Thai Tourism Grapples with Declining Chinese Visitors

[ChipButty]

If they come to Nai Harn beach it's a <deleted> dump they would turn around and not come back, around the lake is a mess, and the beach is not much better with litter and used coconuts just left on the beach wall, I noticed the other morning plastic bottles and polystyrene food box's just thrown anywhere, 

[it is what it is]

 

so, the highlighted problems are safety concerns and 'inefficiencies' in law enforcement, and the solution is infrastructure development. a certain lack of understanding of the problem perhaps?

[mfd101]

If it's not Chinese tourists misbehaving and treading on locals' toes, it's Russians or Israelis or Brits ...

 

The fundamental problem is the permanent Third World status that any country obsessed with growing its tourist industry imposes on itself. Self-destructive over time. 

 

Thailand is a classic example of putting too much money in the wrong baskets, and hasn't a clue what really builds a modern & prosperous society.

[jwl53]

12 hours ago, connda said:

Where do you people come from?  Why live in a country that borders China?  <headshake>

Where is the Thai-China border????

[Taco]

For Farang expats who live in tourist areas like me, the disappearance of Chinese tourists groups is probably one of the best things to happen since Covid. 

[Iron Tongue]

No biggie.

These tourists are a blight anywhere they visit because of their behavior.  And they barely spend any money outside of their tour packages and linked shopping trips.  Good riddance!

Besides, if all those gambling centers do get built, tens of millions of new Chinese will visit, and actually be willing to drop tens of billions of baht at the tables.  

And they won't even leave the casinos, preferring to sleep at their casino hotel rooms, and eat at the casino's Chinese restaurants.  The only time they'll go outside is to get in a taxi for the airport back to China.

[BangkokReady]

16 hours ago, webfact said:

While nations like China, Japan, and Vietnam have vigorously updated and expanded their tourist offerings, Thailand has remained anchored to its existing, albeit charming, resources without refreshing its appeal or infrastructure.

 

I think Thais are restricted by the fact that they need to believe that people are queueing up to visit Thailand, and they are only really interested in passive income when it comes to tourism.

 

I find it hard to imagine them admitting, "People don't want to visit Thailand anymore, other countries are better.  We need to work hard to attract and maintain high levels of tourism."  But who knows what the future holds?  More visa-free countries, perhaps?

[JJ-Thailand]

Devalue the Thai Baht and they will all be flocking back.

[Sydebolle]

Quantity over quality - see Bhutan! 

Some do it right, some don't! 

[Khun Loong]

At last a  bit of good news from Asean Now.

[mikeymike100]

13 hours ago, Ohyesuare said:

 

Thailand has no borders with China.

Correct.........

Thailand shares borders with four countries:

Myanmar (to the north and west)

Laos (to the north and east)

Cambodia (to the southeast)

Malaysia (to the south)

[Kinok Farang]

I thought there was a lack of poo on Pattayas streets lately.

[bendejo]

Oh no, what will they do with all those prawns now? 

 

[spidermike007]

At one point a few years back the Chinese were the largest body of tourists around the world, all that has changed, as they have been instructed by their overlords to travel domestically, and obedient they are.

 

Also the Chinese tend to be one of the most timid people on earth, aggressive yes, but also very timid, and they scare very easily. 

[Toby1947]

Who gives a toss 🙄 

[Jedi888]

Yaaay. Why? Heres a book about why https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18169567-pigs-on-the-loose

[black tabby12345]

17 hours ago, JoePai said:

Don't worry, tomorrow TAT will tell us all the number from China is increasing by a million %

 

Like months ago.

 

One day, they were "concerned" about  Overtourism(negative impacts on the locals' life & Thai environment by ever increasing foreign visitors)

.

Then, the next day, they were worrying about Not Having Enough Tourists...

 

[black tabby12345]

29 minutes ago, Kinok Farang said:

I thought there was a lack of poo on Pattayas streets lately.

 

Warning Sign?

[black tabby12345]

Different forecast on the same topic, from 4 days ago.

 

 Then, they predicted their numbers will Significantly Increase...

 

 

[DUNROAMIN]

Is this not a good thing.😜

[black tabby12345]

16 hours ago, Pouatchee said:

Next up in the news, thailand sees record in chinese arrivals

 

They actually predicted that way.

Just a few days ago...

 

 

 

[watchcat]

13 hours ago, John Drake said:

A couple of days ago the report was that Chinese by the millions were coming.

 

Thank god they where wrong.

[Patong2021]

14 hours ago, connda said:

Couldn't get through this without the China-hating contingent of AseanNow showing up to spew vitriol at the CPC and average Chinese in general.  Where do you people come from?  Why live in a country that borders China?  <headshake>

 

I don't know about you, but the Chinese in my area seem to be  hearing impaired. They shout and yell even when standing next to each other. maybe someone needs to scream at them that Thailand welcomes them?

 

[Randy99]

Twice in the last year I've seen a China lady squatting on the Soi in broad daylight taking a piss.  Hope they holiday somewhere like India where pissing anywhere is accepted.  Yuck!

[ross163103]

Finally some GOOD news, now if they could just get that number down some more!

