Why are fewer Chinese tourists visiting Thailand?

[Barnet1900]

9 hours ago, orchis said:

negative image because of scams, crime and accidents.

Bang on.

 

Until they face up to their downfalls and stop blaming it on visas they'll continue to fall.

 

I'd personally love to see the amount of people choosing to live or retire here drop then they might start treating those that help the economy going all year round with more respect.

[bignok]

Good I don't like them. How to stop the Indians, French and Russians coming? Try doing that.

 

 

[thesetat]

11 hours ago, webfact said:

 

Thailand's tourism bureau estimates nearly 1.5 million fewer visitors from China in 2023 than had originally been expected at the beginning of the year. Changing travel trends and economic problems in China are to blame.

 

Chinese tourist arrivals in Thailand are set to be lower than forecast in 2023, according to estimates by the Thai tourism bureau.

 

Thailand had expected a bump in tourist arrivals from China following the reopening of borders after the coronavirus pandemic. The tourism bureau initially predicted 5 million visitors from China in 2023.

 

However, arrivals from China before December numbered around 3 million, and the year-end total is now estimated to be around 3.5 million visitors.

 

Changing trends in Chinese tourism

Vincent Zhuang, a journalist from China and former editor at the Robb Report, a luxury-lifestyle magazine, said Chinese travel trends are changing.

 

"The Chinese tourist has changed a lot," Zhuang told DW. He added that Chinese tourists are traveling more domestically as air fares and hotel prices remain high elsewhere in Asia.

 

by Tommy Walker in Bangkok

TOP: There are fewer Chinese tourists in Bangkok's Chinatown this year. Image: Tommy Walker/DW

 

Full story: DW 2023-12-06

 

- 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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What a load of crock... Airfares to Thailand are not expensive and can still be bought at 4-5000 baht one way...This is only about 500 baht more than pre-covid. 

However, the cost for things in Thailand have increased exponentially and I am sure tourist packages reflect those higher prices. 

 

[StayinThailand2much]

1 hour ago, Iamloki said:

I could be mistaken, but is seems that every time they try to boost Chinese tourism by reducing costs the result is the opposite. Perhaps they should try making it more expensive ...

 

You might be onto something... I remember the long queues of Chinese at Starbucks in Bangkok before the pandemic, probably to show folks at home that they can 'afford Starbucks', which is ridiculously expensive in China (as coffee in general is). Perhaps, Thailand should let Chinese tourists jump through a few hoops (e.g. when applying for a visa), thereby creating a buzz in Chinese social media 'how special it is to be able to travel to Thailand'...

[Mike Lister]

The jungle grape vines in China are saying that Thailand is not Chinese friendly and people are listening. Too many high profile Chinese negative crackdowns and rip offs.

[Caldera]

Well it's not like the original estimate that they are now comparing the actual number with had any basis in fact to begin with; the TAT was just dreaming up numbers as per usual.

 

They don't need an AI to hallucinate, that lot.

[Toby1947]

If Chinese tourist are treated like European tourists it's the old 2 fingers up to Thailand. 

[Srikcir]

14 hours ago, webfact said:

"The Chinese tourist has changed a lot," Zhuang told DW. He added that Chinese tourists are traveling more domestically as air fares and hotel prices remain high elsewhere in Asia.

Refocus on national with the highest GDP. No 1 USA. Other successful nations are in Europe, India, Australia, UK, Saudi Arabia.

What is TAT doing to increase tourist traffic from the nations that don't have the same tourist profile of Chinese? Thailand needs to flaunt its sovereignty to attract nonChinese tourists whose profiles do not match the Chinese herd mentality constrained by communist mentality.

[Srikcir]

Why fewer? It's simple math. "fewer" means "less" that is defined mathematically as a lower number.

[vangrop]

useless post. You don't have to be an intellectual to understand. Everything has increased the price, the hotels, the restaurants, the taxis, the bars, the sluts, the the the the. and the salary after covid has decreased

[rebo]

18 hours ago, webfact said:

Changing travel trends and economic problems in China are to blame.

I couldn‘t imagine any more thai explanation …

[JimTripper]

21 hours ago, Celsius said:

But do they have shrimp buffet?

