Thai tourism hit by weak Chinese market and waning local interest

[webfact]

 

The sluggish Chinese economy and hesitant local budget travellers have dealt a blow to Thai tourism operators along the Eastern seaboard, casting a gloomy cloud over this year’s revenue prospects.

 

The slow recovery marks it as a testing time for places like Pattaya, particularly with a quiet Chinese market yet to bounce back and local visitors not returning en masse, said Thanet Supornsahasrungsi, the former president of the Chon Buri Tourism Council and group executive director of Sunshine Hotels and Resorts.

 

The dominant Chinese market, a prime source of tourists, received only 1.4 million arrivals in the first half of this year. Flight resumption this year is expected to reach around 6 million seats, a noticeable dip compared with the staggering 13 million in 2019, according to the tourism department.

 

Noting the wavering hotel occupancy rates of around 50%, Mr Supornsahasrungsi added that the path to recovery would indeed be long. He anticipates the occupancy rate to touch 40-50% during the low season in the third quarter when about 70% of the hotelier is back in operation.

“High-spending Thais tend to travel abroad, while those with limited budgets who travelled some during the pandemic years have barely rebounded due to increasing living costs and a stagnated economy,” explained Mr Supornsahasrungsi, postulating a fickle domestic market this year.

In a bid to lure more domestic tourists during weekdays, the former president proposed implementing several policies and government stimulus measures. These could include subsidising “workation” packages for companies or increasing employees’ annual leave, thus incentivising people to embark on short trips to Pattaya.

 

by Alex Morgan 

Image by DanFLCreativo

 

Full story: https://thethaiger.com/news/business/thai-tourism-hit-by-weak-chinese-market-and-waning-local-interest

 

-- © Copyright Thaiger 2023-07-13

 

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[2baht]

Damn Chinese!

[flyingtlger]

What was all that news about how the Chinese were coming in huge numbers?

[jacko45k]

2 minutes ago, 2baht said:

Damn Chinese!

Yes everyone complains when they are here, and also when they won't come back!

[stoner]

is there possibly anything happening locally at the moment that might have some effect on tourism ?

 

34 minutes ago, webfact said:

High-spending Thais tend to travel abroad

so why is it i constantly hear TAT blabbing on about attracting high value tourists when they cannot even keep their own kind.

 

thai rak thai :)

[jaideedave]

Somchai and Noi are barley able to make their pick up payments.They ain't booking a pool villa in Phuket anytime soon.

[harada]

And there’s a fair chance that the porkers fighting over who’s going to get their snouts in the trough will cause large numbers of people to hit the streets and put an even bigger hole in their revenue, I’m sure that a lot of people are waiting to see how things pan out before booking tickets to Thailand, or going elsewhere.

[hotchilli]

5 hours ago, flyingtlger said:

What was all that news about how the Chinese were coming in huge numbers?

All they found was cheap Chinese knock-offs... 

[Isaan sailor]

Time to celebrate!   Wait, Baht is celebrating too—-mai dee.

[2baht]

5 hours ago, flyingtlger said:

What was all that news about how the Chinese were coming in huge numbers?

They were relieving themselves into the wind, it's come back at them!

[brucegoniners]

Yes, but the people who are here are spending more. Chinese tourists are well known for only spending with their own and being cheap with everyone else.

 

Sorry, but it's the truth.

[kinyara]

6 hours ago, flyingtlger said:

What was all that news about how the Chinese were coming in huge numbers?

WHERE was all that news about how the Chinese were coming in huge numbers ?  Never read reports or official statements saying that.

 

5 million was the TAT target for this year, only 45% of 2019 pre-covid. The rate to May was 25%, and that weakness has been widely reported and acknowledged by TAT.

[kinyara]

9 minutes ago, Sticky Rice Balls said:

a thai misunderstanding...

Clearly his misunderstanding since it was never expected.

[RichardColeman]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

or increasing employees’ annual leave, thus incentivising people to embark on short trips to Pattaya.

I think the person who wrote this nonsense has little understanding of Thai employers !

[kinyara]

1 minute ago, RichardColeman said:

I think the person who wrote this nonsense has little understanding of Thai employers !

Certainly little understanding of economic productivity or obviously the current economic reality for many.

[newnative]

1 hour ago, brucegoniners said:

Yes, but the people who are here are spending more. Chinese tourists are well known for only spending with their own and being cheap with everyone else.

 

Sorry, but it's the truth.

     The actual truth is Chinese tourists spent over 500 billion baht in Thailand in 2019, the most of any country, by far.   The actual truth is the majority of them were independent travelers, not in tour groups.   Sorry, but it's the truth.

[Venom]

Boo hoo ????

[peter zwart]

So it has to come from that "dirty" falang again. 

[JensenZ]

Yet the strong arm of the Immigration police is coming down hard on the tourists that are here, in the name of public safety.

 

 

[lavender19]

On 7/13/2023 at 7:55 AM, jacko45k said:

Yes everyone complains when they are here, and also when they won't come back!

I am not complaining. I'm enjoying it

[jacko45k]

Just now, lavender19 said:

I am not complaining. I'm enjoying it

Shhh  ......a few of us are.