PHOTO: Chinese zero-dollar tours return to Thailand

 

Thailand’s tourism industry has long relied on Chinese visitors, and Thailand could welcome at least 25 million foreign tourists in 2023, with a solid 5 million from China alone. However, this promising recovery has triggered concerns over the return of so-called “zero-dollar tours”, which are known for their unusually low prices, pre-paid budget accommodation and tours, and little money going to Thai tourism businesses.

 

While these tours have been around for years, they have become particularly problematic over the last decade, causing many issues for the Thailand’s tourism industry and its reputation.

 

These tours are named as such because their package prices start at below cost. Some local tour operators offer these tours to Chinese tourists, seeking to earn a profit by sending groups to local Thai agencies without paying any tour fees. The tourists are then forced to visit places and spend their money on goods and services at a higher price than the market rate, often Chinese owned.

 

Full Story: https://phuket-go.com/phuket-news/phuket-travel/zero-dollar-tourism-looms-again-as-chinese-return-to-thailand/

 

-- © Copyright Phuket GO 2023-04-19

 

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Yey. Let's welcome back the Chinese. Wonder how TAT factors this in to their always over inflated predictions.

Are there really enough flight seats to 'welcome' 25 million visitors?

 

I have to wonder about that, because it definitely doesn't add up which means there's a bit of a lie hidden in there somewhere, I'm just not entirely sure where it is - and I don't care that much to dig it up - but rest assured - it's there.

China is not ever coming back in the numbers previously seen.

Flights to anyplace are down 80% there 

After Covid, they now have bird flu just jumped to humans.

Even if it's worse than Covid, another attempt at lockdown will.lead to a full blown revolt, and bury the economy irretrievably, especially if they start shooting people on the street for causing disorder, absolutely a possibility  

There's too much serious financial turmoil at home, and geopolitical unrest, which will further undo the dream. Western companies are leaving as fast as they possibly can. 

 

 

26 minutes ago, chalawaan said:

<snip> Western companies are leaving as fast as they possibly can. 

 

Just did a Google search for " western companies leaving china " and most of the results date from 2021-22 when the Covid stupidity was in full force.

I wonder if that's still the case Covid: China economy rebounds after pandemic measures lifted

I've never understood why Thailand gets so hot and bothered about the mainland Chinese. The country makes no money on them and they're a PITA.

1 hour ago, ukrules said:

Are there really enough flight seats to 'welcome' 25 million visitors?

 

I have to wonder about that, because it definitely doesn't add up which means there's a bit of a lie hidden in there somewhere, I'm just not entirely sure where it is - and I don't care that much to dig it up - but rest assured - it's there.

I think they count border crossing which means all those Thais/Malays/Laos/Cambodians crossing every day for business back and forth are counted as arrivals. I won’t believe a single statistics coming out of Thailand.

1 hour ago, VBF said:

Just did a Google search for " western companies leaving china " and most of the results date from 2021-22 when the Covid stupidity was in full force.

I wonder if that's still the case Covid: China economy rebounds after pandemic measures lifted

Your link didn't work.

 

Here's one of mine. https://youtu.be/leyoYtunqPQ

A thought provoking analysis of just how buggered China is; all based on data, all based on intelligence gathering, all based on geopolitical reality. 

Update: The link came through, yes, so these rebound metrics are based on last years figures, which your report states, was the worst year in 50 years; so since they came out of Mao's clownshow. Nothing to write home about. 

The airline data is disingenuous too.

They're counting all seats, including domestic. In reality their international loads to everywhere are still 80% less than pre Covid.

I note a gloomy ongoing prognosis by a Chinese observer buried in the latter half of the report as well.

Anyway, China watchers (and bashers) will get a lot out of the informative link I have shared. 

 

Edited April 19, 20233 yr by chalawaan

23 minutes ago, chalawaan said:

Your link didn't work.

Here's one of mine. https://youtu.be/leyoYtunqPQ

A thought provoking analysis of just how buggered China is; all based on data, all based on intelligence gathering, all based on geopolitical reality. 

 

It doesn't matter. Thailand elite will set the course for Thailand and they are Chinese supporters 100%. Personally I will not give Thailand another dollar of my money.  The writing has been on the wall for a few years now.

Here's a different blogger with a Q1 report. The video hit the tubes barely an hour ago. 

They are beyond recovery IMO. 

Collapse is unlikely, but the days of wine and roses are never returning while the CCP circus is in town.

So for our lifetimes. 

 

Edited April 19, 20233 yr by chalawaan

3 minutes ago, garyk said:

It doesn't matter. Thailand elite will set the course for Thailand and they are Chinese supporters 100%. Personally I will not give Thailand another dollar of my money.  The writing has been on the wall for a few years now.

The elites do have significant blood connections to China, but the British Royals are half-german and that didn't stop two world wars!