Unfortunately, it's not limited to shrimp. It's anything.

 

Have you been to that thai street food court at bkk airport lately? Lots of Chinese in their eating and leaving plenty of scraps around.

 

The Thai seem to be a tolerant lot, but they're going to get tested by the Chinese. Some of these blokes are pretty hard to deal with in very strange ways that the Thai's aren't used to.

 

 

[stoner]

20 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

1. Thailand is not the center of the known universe.

 

says you :)

[jacko45k]

15 hours ago, Thingamabob said:

No idea, other than to say the nightlife is nothing like as much fun as it was in the 1960s, 70s and 80s. 

Well yes, I could afford it back then!

[sirineou]

 

22 hours ago, webfact said:

Changing travel trends and economic problems in China are to blame.

It's passible, but also just as passible is that the forecasts were overly optimistic.

[kinyara]

10 hours ago, Caldera said:

Well it's not like the original estimate that they are now comparing the actual number with had any basis in fact to begin with; the TAT was just dreaming up numbers as per usual.

 

They don't need an AI to hallucinate, that lot.

 

They got China wrong, however it looks like the total number of tourists will fall within the middle of TAT's estimated range of 24-30 million. The non-Chinese levels compared to 2019 aren't that bad despite the doomsday sabre rattling on here.

[Caldera]

53 minutes ago, kinyara said:

They got China wrong, however it looks like the total number of tourists will fall within the middle of TAT's estimated range of 24-30 million. The non-Chinese levels compared to 2019 aren't that bad despite the doomsday sabre rattling on here.

 

They "aren't that bad" compared with which other countries? Many popular tourist destinations have already recovered to pre-Covid levels. Thailand has fallen behind.

[kinyara]

2 minutes ago, Caldera said:

 

They "aren't that bad" compared with which other countries? Many popular tourist destinations have already recovered to pre-Covid levels. Thailand has fallen behind.

 

The only country I compare it to is Vietnam since that's regularly cited as a main and future regional competitor, sharing the same economic challenges re the cost of long-haul travel and equally popular with the Chinese etc. Up to November both countries were running at exactly the same level of their 2019 numbers, 62%.

[spidermike007]

Remember the massive groups, following the leader around with the flagpole? Does anyone miss those days? 

 

The entire world has changed since the Zombie Apocalypse. Everything is different. Thailand was sealed shut for far too long. The cowardice and timidity was astonishing. 75 major countries that are tourist destination were fully opened, while Thailand languished, quivering with fear. Then they opened with those crazy quarantine rules. Alot of people said no thanks. And continue to do so. Thailand is not the center of the universe, and tourists are showing that there are many, many alternatives to it. 

 

Plus, none of the issues that plagued Thailand before covid were even addressed. None. And the increased pasteurization and homogenization of the place is not anything anyone wants, except the fake puritan authorities. 

[alex8912]

18 hours ago, LivingNThailand said:

Rawai, Phuket is finished.   I counted 35 weed shops on Saiyuan and I was driving.  Probably double if I paid attention and that was on  1 street.  Big Bike drivers being A-holes, driving around people and cars and honking.  Shirtless wonders going into the stores.  I haven't really been to Rawai for over 1 year to spend my money.   Just  to pick up a few things here and there.  Totally ruined.  No control from the officials.  I know this thread was about Chinese, but who in their right mind would want to visit this area, despite where they were from, China or ????.   No high-end visitors.  Just scum.    I was in Ho Chi Mihn City a few days ago, very civilized and tourists not behaving badly and spending a lot of money.   If the Thai government doesn't do something soon about this then the Thai tourism will be totally finished and the people that will pay good money for a good experience will truly stop coming to Thailand.  End of rant.

What time did you tuck yourself in when in Saigon?  I'd say waaaay before midnight or 1am.  

[alex8912]

10 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

Remember the massive groups, following the leader around with the flagpole? Does anyone miss those days? 

