Chinese spend more in Thailand
February 18, 2013 by Wanwisa Ngamsangchaikit
Filed under News, Thailand
BANGKOK, 18 February 2013: Thai-Chinese Tourism Alliance Association says Chinese tourists are now the main supplier for Thailand’s tourism industry and arrivals will expand to 3.3 million this year.
TCTA president, Kasean Wattanachaopisut, said inbound tour operators are now scrambling to take advantage of the boom.
“This year, the association expects visits from China to reach 3.3 million … in February there will be 330,000 visits for Chinese New Year holidays.”
In addition, Chinese tourist spending has also increased to Bt5,000 per day per head up from Bt3,000, which means given a little more time the China market will outpace even Europe in the spend category.
Mr Kasean added that 30% of Chinese tourists visit the country on charter flights mainly to Chiang Mai and Phuket while 70% fly to Bangkok and stay for two to three nights before visiting Pattaya and Samet Island.
On average, Chinese tourist stay one week in the country and spend Bt30,000 to Bt40,000 per person per trip.
“Most of them are avid shoppers, snatching up brand name products at duty-free shops and stores around Bangkok’s Ratchaprasong Intersection.”
Currently, Chinese tourist shopping expenditure for duty-free products has increase to Bt4,000 to Bt5,000 per head against Bt800 per person five years ago.
Luxury and FIT tourist groups are increasing particularly the latter market, which has improved 30% from 20% of the overall tour package market.
In 2012, there were 2.7 million Chinese visits to the kingdom improving 12.51% from 1.7 million visits in 2011, according to Ministry of Tourism and Sports’ Department of Tourism data.
How do they know how much each and every Chinese tourist spends?
Talk of the town in Thai tourism circles is the topic of Chinese tourists. The industry is still wondering about the Chinese tourist spending.
We would like to see the real research and survey result on this topic rather than to trust figures that we have learned from several persons’ mouths. However, we should understand that the high growth in Chinese tourists to Thailand in 2012 was not normal because it was partly caused by a dispute between China and several countries in this region. When the dispute is solved, the growth rate might contract to a more conservative level. We should keep this in mind and be aware of this point.