November 18th, 2006, 05:53
Chinese visitors likely to top 1m this year despite scams
Bangkok Post, CHATRUDEE THEPARAT
The number of Chinese tourists in Thailand is expected to top one million this year, with the number likely to reach three million in a few years, officials say. But Tourism and Sports Minister Suvit Yodmani, speaking after his return from a three-day China trip this week, said the industry needed first to address ''zero-dollar tours'' and promote quality and well-heeled tourists.
Zero-dollar tours are package tours priced below the operator's real cost for airfare and hotels. Operators make up the difference through alliances with Thai-based agents and guides who then steer tour groups to shopping centres, tourist attractions and even sex shows, which pay commissions and kickbacks.
The practice has led to several disputes between Chinese tourists and travel agents in Thailand. Some Chinese visitors have refused to pay the service charges quoted by Thai travel agents, since they did not bring sufficient cash to pay for extras.
Chinese media have reported on some tourists' experiences and the result has been bad publicity for Thailand.
According to Mr Suvit, officials from the ministry and the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) used the trip to China to discussed ways of curbing shady practices with Chinese authorities and tour operators.
He said Thai authorities conveyed a clear message to their Chinese counterparts that the Thai government wanted to promote quality tourism through packages with reasonable price and clear information about all the service charges and destinations visitors would see.
The TAT's Beijing office was also asked to work more closely with major operators such as China International Travel Services, China Youth Travel Services and China Comfort to build up marketing networks, especially in premium markets with affluent potential travellers such as Beijing, Shanghai and other big cities.
The Thai and Chinese governments signed an agreement in October 2005 to work on curbing zero-dollar tours, a problem that has been talked about for more than a decade.
In the first nine months of this year, Chinese tourist arrivals to Thailand via Bangkok International Airport totalled 663,121, a rise of 31% from 457,554 in the same period last year.
In 2005, there were 31 million outbound Chinese tourists, up 7% from 28.6 million, with Hong Kong as the top destination followed by Macau, Japan, South Korea and Thailand.
Chinese tourism authorities projected outbound tourists would reach 49 million in 2008 boosted by China's growing economy and easing regulations for citizens travelling abroad.
Bangkok Post, CHATRUDEE THEPARAT
The number of Chinese tourists in Thailand is expected to top one million this year, with the number likely to reach three million in a few years, officials say. But Tourism and Sports Minister Suvit Yodmani, speaking after his return from a three-day China trip this week, said the industry needed first to address ''zero-dollar tours'' and promote quality and well-heeled tourists.
Zero-dollar tours are package tours priced below the operator's real cost for airfare and hotels. Operators make up the difference through alliances with Thai-based agents and guides who then steer tour groups to shopping centres, tourist attractions and even sex shows, which pay commissions and kickbacks.
The practice has led to several disputes between Chinese tourists and travel agents in Thailand. Some Chinese visitors have refused to pay the service charges quoted by Thai travel agents, since they did not bring sufficient cash to pay for extras.
Chinese media have reported on some tourists' experiences and the result has been bad publicity for Thailand.
According to Mr Suvit, officials from the ministry and the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) used the trip to China to discussed ways of curbing shady practices with Chinese authorities and tour operators.
He said Thai authorities conveyed a clear message to their Chinese counterparts that the Thai government wanted to promote quality tourism through packages with reasonable price and clear information about all the service charges and destinations visitors would see.
The TAT's Beijing office was also asked to work more closely with major operators such as China International Travel Services, China Youth Travel Services and China Comfort to build up marketing networks, especially in premium markets with affluent potential travellers such as Beijing, Shanghai and other big cities.
The Thai and Chinese governments signed an agreement in October 2005 to work on curbing zero-dollar tours, a problem that has been talked about for more than a decade.
In the first nine months of this year, Chinese tourist arrivals to Thailand via Bangkok International Airport totalled 663,121, a rise of 31% from 457,554 in the same period last year.
In 2005, there were 31 million outbound Chinese tourists, up 7% from 28.6 million, with Hong Kong as the top destination followed by Macau, Japan, South Korea and Thailand.
Chinese tourism authorities projected outbound tourists would reach 49 million in 2008 boosted by China's growing economy and easing regulations for citizens travelling abroad.