Number of tourists in CM in September

[Take5]

Hi Folks

New to the forum, my first post, although I have been browsing here for a while and appreciating the contributions.

I am back in my own country now for a while and I am looking for information about tourist numbers in CM at the moment. I have been told that business is low, the tourists are not arriving, is this true???

The background is in having a small business interest in a restaurant and I am been told that business is very slack. I would guess this is true but its a good idea to check these things out, so would appreciate some feedback.

Best regards

[anto]

Have not seen it as quiet in many many years .When the Chinese come in big numbers ( its only a matter of time and Airasia are making C.M.a hub ) ,things will change ,if you can hold out that long .

[Ulysses G.]

I have always thought that the end of August and month of September is the slowest time of year for middle class Western tourists. However, I am not sure that it is the case with Chinese tourists and they are a big presence these days.

[Chiengmaijoe]

Generally, September is one of the quietest months. It's relatively busy in the Night Bazaar tonight, much to the annoyance of many a poster here I imagine. Ching Mai tourism is on the up, but with a significant change in demographics towards Asian tourists.

[Take5]

Thanks for the feedback. I got the impression that the high season started in September but that is obviously not the case. Europe has had a very good summer and I think that tends to effect tourist numbers in the sun destinations, I wonder if that will be a factor later on.

Would it be reasonably safe to assume a good increase in October?, is that the norm in CM?

Interesting about the change in demographics towards the Chinese and how this would affect the numbers at different times of the year, I would image they would be attracted to the milder time of year as would Westerners

[scd]

We've hit the low season for sure. Quite dire for some businesses actually. If your customers are of the Western demographic, you will not see a "good increase" until the end of the year.

[Thighlander]

Circus pants numbers are way down. The good, cheap, informal mom and pop Thai places couldn't care less. The places with the employees playing video games with their earbuds in should be worried.

[Chiengmaijoe]

Thanks for the feedback. I got the impression that the high season started in September but that is obviously not the case. Europe has had a very good summer and I think that tends to effect tourist numbers in the sun destinations, I wonder if that will be a factor later on.

Would it be reasonably safe to assume a good increase in October?, is that the norm in CM?

Interesting about the change in demographics towards the Chinese and how this would affect the numbers at different times of the year, I would image they would be attracted to the milder time of year as would Westerners

October is better than September with it being reasonably good by the middle of the month. November is usually the proper beginning of the high season.

[heybruce]

Backpacker season is June through August, when it's either hot or rainy. Backpackers don't give the five star hotels and high end jade shops a lot of business, but they do provide a lot of business to guesthouses, bars, tour operators, street venders, etc. More affluent tourists are November through February. Some linger around through March and the first half of April, burning season, to be here for Songkhran in mid-April. Late April through May and September and October are usually pretty quiet.

Loi Krathong is in November, I'm expecting massive numbers of Chinese this year. Unfortunately the Chinese tourists can be quite tight-fisted, so numbers don't always translate to profit.

[hellodolly]

Generally, September is one of the quietest months. It's relatively busy in the Night Bazaar tonight, much to the annoyance of many a poster here I imagine. Ching Mai tourism is on the up, but with a significant change in demographics towards Asian tourists.

I have lived here in Chiang Mai for 7 years and for some reason it seems the Night Bazaar is not really that busy. Yet strangely enough there is a lot of parking on the west side of the street where there used to be none.

We went to My Place for diner tonight. they had 5 tables for two and one for 4. There was a fellow at one of the tables and one other at the table for four with his lap top. Not that any one asked but the food was really good. Basic but good.

We walked across the street where I got a foot massage. I was talking with the girl doing my feet and she said it was real slow yesterday only one customer. While I was there three Asians speaking English came by and asked for a room. This shop does not do that kind of thing and it was obvious there was no room. One of the girls said they had been by three times yesterday asking the same question.

I know it is a bit unrelated but that is what it is like here now. As has been pointed out it could well be the slowest time of the year.

[Chiengmaijoe]

Backpacker season is June through August, when it's either hot or rainy. Backpackers don't give the five star hotels and high end jade shops a lot of business, but they do provide a lot of business to guesthouses, bars, tour operators, street venders, etc. More affluent tourists are November through February. Some linger around through March and the first half of April, burning season, to be here for Songkhran in mid-April. Late April through May and September and October are usually pretty quiet.

