Phuket listed as the No. 1 spot for Chinese holidaymakers

PHUKET, 4 September 2014 (NNT) - Hotel booking website www.hotels.com has revealed that Phuket has been ranked as the top destination for Chinese tourists to celebrate their Moon Festival, which is taking place on September 6-8 of this year.

The survey results revealed that the Chinese were the most common tourist group to vacation on the island, closely followed by Koreans, Taiwanese, and Japanese. The number of people searching for hotels in Phuket has also increased 27 percent compared to last year.

Regarding the most popular activities, 73 percent of them come for sightseeing, 64 percent for dining at restaurants, and 56 percent for shopping. Meanwhile, Bangkok still ranks as the 7th place where tourists come to look for hotels.

Phuket has been ranked as the top spot for Chinese tourists because it is an island of pristine beaches and crystal-clear water with many activities to do. There are also several low-cost airlines that offer direct flights to Phuket, which is the most convenient way to get to the island.


-- NNT 2014-09-04

I know Bangkok has lost a bit of it's shine with all malls and not much else but tourists come here to look for hotels?

I know Bangkok has lost a bit of it's shine with all malls and not much else but tourists come here to look for hotels?

And 7/11s, don't forget the 7/11s. My local one was packed with them last night

The more reason I'm going to skip Phuket as my holiday destination.

Heart felt condolence go out to Phuket in this time of sorrow.

Heart felt condolence go out to Phuket in this time of sorrow.

+1.... Mind you If I lived there I would be doing a roaring trade in spitoons now!

Heart felt condolence go out to Phuket in this time of sorrow.

+1.... Mind you If I lived there I would be doing a roaring trade in spitoons now!

Given their nature, you won't earn much from spittoon trade as they won't waste their money on that.

I thought HK and Macau were the top spots for Chinese tourists?

What a load of b--lox.

64 % dining at restaurants.

Since when has 7 been called a restaurant?

A poll from one hotel booking web site reported on the propaganda news = B*llSh*t

3 billion Chinese and most are coming to Phuket for vacation ? C' MON !!!!

Who writes these headlines?

So the triads and Bratva have found a new meeting place. Interesting.

Good luck with visiting Phuket during September .

"Most Chinese" will not travel in this period, they don't earn enough. The ones that can maybe will visit Phuket, good news for those of us in the hotel business.

You see Chinese are looking to lay claim on Phucket as there's. Besides it is great place to go and spit.

They're wreaking havoc on Vichit Road with a multitude of buses stopping and blocking traffic taking these package tourists on boats. Every day these buses filled with Chinese tourists block the road, and also double park outside of whatever convenience store happens to be close. As others above have said, 7/11's, Family Mart's and others are doing great, but that's about it for these package sheep., I mean package tourists.

It's from one booking site, that is actually a small offshoot of a much larger global site, for a period of three days in the quietest month of the year for tourists.

The National News Bureau really are clutching at straws to manipulate something positive regarding tourism!

This really is not newsworthy.

It's best they keep in the busses. Have you not encountered the "new" Chinese/Korean tourist that drives on a bike?

They're wreaking havoc on Vichit Road with a multitude of buses stopping and blocking traffic taking these package tourists on boats. Every day these buses filled with Chinese tourists block the road, and also double park outside of whatever convenience store happens to be close. As others above have said, 7/11's, Family Mart's and others are doing great, but that's about it for these package sheep., I mean package tourists.

And having to dodge the tour groups, brought to Central Festival by a myriad of minivans, in the corridors etc standing completely blocking the walkway is another annoying aspect of their presence. However in fairness to them they are new at this tour business and their culture is not yet liberated from the need to be regimented in all things. One aspect of the influx of the Chinese starting to be noticed here in Phuket is the increasing numbers of marriages to the Chinese diaspora. Many local Chinese/Thai families have strong connections to the Chinese culture, speak Mandarin and other Chinese dialects, Teochew, Hokien etc. and happily welcome the Chinese nationals.

Time to buy stock in Mama noodles.

They're wreaking havoc on Vichit Road with a multitude of buses stopping and blocking traffic taking these package tourists on boats. Every day these buses filled with Chinese tourists block the road, and also double park outside of whatever convenience store happens to be close. As others above have said, 7/11's, Family Mart's and others are doing great, but that's about it for these package sheep., I mean package tourists.

So it is the bus passenger's responsibility the bus driver double parks.

In general IMO Chinese tourists are ok, they don't bother other people and do their thing.

They're wreaking havoc on Vichit Road with a multitude of buses stopping and blocking traffic taking these package tourists on boats. Every day these buses filled with Chinese tourists block the road, and also double park outside of whatever convenience store happens to be close. As others above have said, 7/11's, Family Mart's and others are doing great, but that's about it for these package sheep., I mean package tourists.

So it is the bus passenger's responsibility the bus driver double parks.

In general IMO Chinese tourists are ok, they don't bother other people and do their thing.

Did I say that? No. The problem is, if all of the Chinese weren't here, those buses wouldn't be obstructing the road and causing hazards. This is a phenomenon from the last year and a half, with the huge influx of Chinese shuffled down to Rawai on a daily basis.

They're wreaking havoc on Vichit Road with a multitude of buses stopping and blocking traffic taking these package tourists on boats. Every day these buses filled with Chinese tourists block the road, and also double park outside of whatever convenience store happens to be close. As others above have said, 7/11's, Family Mart's and others are doing great, but that's about it for these package sheep., I mean package tourists.

we have the same issue here. Nightly at 630pm 15 bus loads of them doing u-turns on an already packed two lane road as they come from their afternoon cruise on the river. no issue with tourists per say but some foresight into planning to avoid peak traffic times would be nice, unless of course being stuck in bangkok's rush hour is part of their itinerary.