In the end Thailand will side with the winners, they deftly shafted Japan when the tide turned in WW2.

In Korat, US Jets and Chinooks were up and about every other day last month, during Cobra Gold. 

Thailand isn't going anywhere. China has nothing but suffering and pain ahead of it. 

 

1 hour ago, RandiRona said:

I think they count border crossing which means all those Thais/Malays/Laos/Cambodians crossing every day for business back and forth are counted as arrivals. I won’t believe a single statistics coming out of Thailand.

The average length of stay figures for tourists from those countries doesn't support the theory of daily border hoppers.

e.g 2019 figures

Malaysia - 4.81 days

Laos - 5.68 days

Cambodia - 7.39 days

1 hour ago, garyk said:

It doesn't matter. Thailand elite will set the course for Thailand and they are Chinese supporters 100%. Personally I will not give Thailand another dollar of my money.  The writing has been on the wall for a few years now.

This is a Thai forum.

3 hours ago, chalawaan said:

China is not ever coming back in the numbers previously seen.

Considering the amount of Chinese that have brought unbuilt properties they will never get, they probably have no money

To me, there IS a way to effectively root out this issue — but it’s unpalatable— do it like Bhutan.

 

Require all citizens of X country (in THIS example only it would be Chinese) to effectively “buy” $X of non-convertible, registered (ie with a stated name on them) coupons directly from the Thai government (ie the TAT or similar entity) … at this point the government has a guaranteed income of $X per day, per person in their coffers.

 

Once in country, the coupons would then be exchanged for their hotel or similar purchases…

 

The hotel would then turn around and redeem these coupons from the TAT.. and this is when the government would have the chance to verify that the redeeming entity is a legitimate entity or a shell company or whatever…

 

.. and since they’d be non-convertible and registered, the government would have a near guarantee “income” per head, per day without the risk of someone trying to sell them to someone else … or try to exchange them back into RMB/THB etc 

10 hours ago, kinyara said:

The average length of stay figures for tourists from those countries doesn't support the theory of daily border hoppers.

e.g 2019 figures

Malaysia - 4.81 days

Laos - 5.68 days

Cambodia - 7.39 days

Of course they don't, the usual TVF rhetoric.

The immigration arrival documents have been posted on here a few times over the years and they showed quite clearly how everyone that enters Thailand is categorised.

 

As for the stats, when Pattaya beach road is blocked by tour buses everyone will be whinging how the governement never anticipated the consequences of tourists that had come out of so called hot air.

So much disinformation in this thread, that and wild guesses and racist rhetoric. Take your pick from any of the stats below, anything and everything you want to know about tourism in Thailand. Educate yourself.

 

http://statbbi.nso.go.th/staticreport/page/sector/en/17.aspx

11 hours ago, chalawaan said:

The elites do have significant blood connections to China,

As do a significant proportion of the population. Only a couple of weeks  ago the Chinese graveyards came to life during Qing Ming.

 

Thai Chinese are the largest minority group in the country and the largest overseas Chinese community in the world with a population of approximately 7-10 million people, accounting for 11–14% of the total population of the country as of 2012.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thai_Chinese

A couple of years ago (pre C-19) there were regular coach trips to the mystical Kham Cha Nod. The coaches - all full of Chinese ladies - would stop at this particular 'petrol' station, just outside Ban Dung.

 

This particular day, I was there, feeding the koi carp outside the coffee house. A Chinese lady came over to watch me. She was about 40 and had a lovely smile. Not fat and with well-formed calves. To my surprise she spoke decent English. She asked me where I was from and asked if she could do a pic with me. Later I thought that maybe it was my full ginger beard that attracted her to me. She told me her name; Dex Bong Shu. Or was it Shu Dex Bong! Can't be sure.

 

Was she just after a pic, or did she want an athletic mate? Often think of her. Will I ever see her again?

 

 

14 hours ago, brucegoniners said:

I've never understood why Thailand gets so hot and bothered about the mainland Chinese. The country makes no money on them and they're a PITA.

Be assured, some people high up the ladder get their cut.

20 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Thailand’s tourism industry has long relied on Chinese visitors, and Thailand could welcome at least 25 million foreign tourists in 2023, with a solid 5 million from China alone. However, this promising recovery has triggered concerns over the return of so-called “zero-dollar tours”, which are known for their unusually low prices, pre-paid budget accommodation and tours, and little money going to Thai tourism businesses.

Reap what you sow.

On 4/19/2023 at 7:47 PM, brucegoniners said:

I've never understood why Thailand gets so hot and bothered about the mainland Chinese. The country makes no money on them and they're a PITA.

In 2019, Chinese visitors spent over 500 billion baht in Thailand.  Not exactly 'no money' and likely why Thailand gets 'hot and bothered'.