The number of Chinese tour groups in Thailand is still low which was only ten percent of the total that had visited before Covid-19 in 2019, said prominent Thai tourism associations today, May 26th, 2023.

 

The Secretary of the Association of Thai Travel Agents (ATTA) Mr. Adit Chairattananon told the associated Thai press, “In 2019 there were 11 million Chinese tourists that visited Thailand. Of this number, 600,000 of them were in tour groups via ATTA.

 

When comparing the first five months of this year there were about one million Chinese tourists who visited Thailand. Of this number, only 100,000 of them were in group tours via ATTA which was only about 10 percent of the number of tour groups in 2019,” Mr. Adit explained.

 

By Goongnang Suksawat

 

Full Story: https://thepattayanews.com/2023/05/26/chinese-tour-groups-visiting-thailand-still-down-by-90-percent-compared-to-2019/

 

-- © Copyright The Pattaya News 2023-05-26

 

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Did they coordinate such, kinda negative, news with the TAT? Looking forward to a couple of TAT announcements of record tourist numbers the next few days, to counter such less than optimistic ATTA news...

    Unless Chinese tour groups visiting Thailand are required to use ATTA, the headline is possibly incorrect.  I don't think that is a requirement as, per the article, only 600,000 Chinese used ATTA in 2019 and there were 11 million Chinese visitors that year, and many more than 600,000 in tour groups.      ATTA's usage by Chinese tourist groups may be down 90% but that doesn't automatically mean that the overall figure for Chinese tourist groups is also down 90%.  Could be down 90% but that can't be drawn from just ATTA's data.  A local Ford dealership selling 10% fewer cars does not translate to Ford sales being down 10% at all dealerships nationwide.

Chinese are facing unprecedented financial crisis back home

Thailand is on a list maintained by the Chinese government - it's not a good list.

 

There's some very weird stuff happening over the last few months :
 

It's not clear if this is nationwide or just in a handful of places......

 

"Local police stations are carrying out strict review processes for people leaving China, particularly if they're going to Thailand, Cambodia or other Southeast Asian countries,"

Read this : https://www.rfa.org/english/news/china/travel-restrictions-02202023160935.html

This fits with what I've seen in my area. The little hotels that were set up to receive the Chinese tours are getting quite a lot of Chinese and other nationalities who are independent travellers but no sign of the tour buses.
I'm not a fan of our condo units going to short-term tourists but a very pleasant Chinese family got in the lift the other day. I received a very warm greeting in English from the daughter, who must have been 6 or 7 years old. The father said they were in Bangkok for a few nights before going to Phuket. Their first trip out of China since the pandemic. Asked for some recommendations about where to eat in the area and thanked me for the suggestions, friendly and polite. 

Not to worry, the TAT will have a new set of numbers (fudged) next month so its all okay.

Seriously though, I am trying to get a flight for next month to Thailand and there are far fewer flights than 2019. Plus, the flights are still expensive, far more expensive than the cheap package tour price before.

 

I still genuinely believe that the CCP still would rather keep the money in China than see it go overseas. Locals are still struggling to get new passports.

 

Either way there will be less tours in Pattaya than 2019 until a number of things change.

The Chinese are experiencing low domestic consumption even after opening up from covid and government stimulus.

2 hours ago, Celsius said:

Chinese are facing unprecedented financial crisis back home

It certainly looks like the 'heydays' of double-digit growth are over in China, and with 20% of young adults unemployed, fat chance that this demographic will make it to Thailand in large numbers anytime soon...

6 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

The number of Chinese tour groups in Thailand is still low which was only ten percent of the total that had visited before Covid-19 in 2019, said prominent Thai tourism associations today, May 26th, 2023.

Maybe there is a God after all!

11 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

The number of Chinese tour groups in Thailand is still low which was only ten percent of the total that had visited before Covid-19 in 2019, said prominent Thai tourism associations today, May 26th, 2023.

Thank the lord for small mercies.

Doubt if you will see huge numbers. Their stock market is falling off a cliff. They are devaluating the Yuan to try and gain traction in trade. Their economy is in shambles. But, of course they are the savior of the Thai economy.