[DULEROY]

18 hours ago, webfact said:

Photo reproduite avec l'aimable autorisation du Centre de recherche Kasikorn

 

Dans un monde du tourisme en pleine évolution, la Thaïlande bénéficiait autrefois de la gloire d'accueillir plus de 10 millions de visiteurs chinois chaque année. Pourtant, des tendances inquiétantes ont perturbé cet âge d'or, assombrissant les perspectives d'avenir. Selon l'Association des agents de voyages thaïlandais (Atta), ce déclin est principalement dû à des préoccupations pressantes en matière de sécurité et à l'inefficacité perçue des forces de l'ordre.

 

Sisdivachr Cheewarattanaporn, président d'Atta, évoque avec émotion les opportunités de croissance manquées au cours des quatre dernières années. Alors que des pays comme la Chine, le Japon et le Vietnam ont considérablement modernisé et développé leur offre touristique, la Thaïlande est restée attachée à ses ressources existantes, certes charmantes, sans moderniser son attrait ni ses infrastructures.

 

Cette stagnation est aggravée par un sentiment d'insécurité généralisé parmi les visiteurs chinois potentiels. « Nous nous en tenons aux anciennes ressources, sans les entretenir ni les améliorer », explique M. Sisdivachr.

 

Les défis actuels ne sont qu’exacerbés par le sentiment négatif abondant qui règne sur les réseaux sociaux chinois, où les problèmes de cyberescroquerie découragent de nombreux touristes potentiels d’explorer les côtes thaïlandaises.

 

L'optimisme entourant le retour au niveau d'avant 2019, qui avait atteint 10 millions de touristes chinois, s'estompe à moins que la Thaïlande ne puisse rapidement garantir la sécurité de ces voyageurs. Sisdivachr reste sceptique quant à la réalisation de l'objectif, même plus modeste, de 8 millions d'arrivées chinoises cette année, prévoyant un nombre plus proche de 7 millions, soit des chiffres légèrement supérieurs aux prévisions pour 2024.

 

L'absence de croissance substantielle du tourisme chinois risque d'impacter les objectifs globaux d'arrivées de touristes étrangers en Thaïlande. Les prévisions du gouvernement, qui visent 39 millions d'arrivées, semblent de plus en plus ambitieuses face à ces défis majeurs.

 

 

Le gouvernement a lancé avec ambition le concept de nouveaux complexes de divertissement, notamment des casinos, pour attirer les touristes. Cependant, Sisdivachr se montre prudent, soulignant les risques potentiels, tels que les problèmes liés aux jeux d'argent chez les visiteurs et les risques de blanchiment d'argent en l'absence de vigilance réglementaire.

 

Il suggère plutôt une mise en œuvre prudente avec peut-être seulement quelques emplacements stratégiques, à savoir Bangkok et d’autres hauts lieux touristiques clés, où les infrastructures sont mûres pour de tels développements.

 

Alors que la Thaïlande se prépare à ses prochaines élections générales en 2027, il plaide pour que le tourisme soit au cœur des discussions économiques, déplorant son absence lors des campagnes précédentes.

 

La Thaïlande se trouve à la croisée des chemins, où l’équilibre complexe entre la modernisation de son offre et la garantie de la sécurité peut façonner l’avenir de son industrie touristique.

 

Alors que le pays fait face à ces défis, les quatre dernières années servent de puissant rappel de l’importance de l’innovation et de la vigilance pour maintenir son statut de destination de voyage de premier ordre, a rapporté le Bangkok Post.

 

-- 2025-03-14

 

 

 

[Nairbem]

14 hours ago, connda said:

"Psst - build casinos.  Build them and they will come."  <laughs>

Cum they will!

[DULEROY]

The reality is quite different...😀
China has invested huge sums of money to develop its tourism industry and its infrastructure, including transportation, to attract its population to stay in the country in favor of national tourism.

 

General Secretary Xi Jinping recently issued important instructions on tourism, emphasizing that since the reform and opening up, especially since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, my country's tourism development has accelerated, establishing the world's largest domestic tourism market and becoming the largest source and destination country for international tourism. The tourism industry has grown from small to large, from weak to strong, and gradually become an emerging strategic pillar, a sector of people's livelihood and happiness, with outstanding characteristics of the times. It has thus successfully embarked on a unique path for the development of Chinese tourism. General Secretary Xi Jinping has made comprehensive arrangements and put forward clear requirements for accelerating the building of a strong tourism nation and promoting high-quality development of the tourism industry.

 

http://jl.people.com.cn/BIG5/n2/2024/0523/c349771-40853798.html

 

 

And it seems to have succeeded, according to Chinese statistics from the Ministry of Tourism.

[DULEROY]

http://jl.people.com.cn/BIG5/n2/2024/0523/c349771-40853798.html

[Nid_Noi]

 

Could it be another reason for the absence of Chinese tourists?

 

There have been several documentaries about factory closures, lack of jobs, people fleeing cities, real-estate developers filing for bankruptcy, empty airports and railway stations as well as mall closures.

Any lately visitors to China witnessed this exodus?