said:

As you will already know from being subscribed to the Baht Thread, International Tourism represents about 12% of GDP whilst Domestic Tourism is about 8 or 9%. Domestic (Private) Consumption on the other hand is a major recipient of tourist spending and that represents 50% of GDP.

Not since you had my posts removed. Now onto trying to bait me again I see. So adios.

[Sharp]

3 hours ago, Gknrd said:

China is a walking time bomb, US economy is heading for recession. War in Russia, China will start supplying Russia with weapons, accompanied by mass sanctions. China will have no choice but to invade Taiwan to boost nationalism.   But, of course Thailand will boast a blistering tourist trade next week.  And all is well in the LOS's.

Spot on I will add the US is screwed from the top down! 

[IamNoone88]

The best news all week - they are not coming!

[shackleton]

Don't panic Thailand you have the Russians and Indian tourists  here now

In mass ☺????

the Chinese will eventually come if not this year then next ????