Chinese tourism deterred by tourist scams in Thailand, says Atta

[webfact]

 

Fear of being conned by tourist scams poses a bigger concern to prospective Chinese tourists than Thailand’s political ambiguity, advises the Association of Thai Travel Agents (Atta). Given a sluggish economic recovery on the mainland, the Chinese tourism market could slightly be affected.

 

Calling for tougher safety measures, Atta’s president, Sisdivachr Cheewarattanaporn, indicates that improving the country’s image and reassurances over touristic scams would encourage Chinese travellers. He also emphasised the necessity to uplift the quality of services provided in the tourism sector to boost Chinese tourism.

 

Cheewarattanaporn argues that even with the likely political vacuum in the coming two to three months, Chinese tourists wouldn’t consider Thailand’s political instability as a reason for rerouting their destinations.

Attaining the government-set target of five million visitors necessitates a footfall of at least two million Chinese travellers in the third quarter, around 12,000 to 15,000 daily. This figure is expected to be followed by more than two million arrivals in the final quarter, resulting in a surge in Chinese tourism.

 

by Alex Morgan

Photo: ATTA's President Sisdivachr Cheewarattanaporn via ttgasia

 

Full story: https://thethaiger.com/news/business/tourist-scams-not-politics-deter-chinese-travellers-to-thailand-says-atta

 

-- © Copyright Thaiger 2023-06-23

 

- Cigna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here.

[ikke1959]

The scams count only for the Chinese tourists???

[ezzra]

Most tourist scams are done by Chinese on Chinese.

[Blumpie]

Quote

improving the country’s image and reassurances over touristic scams would encourage Chinese travellers.

It's Thailand, everyone gets scammed.  It's a country based on ripping people off.  You know it.  I know it.  Dogs know it.  Everyone knows it.  

Good luck, it won't be in my lifetime but empty words sure sound nice don't they?  Verbal onanism.  

[hotchilli]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

Fear of being conned by tourist scams poses a bigger concern to prospective Chinese tourists than Thailand’s political ambiguity, advises the Association of Thai Travel Agents (Atta). Given a sluggish economic recovery on the mainland, the Chinese tourism market could slightly be affected.

The up-side of social media... word is out.

Thailand is corrupt.

[Caldera]

I've often wondered why this isn't even a bigger issue, tourists getting scammed and then talking about it back home (or on social media of course).

 

Thailand's reputation in this regard is nothing to be proud of, and when I encountered European tourists again last year after the Covid slowdown, most of them were mostly talking about how they've been scammed. Some weren't talking about anything else, in fact.

 

That was in Trat and about rip-offs related to visiting Koh Chang, which arguably isn't even one of the worst places.

[RichardColeman]

8 hours ago, webfact said:

Attaining the government-set target of five million visitors necessitates a footfall of at least two million Chinese travellers in the third quarter, around 12,000 to 15,000 daily. This figure is expected to be followed by more than two million arrivals in the final quarter, resulting in a surge in Chinese tourism.

No sense of reality of the current outside financial world status

[John Drake]

8 hours ago, webfact said:

He also emphasised the necessity to uplift the quality of services provided in the tourism sector to boost Chinese tourism.

Uplift quality for the Chinese. What? Don't care about anybody else?

[ChipButty]

I think they sell some manual in 7/11 how to rip the tourist off, a few weeks ago i was sitting on a wall outside of a hotel in Karon having a smoke, a farang couple walked out of the hotel and asked the minivan driver how much to the airport, 2000 baht he said, i didn't say anything i just looked at him, 

[stoner]

25 minutes ago, RichardColeman said:

No sense of reality of the current outside financial world status

there you go with that outside world stuff again richard. hahaha 

[StayinThailand2much]

8 hours ago, ikke1959 said:

The scams count only for the Chinese tourists???

True. The variety of scams keeps me from visiting other locations besides the handful I know and feel comfortable at. And even for those locations, I sometimes don't bother going, as I don't want to worry about getting overcharged or scammed on my holiday. Not to mention that, for these reasons, I don't visit national parks in Thailand, and, nowadays,  rarely visit temples or museums.

[Xonax]

The worst scam in Thailand is the dual pricing in national parks and other places.

[ChipButty]

1 hour ago, Xonax said:

The worst scam in Thailand is the dual pricing in national parks and other places.

I've seen restaurant have two menu's with different prices 

[spidermike007]

1. The level of consumer confidence in the US, is dropping like a brick, right now. Likely the same elsewhere. 

 

2. Why would the Chinese care about the government here? Xi is not exactly a beacon of hope, and China is not exactly the land of the free. I don't even think that is a factor. The scams, maybe. The Chinese seem to be getting scammed alot. 

[zzaa09]

2 hours ago, Xonax said:

The worst scam in Thailand is the dual pricing in national parks and other places.

Nay. The ever encroaching and oppressive visa rules and regulations would get my vote.

[NE1]

I thought it was the length of the visa process that put them off coming here. or was that last weeks excuse?

[Gknrd]

Got to blame lack of Chinese tourism on something. This has nothing to do with reality. Typical TAT blabber.

 

[Elkski]

The word is out.  Plus they must know most thais don't like Chinese. Less Indians. 

[Blumpie]

4 hours ago, Caldera said:

I've often wondered why this isn't even a bigger issue, tourists getting scammed and then talking about it back home (or on social media of course).

 

Thailand's reputation in this regard is nothing to be proud of, and when I encountered European tourists again last year after the Covid slowdown, most of them were mostly talking about how they've been scammed. Some weren't talking about anything else, in fact.

 

That was in Trat and about rip-offs related to visiting Koh Chang, which arguably isn't even one of the worst places.

I want to say that it IS an issue - the Chinese know about it, and with the backpacker crowd having enough of thailand and moving on to Bali (not that theres a lot of them anyways), people dont take kindly to being ripped off all the time.  

Look at tourism, it's way down and this is supposed to be the big comeback!  Look at airfares.  This is not good.

[BarraMarra]

Don't panic a spokesman from TAT has predicted 20 million tourists during the low season.

[MrJ2U]

6 hours ago, Xonax said:

The worst scam in Thailand is the dual pricing in national parks and other places.

It's unpleasant but at least you have a choice to walk away.   200 baht versus 20 baht.

 

Many scams are much worse and involve huge amounts of money.

 

My wife just got scammed for fake Eucirin whitening cream, 1850.00 baht COD.  The box ended up containing a bunch cheap Chinese hotel shampoo. 

Bummed her out. 

 

 

[jacko45k]

16 hours ago, Caldera said:

That was in Trat and about rip-offs related to visiting Koh Chang, which arguably isn't even one of the worst places.

I was thinking it was on one trip there years ago, many scams relating to transportation. 

[StayinThailand2much]

19 hours ago, Blumpie said:

It's Thailand, everyone gets scammed.  It's a country based on ripping people off.  You know it.  I know it.  Dogs know it.  Everyone knows it.  

Good luck, it won't be in my lifetime but empty words sure sound nice don't they?  Verbal onanism.  

True. Thais also scam each other. It's in their nature, and authorities just shrug shoulders.