 

The entire world has changed since the Zombie Apocalypse. Everything is different. Thailand was sealed shut for far too long. The cowardice and timidity was astonishing. 75 major countries that are tourist destination were fully opened, while Thailand languished, quivering with fear. Then they opened with those crazy quarantine rules. Alot of people said no thanks. And continue to do so. Thailand is not the center of the universe, and tourists are showing that there are many, many alternatives to it. 

 

Plus, none of the issues that plagued Thailand before covid were even addressed. None. And the increased pasteurization and homogenization of the place is not anything anyone wants, except the fake puritan authorities. 

Don't forget how many people refuse to deal with the silly 60 day tourist visa on line which can still take 14 business days to get and the website asks several questions that make zero sense or need to be answered even if NOT required. The one I did last month had a question asking how many YEARS I wanted the visa for!!??  The only drop down answers were 2, 3 or 4! You HAD to choose one or could not continue. 

 

 

 

[Woke to Sounds]

2 hours ago, alex8912 said:

Don't forget how many people refuse to deal with the silly 60 day tourist visa on line which can still take 14 business days to get

Fourteen days?  Buddy, I wish.  I'm now at business day 27 .... and still waiting. Fourteen business days would be quick service. Three things are clear to me now: 1) I will never again apply for a Thai tourist visa; 2) Canadian tourists are not any priority whatsoever; and 3) I have banished any thoughts of ever retiring in the country. If a simple tourist visa application has been this much hassle (yes, stupid questions online too) I can only imagine the nightmare of bureaucracy and paperwork and nonsense involved to try to retire there. No thank you. I'll spend my future money elsewhere.

[Furioso]

Thailand is only cheap nowadays.

 

The Chinese want super cheap, so now they stay in China and save a few rmb. 

[digger70]

On 12/6/2023 at 8:20 AM, webfact said:

Thailand's tourism bureau estimates nearly 1.5 million fewer visitors from China in 2023 than had originally been expected at the beginning of the year.

That's what happen when they just pull the numbers out of a hat.

[LivingNThailand]

3 hours ago, alex8912 said:

Don't forget how many people refuse to deal with the silly 60 day tourist visa on line

A friend of mine from the US just did that.  I couldn't believe the documents he had to provide, including a bank statement proving he had $5000 in the bank and a letter from his girlfriend saying it was OK to stay at her house.  If his mom was alive, I bet they would want a note from her too.  Yet Russians can come in 90 days no problem.  I'm not against Russian tourists, it's just I believe there should be some even ground here.

[alex8912]

1 hour ago, Woke to Sounds of Horking said:

Fourteen days?  Buddy, I wish.  I'm now at business day 27 .... and still waiting. Fourteen business days would be quick service. Three things are clear to me now: 1) I will never again apply for a Thai tourist visa; 2) Canadian tourists are not any priority whatsoever; and 3) I have banished any thoughts of ever retiring in the country. If a simple tourist visa application has been this much hassle (yes, stupid questions online too) I can only imagine the nightmare of bureaucracy and paperwork and nonsense involved to try to retire there. No thank you. I'll spend my future money elsewhere.

That is crazy stuff. I use Turkish air recently and do a few nights over going and coming. I need a visa for Turkey 🇹🇷 and go on line a week before I leave. It TRULY takes me less than 8 minutes ( I type slow) I pay and get a six month multiple entry visa in less than an hour ( have done it many times) I come to Thailand for five months and can use my same visa on the way back home. I mean this is Turkey!!  

[Stargeezr]

I have heard that the economy in China is not that good, and of course most Chinese are not

rich people.  The world economy is not in that great shape either, so maybe Thailand should

be happy to get what ever tourists they do get, and be thankful for that much.

[mrwebb8825]

Maybe they need to hand out police uniforms, promote cosplay and encourage baht bus strip tease shows to get them back.

[DonniePeverley]

They're back. 

 

Bangkok and Pattaya, i've literally never seen this volume of Chinese tourists even before the pandemic. Absolutely insane numbers this week. 

 

We had a good few years, but it's over. They are back. 

 

The question is at what point does it become unsustainable? 

[ChipButty]

There is a 5 star hotel near me in Rawai it's full of Chinese on Full Board, so they must be spending nothing on food outside of the hotel,