TAT rethinks plan as China arrivals fall

TAT Governor Yuthasak Supasorn said the number of tourists from mainland China fall 16 per cent in October and 30 per cent in November compared to the same months last year. The number is expected to drop by 10 per cent in the current peak season compared to December last year.
The government has cracked down on zero-dollar tours and illegal tourism businesses since September, including the seizing of OA Transport, which controlled more than 2,150 tourist buses that mainly served the China market.
“The government will continue the crackdown on zero-dollar tours and illegal business in a bid to shift to more quality [tourism],” he said. Yuthasak said the arrivals target from China this year has been revised down from 10 million to 8.9 million. However, the China market will remain the largest source of international arrivals to the country – about three times higher than the No 2 market, Malaysia. 
As of December 14, mainland China had contributed 8.4 million visitors to the Kingdom, up from 7.5 million in same period of 2015, or a 11.2-per-cent increase. The China market alone is expected to generate income of Bt400 billion this year.
In a bid to stem the drop in Chinese tourists since the crackdown, the governor said TAT and high-ranking officials had talked with the Chinese government and the China National Tourism Administration (CNTA). TAT will also hold a familiarisation trip to Guangzhou, China, which runs from today until Thursday in an effort to encourage tourists to return Thailand.
Moreover, TAT will provide a list of guaranteed Thai travel operators to the Chinese government after presenting the CNTA with a long list of approved Thai companies previously.
Following the crackdown, tour operators in China have adjusted the average package price to Thailand from 2,000 yuan (Bt10,000) to between 6,000-10,000 yuan per trip. It has been reported that some companies sold packages for as low as 600 yuan before the crackdown.
The Thai tourism agency is also seeking to join marketing campaigns with airlines to promote Thailand, particularly in Shanghai and Beijing, along with encouraging more charter flights from China to the country between December and February.
“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.
TAT said the Chinese market might no longer be an emerging market after the crackdown.