TAT rethinks plan as China arrivals fall

[Chao Lao Beach]

Numbers are up month on month to QLD, Australia. 

[honoluludave]

For every action, there is a reaction. And people will vote with their feet. If you want people to visit just be nice

[wvavin]

The tourism authority simply has no clue!

[SOUTHERNSTAR]

2 hours ago, simon43 said:

Syria, Syria, Syria! They are all trying to leave their country.  There lies the new source of tourists.

 

... And then Afghanistan

 

... And maybe Iraq

555 You left out the US, remember all those people that said they would leave if Trump should win.

 

2 hours ago, simon43 said:

Syria, Syria, Syria! They are all trying to leave their country.  There lies the new source of tourists.

 

... And then Afghanistan

 

... And maybe Iraq

 

[yellowboat]

“We should pass through this difficult period with regard to the China market and hope to receive more quality tourists in the coming year. TAT expects to welcome 9.8 million Chinese travellers next year,” Yuthasak said.

 

A terribly judgmental statement. It just looks like a massive screw up by those in charge.  The Thai government has lost money and opportunity for its populous due to its ineptitude, heavy handedness and hubris, but other than that and all the other screw ups, they are doing a great job !   Your customers choose you.  You do not choose them.   Any good businessman knows that.

Edited December 19, 2016 by yellowboat

[Retiredandhappyhere]

As I have said before on another thread, a little bit of statistical realism is setting in as year-end approaches.

[hkt83100]

2 hours ago, PatOngo said:

 

A free breakfast buffet would be just as enticing... and the profit margin higher.

But only if prawns are included.

 

 

[Dukeleto]

I don't understand this. They were unhappy with zero dollar tourists from China...they cracked down (seizing thousands of busses...real reason for crack down) why would they now be concerned about the dip in Chinese arrival figures. If none of the money generated by the zero dollar Chinese market was coming or being spent in Thailand (absolute nonsense) then they should have zero concerns about the drop in numbers. Surely it's a clear indication of mission accomplished. If their revising it means some bright spark in the ministry eventually worked out that money does actually get generated from the tours within Thailand and is now wondering where the hole in his/her foot came from. If Thailand just left tourism alone it would flourish beyond their wildest dreams all they need to do is leave it alone!

Edited December 19, 2016 by Dukeleto

[arithai12]

52 minutes ago, phantomfiddler said:

TAT should realize that a country can comfortably handle only a certain number of tourists before they all start to cause an ecological and logistical problem.

 

 

So true, and yet so hard to understand.

[TSF]

Sounds like the Chinese have grown a little tired of been cheated and ripped off and treated like a herds of cattle, and they have grown tired of dying in road accidents caused by crazy Thai drivers, and drowning on island tours caused by idiot Thai boatmen, and they have grown tired of having gold chains snatched from their necks by Thai louts on motorcycles and valuables stolen by bands of ladyboys along Pattaya beach road, and they have grown tired of being beaten up by overcharging Thai songteaw drivers and motorcycle taxi men and doormen from bars and clubs, and word has spread and now numbers are dwindling.

 

So what now TAT? Rather than listening to the complaints from tourists and taking action you just dismiss that group and target another. So who's left to target now? The Eskimos? The Australian Aboriginals? The Bushmen of the Kalahari?

[Guderian]

There's no shortage of Chinese tourists on Walking Street at night, you can hardly move on the Street of Sin for all the flag-toting guides and their parties of gormless gawkers.

[Dukeleto]

2 hours ago, onthesoi said:

The solution is simple.

 

Nationalise OA Transport, their buses have already been seized, government would manage the bus fleet at cost to provide cheap tour buses for the Chinese so they can travel around in groups if that's how they like to holiday.

 

Yes about as well thought out as the original crack down!

 

Yes nationalise OA Transport and send a very terrifying message to the entire tourist sector, multi national hotels included that we can nationalise your business whenever we feel like it. Secondly, OA Transport would last all of 2.2 seconds under the expert managment of the government agency designated to run it (in to the ground).

 

You sound like just the person the TAT needs to turn things around and your way of thinking is just up their street.

[TheFishman1]

When they move there lips should I say more TIT

[williamgeorgeallen]

why not just lie and say there are record numbers of them coming? would fool me.

[mikebell]

1 hour ago, canuckamuck said:

The most successful policy the TAT has carried out in years. Now if they can just make westerners feel welcome they will replace the missing tourists with ones that aren't involved in a racket.

If Thailand forces westerners to keep 3 million in a Thai bank and introduces compulsory Health Insurance at crippling costs, the Chinese will not be the only ones seeking pastures new AND we'll take our pensions with us.   Vietnam; Cambodia; Malaysia must be laughing their heads off at the Thai Government's ineptitude.

[Stargeezr]

TAT  needs a huge overhaul  starting  by  removing the  top  10  people  and  letting   the  others

know  that  they  will  also  lose their  jobs  unless  100  percent  truth  is  what  they  put  out

with  stats,  and  tourists   numbers.   Jing,  Jing  is  good  Go  Hok  is  bad.   That  should  be

the  new   rule.  China  next  door  should  not  be  a  reason   to  forget  the  rest  of the  world.

Geezer

[pumpuy]

Thailands reputation is going down , and so are the tourist numbers ... violence against elderly tourists , rip - offs everywhere , prices on the rise , scums ...etc , etc ...

