Tourism must avoid putting all eggs in one basket

[Basil B]

I left swampy yesterday morning 1055 and yes there was hundreds of Chinese tourists in departures,scattered all over the place but hardly any duty free bags, or any other carry on bag to be seen either, certainly never saw any designer carry on luggage.

Obviously they are intelligent enough to work out Duty Free costs more than if they buy elsewhere with the tax they will save a lot of money, and every body knows Thailand is the hub of Designer fakes, do not forget the Chinese know, they make stuff.

[simon43]

Never mind Simon,most of the 'dirty beaches' are now in Bangkok, soi 4 Nana and Cowboy

Coincidentally, I made my annual shopping trip to BKK yesterday, staying (as usual) at the romantic Nana Hotel.

The staff told me that out of 300 guest rooms, only about 100 were occupied. In Sukhumvit region, I didn't see that many Chinese (compared to Phuket).

Edited June 14, 2015 by simon43

[mrfaroukh]

I have never seen any Chinese tourist drink at bar, go to gogo bar, eat at any restaurant. Usually see them going from one place to another by bus, eat and drink at special decided places. So I guess the only people make money here are few restaurant, few hotels, airline and buses.

[Robbie Dye]

Tourists may soon be like Soup in a Basket. Currency has to devalue

[lostoday]

I have never seen any Chinese tourist drink at bar, go to gogo bar, eat at any restaurant. Usually see them going from one place to another by bus, eat and drink at special decided places. So I guess the only people make money here are few restaurant, few hotels, airline and buses.

All over the world Chinese tourists are targets of pickpockets because they always carry large amounts of cash. I wonder why? Do you think they just like to live dangerously?

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/f77b78e8-0bf4-11e3-8840-00144feabdc0.html#axzz3d2vHVc1k

Edited June 14, 2015 by lostoday

[kaorop]

I thought "they" only had 1 egg anyway?

[Srikcir]

These big all inclusive tours of Chinese should be banned, or at the very least not included in tourist arrivals figures. One flea infested dreadlocked backpacker is worth a thousand of these tightwads that have no benefit whatsoever to Thai citizens unless they own King Power or the crap hotels/gem shops these sheep are ferried around between.

They fly in. They sleep somewhere. They eat something. They travel around the country. They buy gifts to bring back home.

All of that puts money into some locals' pockets. I'm sure their money is just as welcome as the backpackers' money.

In fact, the last time I stayed at my favorite hotel in Jomtien- (usually thick with Russians and Eastern Europeans), the place would have been empty and probably broke had it not been for the Chinese tour groups. And it isn't a cheap hotel.

Local Thai businesses are not necessarily getting any benefits from Chinese tourism.

See http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/832813-chinese-entrepreneurs-invade-tourism-businesses-in-phuket-report/?

utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+thaivisa24+%28Today%27s+best+Thaivisa+topics%29

[Stargeezr]

My wife and I as well as a couple of friend had this kind of tour in China.

We were taken to lots of tea places, jade places, and silk factories, that

had lots of bedding for sale. We enjoyed free tea, and lots of sitting around

while the hard sales of the products were spoken to us in Chinese.

A few of the people in each of the tour buses were rich enough to buy enough of the

products, that the businesses were happy with us. We did learn that in China there are taxes

that the local pay, that make it cheaper to buy a lot of the Chinese products in other countries.

I learned, that purses and some jewellery as well as things like high value clothes are

actually cheaper outside of China. Our one tour guide from Shanghai said she keeps in touch with

women her age in USA, Europe and Japan so that she can get many things purchased and sent

to her back in China, she has saved a ton of money over the years. We flew from Thailand to China for

one of our tours, and the price was way cheaper than a tour to China from Canada, I wonder why??

I guess this will change Thailand in some ways, if the Chinese are Thailand's biggest

tourist numbers in the future. I do not see Russia or Europe or even Canada and the USA

improving very quickly from their present troubles.

[tonbridgebrit]

Right, so Thailand's tourism industry should avoid putting all it's eggs in one basket ??

Well, Nation Newspaper, what measures do you suggest ? So the number of Chinese tourists might jump by 40% this year ? Would you be happier if it was to jump by 10% instead ? How would you do this ? As in cause a 40% jump to become 10% instead ? Well, you can target the visa applications by the Chinese tourists, and start throwing some of them into the bin. That should do it, yes, reduce the numbers quite easily. Or you can do it so that only those who are staying in relatively down-market hotels might have their visa application thrown into the bin.

What else ? It's dangerous to have the Chinese tourists making up such a big percentage of the tourist arrivals ? How about Thailand doesn't bother to advertise Thailand as a holiday destination in China ? And how about we have a big advertising campaign for holidays in Thailand in places like America, Europe, Middle East, Japan, Australia, anywhere ? Yes, adverts in every country, BUT NOT China ??