They're wreaking havoc on Vichit Road with a multitude of buses stopping and blocking traffic taking these package tourists on boats. Every day these buses filled with Chinese tourists block the road, and also double park outside of whatever convenience store happens to be close. As others above have said, 7/11's, Family Mart's and others are doing great, but that's about it for these package sheep., I mean package tourists.

So it is the bus passenger's responsibility the bus driver double parks.

In general IMO Chinese tourists are ok, they don't bother other people and do their thing.

Did I say that? No. The problem is, if all of the Chinese weren't here, those buses wouldn't be obstructing the road and causing hazards. This is a phenomenon from the last year and a half, with the huge influx of Chinese shuffled down to Rawai on a daily basis.

You said 'They're wreaking havoc on Vichit Road', and since we're talking about Chinese tourists here it seems logical you're also talking about Chinese tourists. So yes, indirectly you did say that.

Your argument now is the same nonsense argument that people claim online (the BIN never says it, only on the internet) 'if you would not have been here the accident would not have happened'.

The presence of Chinese in Khao Lak is restricted to a few big out of town hotels. In town, it's just the tour buses stopping in front of the 7/11. Gives me a nice feeling of having moved up the integration ladder, 7/11 staff being delighted to hear my horribly accented Thai, after having served 30+ Chinese who even don't understand the most simple English.

Some restaurants in Khao Lak and further South towards Phuket are now fully specialized in Chinese tour groups, who might be on their way back to Phuket from Khao Sok or Similan/Surin. Needless to say I give these places a miss, microwaved food arriving super speedily.

They're wreaking havoc on Vichit Road with a multitude of buses stopping and blocking traffic taking these package tourists on boats. Every day these buses filled with Chinese tourists block the road, and also double park outside of whatever convenience store happens to be close. As others above have said, 7/11's, Family Mart's and others are doing great, but that's about it for these package sheep., I mean package tourists.

The same thing happened in Australia ..........wow we are getting more Chinese tourists that will spend money. Didn't happen they are on pre paid package tours Chinese owned use Chinese owned tour companies, stay in Chinese owned hotels etc. etc. NOT one dollar lands in Australia, well maybe some crumbs.

They're wreaking havoc on Vichit Road with a multitude of buses stopping and blocking traffic taking these package tourists on boats. Every day these buses filled with Chinese tourists block the road, and also double park outside of whatever convenience store happens to be close. As others above have said, 7/11's, Family Mart's and others are doing great, but that's about it for these package sheep., I mean package tourists.

The same thing happened in Australia ..........wow we are getting more Chinese tourists that will spend money. Didn't happen they are on pre paid package tours Chinese owned use Chinese owned tour companies, stay in Chinese owned hotels etc. etc. NOT one dollar lands in Australia, well maybe some crumbs.

Exactly, the only money going into the local business is the 7-11s. I suppose the Thai drivers and Thai hotel staff get paid and they spend in the local ecomony. A you say - the crumbs.

They're wreaking havoc on Vichit Road with a multitude of buses stopping and blocking traffic taking these package tourists on boats. Every day these buses filled with Chinese tourists block the road, and also double park outside of whatever convenience store happens to be close. As others above have said, 7/11's, Family Mart's and others are doing great, but that's about it for these package sheep., I mean package tourists.

The same thing happened in Australia ..........wow we are getting more Chinese tourists that will spend money. Didn't happen they are on pre paid package tours Chinese owned use Chinese owned tour companies, stay in Chinese owned hotels etc. etc. NOT one dollar lands in Australia, well maybe some crumbs.

Exactly, the only money going into the local business is the 7-11s. I suppose the Thai drivers and Thai hotel staff get paid and they spend in the local ecomony. A you say - the crumbs.

That is the case with the Russians, far less with the Chinese.

They do their tours with Thai companies, eat at Thai eateries, stay in Thai hotels, etc., whereas the Russians much more tend to only go to Russian owned places.

They're wreaking havoc on Vichit Road with a multitude of buses stopping and blocking traffic taking these package tourists on boats. Every day these buses filled with Chinese tourists block the road, and also double park outside of whatever convenience store happens to be close. As others above have said, 7/11's, Family Mart's and others are doing great, but that's about it for these package sheep., I mean package tourists.

The same thing happened in Australia ..........wow we are getting more Chinese tourists that will spend money. Didn't happen they are on pre paid package tours Chinese owned use Chinese owned tour companies, stay in Chinese owned hotels etc. etc. NOT one dollar lands in Australia, well maybe some crumbs.

Exactly, the only money going into the local business is the 7-11s. I suppose the Thai drivers and Thai hotel staff get paid and they spend in the local ecomony. A you say - the crumbs.

I agree.

This is why they are called, "zero baht tourists."

They may be coming to Phuket in large numbers, but very little of their money gets injected into the local economy.

Sure, it may create some more employment for Thai's, but, by the time some of that salary is sent home, and they pay their rent on a shared room, and eat basic street food, very little money from any extra employment, goes into the Phuket local economy.

It's going to take more than clearing the beaches to get the western market back to Phuket and get the cash flowing again.

Just read an interesting article. Who to believe????

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-09-02/chinese-say-no-as-mh370-to-thai-coup-deter-trips-southeast-asia.html