Should do something to improve the reputation , but do not forget about the power of social media ...

[canardo]

Obe step forth, two steps back, cha cha chaa...

[cheeryble]

1 hour ago, chrissables said:

I'm just back from a three month motorbike tour of Vietnam. The mountain areas are more beautiful than Thailand and free to see. The places that do charge give a lot more for a lot less than Thailand. An example, entrance fee, buggy ride and a cable car ride up a beautiful mountain and back is less than entrance to Khao Yai! There is no obvious double pricing.

 

If the Thai government were in charge they would make everywhere a national park with 10 fold price differences for the visitors.

 

After riding for hours i could stop and have a nice cold beer after 2pm! None of the stupidity that rules in Thailand. 

 

Thailand is not the center of the tourism world and if they want more tourists spending money, they should take a look at what is happening in neighbouring countries. Vietnam is booming! They are spending huge amounts on the infrastructure, it offers more for less.

 

 

 

 Sure I heard Vietnam also coming remarkably highly in world education assessments! Just looked it up 2015 for maths and science by OECD

12th Vietnam

29th USA

47th Thailand.

This is constructive criticism I love Thailand......couldn't Thailand simply COPY Vietnam the way the US could COPY European healthcare systems to improve and get similar rankings.

 

as for the Chinese..... i often get a (respectable) foot massage on my way home at night from CM, a chance to read a book also. Early this year I often had to wait as the place was full of Chinese. this has completely changed, and not by just 10 or 15% sure it's way more drop than that, they are starved of customers now.

Edited December 19, 2016 by cheeryble

[alant]

1 hour ago, chrissables said:

I'm just back from a three month motorbike tour of Vietnam. The mountain areas are more beautiful than Thailand and free to see. The places that do charge give a lot more for a lot less than Thailand. An example, entrance fee, buggy ride and a cable car ride up a beautiful mountain and back is less than entrance to Khao Yai! There is no obvious double pricing.

 

If the Thai government were in charge they would make everywhere a national park with 10 fold price differences for the visitors.

 

After riding for hours i could stop and have a nice cold beer after 2pm! None of the stupidity that rules in Thailand. 

 

Thailand is not the center of the tourism world and if they want more tourists spending money, they should take a look at what is happening in neighbouring countries. Vietnam is booming! They are spending huge amounts on the infrastructure, it offers more for less.

 

 

You don't understand chrissables, Thailand is for Thais! Our beautiful mountains and parks you don't get to see and if you do we fine you 10 fold price and then you expect beer...

[eeyang wah]

1 hour ago, Lupatria said:

Doesn't re-think indicate there must have been some sort of thinking before?

Gold my friend, pure gold. 

[Sphere]

So, what's plan B? Free happy endings?

[chicowoodduck]

Love the good news....nothing better to me than low season in High season.....gotta love it.....keep up the great work!  ??????

[piersbeckett]

2 hours ago, daveAustin said:

I think the Chinese need some attitude adjustment. 

I think they've had plenty of that back home; what they need is attitude readjustment.

[Dexlowe]

33 minutes ago, williamgeorgeallen said:

why not just lie and say there are record numbers of them coming? would fool me.

 

Yep. And me.

 

How about you guys? Cowering as the screaming yellow hordes bear down on you?

[natway09]

crissables,

Whilst i agree with a lot of your comment it is way off the subject.

This is about a reduction in numbers of zero dollar tourists from China  that are not worth having (except to keep face with the numbers game). & choke up services like sewerage disposal (that are not adequate anyway)

Stop,,,,,,, they should concentrate  not on quantity but quality but they just can't see it

 

[zappalot]

Can anyone explain to me what it means: zero Dollars tourists?

 

I just know that only a few months ago shops and restaurants around my area were full of the Chinese tourists spending their money. Now only about 10% of Chinese tourists are left, with empty hotels, restaurants and so on.

 

So they were actively spending money. Now they don't. What did the government achieve here? I simply don't get it...

[AlQaholic]

The Chinese now all goes to Syria, After that stunning promotional video released by the Syrian Tourist Authority which shows one beach and no sound.........

[Chiang Mai Bill]

Lots of road blocks in Chiang Mai stopping western tourists on bikes and fining them if they don't have either an International Driving Licence or a Thai Licence.

 

500 Baht fine -- really good to encourage tourism -- everyone stopped with me had their own country driving licence. No warning, just pay the fine -- Tourist police just shrugged.

 

And thousands of Thais driving bikes and cars without a licence or insurance -- JUST CATCH THE TOURISTS!

 

 

[Rimbuman]

2 hours ago, chrissables said:

I'm just back from a three month motorbike tour of Vietnam. The mountain areas are more beautiful than Thailand and free to see. The places that do charge give a lot more for a lot less than Thailand. An example, entrance fee, buggy ride and a cable car ride up a beautiful mountain and back is less than entrance to Khao Yai! There is no obvious double pricing.

 

If the Thai government were in charge they would make everywhere a national park with 10 fold price differences for the visitors.

 

After riding for hours i could stop and have a nice cold beer after 2pm! None of the stupidity that rules in Thailand. 

 

Thailand is not the center of the tourism world and if they want more tourists spending money, they should take a look at what is happening in neighbouring countries. Vietnam is booming! They are spending huge amounts on the infrastructure, it offers more for less.

 

 

 

Thank you :-) I'll go and check, great!!!