How about Thailand starts praying that China's economic bubble will burst this year ? People have been predicting the bursting of the Chinese economic bubble for years, it's a miracle it hasn't happened yet. Yes Nation Newspaper, you can join in with the prayers, and hope China's economy crashes, that way, the Chinese will make up a 'not so big' percentage of the tourists in Thailand. After all, Russia's economy has crashed, and this has reduced the number of Russian tourists. Surely, the same thing can happen with China ?

(Please note, the above has been written in sarcasm. But I wonder, maybe the Nation Newspaper seriously regards the above writing as a good idea !! )

[Deli]

If others don't wanna be ripped off any longer, they welcome the Chinese.

Simple like that.

[CantSpell]

These big all inclusive tours of Chinese should be banned, or at the very least not included in tourist arrivals figures. One flea infested dreadlocked backpacker is worth a thousand of these tightwads that have no benefit whatsoever to Thai citizens unless they own King Power or the crap hotels/gem shops these sheep are ferried around between.

They fly in. They sleep somewhere. They eat something. They travel around the country. They buy gifts to bring back home.

All of that puts money into some locals' pockets. I'm sure their money is just as welcome as the backpackers' money.

In fact, the last time I stayed at my favorite hotel in Jomtien- (usually thick with Russians and Eastern Europeans), the place would have been empty and probably broke had it not been for the Chinese tour groups. And it isn't a cheap hotel.

Local Thai businesses are not necessarily getting any benefits from Chinese tourism.

See http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/832813-chinese-entrepreneurs-invade-tourism-businesses-in-phuket-report/?

utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+thaivisa24+%28Today%27s+best+Thaivisa+topics%29

Exactly, except very few extra shopping, those groups are taken to eat in restaurant owned by Chinese, to shop in shop owned by Chinese.

And pay double prices for excursions and tour that goes in the pocket of the Chinese guide and his paid by to the company...

Many tours to Phuket and other island are often sold lower than cost for the Chinese agency, they make their mark up selling excursion at double price..

Chinese money go back to China...

[tonbridgebrit]

These big all inclusive tours of Chinese should be banned, or at the very least not included in tourist arrivals figures. One flea infested dreadlocked backpacker is worth a thousand of these tightwads that have no benefit whatsoever to Thai citizens unless they own King Power or the crap hotels/gem shops these sheep are ferried around between.

They fly in. They sleep somewhere. They eat something. They travel around the country. They buy gifts to bring back home.

All of that puts money into some locals' pockets. I'm sure their money is just as welcome as the backpackers' money.

In fact, the last time I stayed at my favorite hotel in Jomtien- (usually thick with Russians and Eastern Europeans), the place would have been empty and probably broke had it not been for the Chinese tour groups. And it isn't a cheap hotel.

Local Thai businesses are not necessarily getting any benefits from Chinese tourism.

See http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/832813-chinese-entrepreneurs-invade-tourism-businesses-in-phuket-report/?

utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+thaivisa24+%28Today%27s+best+Thaivisa+topics%29

Exactly, except very few extra shopping, those groups are taken to eat in restaurant owned by Chinese, to shop in shop owned by Chinese.

And pay double prices for excursions and tour that goes in the pocket of the Chinese guide and his paid by to the company...

Many tours to Phuket and other island are often sold lower than cost for the Chinese agency, they make their mark up selling excursion at double price..

Chinese money go back to China...

Hold on a minute. So the Chinese tourists are only benefiting Chinese owned companies in Thailand ? You might have a point.

Wait a minute. How many European and American owned hotels are there in Thailand ? There seems to be a lot of bars in Pattaya that are owned by British and other owners. Does that mean that when foreign tourists are in Thailand, if they spend money in foreign owned hotels and restaurants, well, they're not benefittingThailand ?

Yes, a bunch of Chinese turn up in Thailand, and they open new hotels and restaurants, that's called Chinese making money out of tourism, it doesn't benefit Thailand.

When other foreigners set up companies in Thailand, well, that's called 'investment in Thailand' !!

[AyG]

Yes, a bunch of Chinese turn up in Thailand, and they open new hotels and restaurants, that's called Chinese making money out of tourism, it doesn't benefit Thailand.

When other foreigners set up companies in Thailand, well, that's called 'investment in Thailand' !!

Not really. The Thai-Chinese have been here for generations, and many of the wealthiest people in the country are Thai-Chinese. These are the people benefiting from mass Chinese tourism. There's not much new investment from outside the country.

[i claudius]

Well big c and Tesco food malls do ok out of them. I saw a whole family today at one table must have spent 80 baht at least

[tonbridgebrit]

Yes, a bunch of Chinese turn up in Thailand, and they open new hotels and restaurants, that's called Chinese making money out of tourism, it doesn't benefit Thailand.

