Combined tour packages: Thai proposal for Chinese tourists

[webfact]

 

Chinese tourists are the target of a new strategy suggested by Thai tourism operators, who propose selling combined tour packages to Thailand and Malaysia. This proposal comes in light of China granting visa exemptions to visitors from Malaysia and several European countries, but not Thailand.

 

Songchai Mungprasithichai, president of the Songkhla Tourism Promotion Association, believes that since Hat Yai Airport now offers direct flights from Kuala Lumpur, the government could seize this opportunity to promote combined trips. Chinese tourists could visit both Malaysia and Thailand without the need for visas.

 

Songchai noted that such a strategy could boost tourism in Songkhla, a region largely dependent on Malaysian tourists and currently attracting a minimal number of visitors from Singapore and Indonesia. He suggested that developing new attractions in Songkhla could provide additional unique selling points, complementing the region’s food culture that currently draws in foreign tourists on weekends.

“Thailand offers more advantages than Malaysia in terms of offering diverse attractions, while the country’s well-known hospitality is another boon,” Songchai said. He noted that Chinese and other foreign tourists often prefer free recreational activities, such as beach-going or alcohol consumption, both of which can be enjoyed in Thailand without restrictions.

 

by Alex Morgan

Photo: Apichart Jinakul/Bangkok Post

 

Full story: The Thaiger 2023-11-29

 

- 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.

 

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[bamnutsak]

This sounds like the dreaded "Zero Dollar Tourism", which Thai tourist authorities always complain about.

 

 

[proton]

We don't want another virus outbreak, keep them away!

[bkk6060]

Give them all free everything! Jeez, figure it out they are not traveling like before and really do not have Thailand on the top of their list of places to go.   

[2baht]

35 minutes ago, bkk6060 said:

Give them all free everything! Jeez, figure it out they are not traveling like before and really do not have Thailand on the top of their list of places to go.   

Nihao ma, we no come!

[Guderian]

Great plan, keep them in the Deep South, maybe bus them all from Hat Yai to Phuket. Since their Chairman Xi seems to get on so well with the Russians, it should usher in a new period of peace, harmony and prosperity on the island, lol.

[StayinThailand2much]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

He noted that Chinese and other foreign tourists often prefer free recreational activities, such as (...) alcohol consumption, (...) which can be enjoyed in Thailand without restrictions.

 

Since when? With limitations during day- and night times, not to mention religious and political holidays...

Edited November 29, 2023 by StayinThailand2much

[StayinThailand2much]

1 hour ago, bkk6060 said:

Give them all free everything! Jeez, figure it out they are not traveling like before and really do not have Thailand on the top of their list of places to go.  

 

Watching, or reading world news doesn't seem to be a thing in Thailand. Get over it, TAT, this is not 2019, and things won't be 'back' anytime soon, esp. in beloved China...

Edited November 29, 2023 by StayinThailand2much

[hotchilli]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

This proposal comes in light of China granting visa exemptions to visitors from Malaysia and several European countries, but not Thailand.

Ouchhhhh !

[hotchilli]

5 hours ago, bamnutsak said:

This sounds like the dreaded "Zero Dollar Tourism", which Thai tourist authorities always complain about.

 

 

Thailand is desperate.. they'll do it.

[PETERTHEEATER]

[impulse]

As cold as it's been up here in the Middle Kingdom for a few weeks now, if the planes aren't loaded up with visa exempt escapees from the Arctic weather conditions, it's just not going to happen.

 

Being one of the few who come to Thailand for my visa run, I'm sure looking forward to my next one in a couple of weeks.  It is cold... (Not saying that it won't get colder, but winter hit suddenly this year.)

 

The good news is the airfare is running about half of pre-Covid prices, but the bad news is that the schedules stink, with few (if any) non stops where there were several non-stops a day to my city of 15 million before Covid.  The planes are still quite full, but not nearly as many of them.  And I can live with an overnight stay in a nice transfer hotel at about $20-30 USD, along with an occasional cancelled flight.

 

At some point, they need to draw a line limiting how low they're willing to go to get the bodies, especially when they really just want the money.

 

[Cake Monster]

Coral the Chinese into the Bomb and Gun ridden South

That should really instill confidence and Safety into any planned trip the Tourists would make

Are these Clowns really serious

 

[Laughing Gravy]

More smacks of the desperation from the TAT. I wonder what next. Free holidays!

[mokwit]

Presumably they would spend less time in Thailand in this case?

[Captor]

Maybe they could attract them with clean air and low PM2.5? Oh.. sorry I wasn´t thinking stright. Several Hiso´s in the agriculture sector (not living in Thailand) would not like that due to bad business.