Zero-dollar-tour crackdown still affecting Chinese tourist arrivals
The decline in Chinese tourist arrivals to Thailand is expected to continue at least until the first quarter of 2017 because of the recent crackdown on zero-dollar tours, says the Tourism Council of Thailand (TCT).
The decline in Chinese tourist arrivals to Thailand is expected to continue at least until the first quarter of 2017 because of the recent crackdown on zero-dollar tours, says the Tourism Council of Thailand (TCT).
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Chinese tourism to fall further
Nanat Suchiva
The decline in Chinese tourist arrivals to Thailand is expected to continue at least until the first quarter of 2017 because of the recent crackdown on zero-dollar tours, says the Tourism Council of Thailand (TCT).
The council expects Chinese tourist arrivals to fall by 20%, or 2.1 million in the first quarter of next year.
TCT president Ittirit Kinglek said Chinese tourists and travel agencies still have concerns about the situation following the serious crackdown on zero-dollar tour operations in Thailand in September.
The zero-dollar clampdown contributed to a 16.2% fall in Chinese tourist arrivals in October. It is projected the number of Chinese tourists in the fourth quarter of this year will be only 1.6 million, decreasing 12.2% year-on-year.
However, the total number of Chinese arrivals in 2016 will still grow 12.3% to 8.9 million people, missing the target of 10.1 million.
TCT forecasts Chinese tourist arrivals will still rise to 9.17 million next year.
"We are still optimistic the impact of the Chinese zero-dollar tour crackdown will improve after the first quarter of next year," Mr Ittirit said. "The number of Chinese tourists will gradually return to normal if the government finds the right measures to instill confidence in foreign tourists, especially the Chinese."
The Thai government has been pressuring tour agents to offer legal tour packages at affordable prices to attract Chinese tourists.
Total international tourist arrivals this year are expected to reach 32.5 million, up 8.8% from last year but lower than the expectation of 33.9 million. This year's tourism revenue will rise 15.2% to 1.67 trillion baht, missing the target of 2.37 trillion baht.
Next year, TCT forecasts total international tourist arrivals will exceed 34 million, rising 5.8%, while tourism revenue will achieve 1.85 trillion baht.
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