When other foreigners set up companies in Thailand, well, that's called 'investment in Thailand' !!

Not really. The Thai-Chinese have been here for generations, and many of the wealthiest people in the country are Thai-Chinese. These are the people benefiting from mass Chinese tourism. There's not much new investment from outside the country.

Sir, I'm having a giggle or a smirk at the silly people who love to go on about how Chinese tourists don't benefit Thailand, and how the same silly people have no problem with other foreigners opening up companies in Thailand.

Yes, the Chinese-Thais have been here for generations, and the vast majority of Thailand's richest people are Thais who have Chinese ancestry, I agree ! Yes, a load of Chinese turning up in Thailand for their holidays, many people feel that they only benefit certain hotels and restaurents. I feel that those Chinese tourists do benefit Thailand, even though they don't drink in certain bars and they don't spend money in certain shops.

[tonbridgebrit]

Well big c and Tesco food malls do ok out of them. I saw a whole family today at one table must have spent 80 baht at least

Yes, but there's people here on ThaiVisa who reckon that Thailand would benefit if all those Chinese eating at Big C and Tesco would be banned from eating there, or stop them from turning up in Thailand.

Would it be good for Big C and Tesco to hang out a big sign saying "if you are Chinese from China, well, you can only eat here if you pay more than 200 baht per person: anybody else can come in even if you eat less".

Actually, in Pattaya, I noticed some people who looked like Chinese tourists, they were staying in a hotel more flash than the one I was at. I noticed them eating at a pricey seafood place. I don't eat at those over-priced places. I much prefer Kentucky fried chicken !

[impulse]

They fly in. They sleep somewhere. They eat something. They travel around the country. They buy gifts to bring back home.

All of that puts money into some locals' pockets. I'm sure their money is just as welcome as the backpackers' money.

In fact, the last time I stayed at my favorite hotel in Jomtien- (usually thick with Russians and Eastern Europeans), the place would have been empty and probably broke had it not been for the Chinese tour groups. And it isn't a cheap hotel.

Local Thai businesses are not necessarily getting any benefits from Chinese tourism.

See http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/832813-chinese-entrepreneurs-invade-tourism-businesses-in-phuket-report/?

utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+thaivisa24+%28Today%27s+best+Thaivisa+topics%29

The Chinese tourism investments are following the Chinese tourist money, not the other way around. Chinese tourists don't come to Thailand to frequent the Chinese owned shops. They come to Thailand like we all do, and spend their money where they get what they're willing to pay for. Sadly, the Chinese tour operators are cleaning the Thais' clocks. I doubt that's surprising anyone tuned in here.

Chinese tour businesses have identified many shortcomings in what's available here (surprise, surprise), and they're swarming in to fill the gaps. Now it's up to the Thais to either roll over, be rolled over, or get serious and actually compete. But it won't be like competing with falang tourism businesses. The Chinese wrote the rules of the corrupt business environment and the relationship based money network. Thais are amateurs in comparison...

Edited June 15, 2015 by impulse

[lostoday]

They fly in. They sleep somewhere. They eat something. They travel around the country. They buy gifts to bring back home.

All of that puts money into some locals' pockets. I'm sure their money is just as welcome as the backpackers' money.

In fact, the last time I stayed at my favorite hotel in Jomtien- (usually thick with Russians and Eastern Europeans), the place would have been empty and probably broke had it not been for the Chinese tour groups. And it isn't a cheap hotel.

Local Thai businesses are not necessarily getting any benefits from Chinese tourism.

See http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/832813-chinese-entrepreneurs-invade-tourism-businesses-in-phuket-report/?

utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+thaivisa24+%28Today%27s+best+Thaivisa+topics%29

The Chinese tourism investments are following the Chinese tourist money, not the other way around. Chinese tourists don't come to Thailand to frequent the Chinese owned shops. They come to Thailand like we all do, and spend their money where they get what they're willing to pay for. Sadly, the Chinese tour operators are cleaning the Thais' clocks. I doubt that's surprising anyone tuned in here.

Chinese tour businesses have identified many shortcomings in what's available here (surprise, surprise), and they're swarming in to fill the gaps. Now it's up to the Thais to either roll over, be rolled over, or get serious and actually compete. But it won't be like competing with falang tourism businesses. The Chinese wrote the rules of the corrupt business environment and the relationship based money network. Thais are amateurs in comparison...

I don't believe the Wats that they poop in are Chinese owned nor do I think that Silver Lake area that they swarm to is Chinese owned or the Thai restaurants that I see them eating at in Pattaya and a number of guesthouse owners here who report they like Chinese tourists are not Chinese. I think maybe you don't know so many Chinese tourists.

Edited June 16, 2015 by lostoday