Loi Krathong is in November, I'm expecting massive numbers of Chinese this year. Unfortunately the Chinese tourists can be quite tight-fisted, so numbers don't always translate to profit.

July and august are reasonably busy with European tourists mostly coming with tour groups. They stay at reasonable hotels at discounted rates. A mini high season to businesses that get them in. Not big spenders, but big numbers.

[Thighlander]

Quite a few farang taking their kids on bar tours in August, good riddance.

[stament]

What's end of Feb and March like in CM out of interest?

[Chiengmaijoe]

What's end of Feb and March like in CM out of interest?

February is quite busy, as is early March.

[Mapguy]

I have always thought that the end of August and month of September is the slowest time of year for middle class Western tourists. However, I am not sure that it is the case with Chinese tourists and they are a big presence these days.

UG has certainly nailed it as far as the "Western" traffic," and he sits very close to the Tapae Gate center of Chiang Mai tourist gravity! Perhaps the larger influx of Chinese tourists will come during the long holidays in China although there will always be some coming through at different times, even some busloads. For the mass effect? Check the holiday calendar in China. Long holidays are favored in China!

Come to think of it, however, how much can you see cooped up in a bookshop pursuing ThaiVisa and only taking breaks for breakfast, lunch, and dinner! And snacks!! Besides, how many used books in Chinese does he have shelved?

Otherwise, if you check further, the ocean seems to have more attraction than the mountains. Perhaps the next Chinese-Russian summit will be held in Pattaya!!

[Take5]

Really appreciate the feedback.

So it seems that the real high season at the moment is more like November to March or maybe starting mid-October to mid-March. I was told it was September to January, so that's good news in so far as it explains the low numbers at present, hopefully.

The mini-high in July and August and the Backpacker influx June to August is probably what I was seeing when I was there and I thought it was the low season - so my ideas were out of kilter with reality, which many would say is the norm for me anyway

[Thailand]

November through to March is "Farang" high season.

Although as previously mentioned the demographic has changed and Asian tourists will dominate. The golf courses will be choker with Koreans and Japanese and the Chinese will be everywhere.

Plenty around at the moment, there were 5 coaches of Chinese at my local restaurant for lunch on Monday and apparently happens 2 to 3 times a week even now!

[puukao]

We are just starting the greatest financial collapse the world has ever known!!! Baht to 50:1 USD; houses selling for 10,000 Baht in CM in less than one decade...... Tourism to drop to only 10,000 people; the 10,000 trillionaires to tour the globe.....

but don't worry, in 109 years CM will be the greatest destination the world has ever known!!!! so, you have that going for you....

[cmsally]

These past months seem unusually quiet. I think a lot to do with the hot European summer.

Friends of mine with tourist businesses in Europe have had very busy summer.

[kalbo123]

Quiet?

Been out lately?

City is packed with tourists, or do you think Chinese people are no tourists?

These past months seem unusually quiet. I think a lot to do with the hot European summer.

Friends of mine with tourist businesses in Europe have had very busy summer.

[Chiengmaijoe]

Quiet?

Been out lately?

City is packed with tourists, or do you think Chinese people are no tourists?

These past months seem unusually quiet. I think a lot to do with the hot European summer.

Friends of mine with tourist businesses in Europe have had very busy summer.

How you see it would depend on where you go and the type of business you judge it by. Loi Kroh rd is dead all year round other than between 11 pm and 1am possibly. I never drink there but it seems like there are just too many bars catering to a declining customer base. Similarly, massages places. I wouldn't be surprised that staff in a massage place say they haven't had any customers on any day of the year. One or two are busy but loads of them are just competing with each other , so one day so-so, one day quiet, I imagine.

The Night Bazaar , including Anusarn market seem to be reasonably busy most of the year and well-run businesses seem to do well. Some parts of the old city also seem to do well most of the year. Depending on your business, if you run it professionally there is plenty of opportunities to do well in Chiang Mai.

[Take5]

The Night Bazaar , including Anusarn market seem to be reasonably busy most of the year and well-run businesses seem to do well. Some parts of the old city also seem to do well most of the year. Depending on your business, if you run it professionally there is plenty of opportunities to do well in Chiang Mai.

My guess is that there are a lot of business that are not run well in Chiang Mai but do ok because of the sheer numbers of tourists in the high season, they have nowhere else to go. Then these businesses would be vulnerable when things get tight.

