Thai Tourism Eyes Potential Surge in Chinese Tourists Despite a Slow Start to Initial Visa Exemption Program

[webfact]

Mr. Sittiwat Chewaratanaporn, President of the Association of Thai Travel Agents (ATTA), stated that although there is an initial visa exemption, the booking of tours to Thailand did not increase further, due to tour operations that had previously been booked before the visa exemption.

Mr. Sittiwat also gave an insight that by the end of 2023, it is not predictable whether the number of Chinese tourists will reach the quota of 5 million or not since 2.8 million of them, both applied for visas and exempted, are only currently recorded. However, by November, seasonal Chinese tourists may increase in number as it will be winter in China and popular Thai festivals take place such as the Loy Krathong Festival and Pattaya’s popular Fireworks Festival.

Mrs. Marisa Sukosol Nunpakdee, President of the Thai Hotels Association (THA), said that due to Visa exemption, there is an increasing number of hotels being booked more than 10-20% across regions in Thailand, mostly Bangkok.

Lately, Chinese tourists tend to opt for cultural tourism, their essential motivation is to learn, discover, experience, and consume the tangible and intangible cultural attractions, and are greatly influenced by social media.

 

By Kittisak Phalaharn

 

Full story: THE PATTAYA NEWS 2023-09-28

 

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[2baht]

Chinese have discovered that Thailand IS NOT the centre of the universe and are going elsewhere!

[hotchilli]

11 minutes ago, 2baht said:

Chinese have discovered that Thailand IS NOT the centre of the universe and are going elsewhere!

Came, saw, got the fake hat and left.

[2baht]

8 minutes ago, hotchilli said:

Came, saw, got the fake hat and left.

I think a few insurgents may have stayed! ????

[RichardColeman]

Chinese come in anticipation.

Say why has my condo I paid for not been built.

Chinese go home disillusioned.

 

[whiteman]

dont want them

[daveAustin]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

Lately, Chinese tourists tend to opt for cultural tourism, their essential motivation is to learn, discover, experience, and consume the tangible and intangible cultural attractions

Garbled, confusing and quite frankly duller than an in-flight magazine produced by Air Belgium!

[mikebell]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

Chinese tourists tend to opt for cultural tourism, their essential motivation is to learn, discover, experience, and consume the tangible and intangible cultural attractions,

Lots of farangs come to Pattaya for the same reasons.

[WHansen]

Chinese tourists.....Yawn

[Peabody]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

...the booking of tours to Thailand did not increase further, due to tour operations that had previously been booked before the visa exemption.

Ridiculous statement

 

[PETERTHEEATER]

9 hours ago, hotchilli said:

Came, saw, got the fake hat and left.

The irony is that the hat was Made in China????

[xeniv23]

Collapsing real estate investments/ripoffs, huge budget shortfalls among county and city governments and increasing unemployment or non-paid work.  There is a good chance that the Chinese economy is about to fall off the edge.  Chinese tourists swooping in to save TAT projections is highly unlikely.  

[zzaa09]

one hundred gazillion expected soon. 

[DonniePeverley]

Maybe it's just me ... but last few days i have definately seen a rise in the number of Chinese tourists around Lower Sukhumvit and Silom. BTS was packed with them. 

 

Prior to this i definately noticed less off them about. 

 

Maybe a coincidence but i doubt it. 

 

 

[DonniePeverley]

4 hours ago, xeniv23 said:

Collapsing real estate investments/ripoffs, huge budget shortfalls among county and city governments and increasing unemployment or non-paid work.  There is a good chance that the Chinese economy is about to fall off the edge.  Chinese tourists swooping in to save TAT projections is highly unlikely.  

 

In that scenario it will help Thailand, as many Chinese will look for budget holidays. Thailand is a budget holiday for Chinese. The elite, and aspirational Chinese population yearn to go to Europe or America. 

 

The sheer volume of the Chinese population means their numbers are going to be astronomical again.