The not coming Chinese groups are compensated by the arrivals of the Russians, so TAT has no problem with their figures

Any chance they can get it down to 100%?

It's all feast or famine with this lot!

One would have to seriously question the current quoted figure of tourist this year of 10 million tourists being real, if their main country of tourists is down 90% on 2019.

 

China is now having serious financial issues and I would only expect 10-25% of the 2019 to come for the forseeable future - besides any that come to see the condo they bought by tops in Soi Khoa Noi will see they still have not been built or worked on for 4 years ! Monies gone.

Good. Let's hope it never recovers to pre-Covidiocy levels. 

Wonderful!

12 hours ago, KhaoNiaw said:

This fits with what I've seen in my area. The little hotels that were set up to receive the Chinese tours are getting quite a lot of Chinese and other nationalities who are independent travellers but no sign of the tour buses.
I'm not a fan of our condo units going to short-term tourists but a very pleasant Chinese family got in the lift the other day. I received a very warm greeting in English from the daughter, who must have been 6 or 7 years old. The father said they were in Bangkok for a few nights before going to Phuket. Their first trip out of China since the pandemic. Asked for some recommendations about where to eat in the area and thanked me for the suggestions, friendly and polite. 

In the words of Basil Fawlty "Should've had them stuffed!"

I have been here 21 years and know many Thais.  Not one of them likes to deal with them which surprises me.

13 hours ago, ukrules said:

Thailand is on a list maintained by the Chinese government - it's not a good list.

 

There's some very weird stuff happening over the last few months :
 

It's not clear if this is nationwide or just in a handful of places......

 

"Local police stations are carrying out strict review processes for people leaving China, particularly if they're going to Thailand, Cambodia or other Southeast Asian countries,"

Read this : https://www.rfa.org/english/news/china/travel-restrictions-02202023160935.html

My step daughter works at King Power.She says that their Chinese business is down a ton. Your article makes sense now. tnx

Good

12 minutes ago, koolkarl said:

I have been here 21 years and know many Thais.  Not one of them likes to deal with them which surprises me.

No one really does... They are as unpopular as visitors in Oz and NZ, as they are in Hong Kong. (Probably in more places so, but for the places I named I know it as a fact.)

1 hour ago, RichardColeman said:

One would have to seriously question the current quoted figure of tourist this year of 10 million tourists being real, if their main country of tourists is down 90% on 2019.

 

China is now having serious financial issues and I would only expect 10-25% of the 2019 to come for the forseeable future - besides any that come to see the condo they bought by tops in Soi Khoa Noi will see they still have not been built or worked on for 4 years ! Monies gone.

     You misread the article.  It is not saying tourists from China are down 90% from 2019.  It is saying Chinese group tours using ATTA is 90% down--not the same thing.  In 2019, independent Chinese travelers were the majority, not Chinese in group tours.   Whether the percentage of Chinese visitors to Thailand is up or down--and by how much--compared to 2019, cannot be drawn from this article.

One thing's for sure, you can't trust 90% of the numbers that organizations like ATTA or TAT circulate.

With all the scare stories in the media here recently about surging Covid case numbers and a return of mask wearing, it's not surprising the under-vaccinated Chinese don't want to visit if the same stories have aired in the Middle Kingdom.

Yes I agree the normal Chinese tourists are fine polite ect 

It's the ones with the tour groups before Covid 19 were a disaster flooding out the hotel morning buffet speaking loudly and so on 

If the numbers stay down so be it ????

 

yes i understand,, chinese get robbed , murdered and rip off in here!!

No wonder they stay away...

5 hours ago, Gknrd said:

Doubt if you will see huge numbers. Their stock market is falling off a cliff. They are devaluating the Yuan to try and gain traction in trade. Their economy is in shambles. But, of course they are the savior of the Thai economy.

one man's shambles is another man's treasure...

thailand says it wants high end tourists, like freelancers want high end daddies. but in reality, anyone with the correct cash will do

hmmmm.. ...this has been a good year for Chinese tourists then ?