Came across this link on tourist stats; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tourism_in_Thailand

It verifies what has been said about the Chinese, here is an excerpt:

In 2011, 1.7 million Chinese visitors traveled to Thailand and this figure was expected to rise to 2 million in 2012.^[9] The Thai-Chinese Tourism Alliance Association declared in February 2013 that Chinese tourists are the main supplier of Thailand's tourism industry and 3.3 million Chinese tourists are expected in 2013. The Association has also calculated that the average Chinese tourist remains in the country for one week and spends Bt30,000 (US$1,000) to Bt40,000 (US$1,300) per person, per trip.^[10] According to Thailand’s Tourism Authority, the number of Chinese tourists rose by 93 percent in the first quarter of 2013, an increase that was attributed to the popularity of the Chinese film Lost in Thailand that was filmed in the northern province of Chiang Mai. Chinese media outlets have claimed that Thailand superseded Hong Kong as the top destination for Chinese travellers during the 2013 May Day holiday

Is seems a good plan might be to orientate a business around our Chinese friends, if possible, like putting up signage in Chinese and if there is a menu, putting in a Chinese version of this.

[Thailand]

Is seems a good plan might be to orientate a business around our Chinese friends, if possible, like putting up signage in Chinese and if there is a menu, putting in a Chinese version of this.

Very practical and far too sensible a comment for TV.

[cmsally]

Is seems a good plan might be to orientate a business around our Chinese friends, if possible, like putting up signage in Chinese and if there is a menu, putting in a Chinese version of this.

Very practical and far too sensible a comment for TV.

if you walk around town you can see that quite a number of places have Chinese signage. Restaurants, massage, shops, tours, motorbike hire etc. A number are also employing Chinese speaking staff. But if you take it overall the last 3-4 weeks have been unusually quiet. Normally the whole of Aug is busy but this year it completely dropped off mid Aug.

Huen Phen is one place the Chinese have discovered. The place seems to be stuffed full of Chinese every day, even at the moment when there aren't that many around (compared to other months).

[Take5]

Is seems a good plan might be to orientate a business around our Chinese friends, if possible, like putting up signage in Chinese and if there is a menu, putting in a Chinese version of this.

Very practical and far too sensible a comment for TV.

I know what you mean

[dave2]

re

Is seems a good plan might be to orientate a business around our Chinese friends, if possible, like putting up signage in Chinese and if there is a menu, putting in a Chinese version of this

loco elvis already has

here ya go

dave2

[Take5]

if you walk around town you can see that quite a number of places have Chinese signage. Restaurants, massage, shops, tours, motorbike hire etc. A number are also employing Chinese speaking staff. But if you take it overall the last 3-4 weeks have been unusually quiet. Normally the whole of Aug is busy but this year it completely dropped off mid Aug.

Huen Phen is one place the Chinese have discovered. The place seems to be stuffed full of Chinese every day, even at the moment when there aren't that many around (compared to other months).

That's interesting, so any idea what Huen Phen has that is attracting the Chinese? It seems to have great reviews if you Google it, even though it's rated only 190th on Trip Advisor

[Take5]

re

Is seems a good plan might be to orientate a business around our Chinese friends, if possible, like putting up signage in Chinese and if there is a menu, putting in a Chinese version of this

loco elvis already has

here ya go

dave2

I presume that's your place Dave2

[cmsally]

if you walk around town you can see that quite a number of places have Chinese signage. Restaurants, massage, shops, tours, motorbike hire etc. A number are also employing Chinese speaking staff. But if you take it overall the last 3-4 weeks have been unusually quiet. Normally the whole of Aug is busy but this year it completely dropped off mid Aug.

Huen Phen is one place the Chinese have discovered. The place seems to be stuffed full of Chinese every day, even at the moment when there aren't that many around (compared to other months).

That's interesting, so any idea what Huen Phen has that is attracting the Chinese? It seems to have great reviews if you Google it, even though it's rated only 190th on Trip Advisor

Huen Phen is Northern Thai food. Presumably a chance for them to have something different but still along the lines of what they like to eat.

I'm guessing that it is also on the Chinese webs and social media, such as weibo etc.

[rakchaingmai]

So where can i get someone to translate my website into Chinese any ideas?