Chinese tourists (and their habits) surge into Thailand

[buksida]

Asian tourist arrivals increase 8% year-on-year in Q1
The Tourism Authority of Thailand TAT on Sunday said that the countrys Asian tourist arrival in Q1 increased 8 per cent year-on-year with the number of Chinese tourists reaching the highest figure.

Last year, Thailand received nearly 3 million Chinese tourists. This year, up until May, more than 1.5 million Chinese made a trip to the Kingdom, constituting the largest number of entries from a single country.
air-asia-china

TATs Deputy Governor of International Marketing, Asia and South Pacific, Sansern Ngaorungsi said the tourist figure from the Asian market from January to April was satisfactory.The number of Chinese travellers ranked first at 1.5 million people for those visiting Thailand, followed by Malaysians and Japanese.

Mr Sansern said the figure of Chinese tourists increased almost 90 per cent year-on-year, while predicting that it could reach 3 million by the year-end. Meanwhile, the TAT has seen worldwide travellers grow 15 per cent in Q1 to over 8 million people, with Chinese tourists still ranking as the countrys biggest market.

The increasing tourists was seen as a result of Thailands stable internal politics and lack of serious natural disasters. Around up to 25 million foreign travellers are predicted to visit Thailand by the end of the year.

Source: MCOT

State of influx
Like unstoppable waves, they keep coming in millions. This may be one of the largest outbound human movements, albeit temporarily, in recent history as Chinese are touring the world en masse. Tourists from China spend their income around the world, but can also raise eyebrows over their lack of social etiquette. Two Chinese women in Thailand share their views on whether their compatriots are a global nuisance or simply misunderstood.

But as tourism industries from Paris to Chiang Mai enjoy the surge in numbers and spending, eyebrows are also raised, and sometimes verbal complaints are heard, regarding their colourful, uncommon, and sometimes not-so-pleasant public manners. The popular Thai website pantip.com has a few designated chat boards where people complain about the bad behaviour of Chinese tourists. News of a Chinese teenager who vandalised a 3,500-year-old Egyptian mural made headlines everywhere, and recently, a Chinese woman in Bangkok published an e-book disparaging what she sees as unacceptable behaviour of her fellow countrymen while travelling overseas (see below).

Last year, Thailand received nearly 3 million Chinese tourists. This year, up until May, more than 1.5 million Chinese made a trip to the Kingdom, constituting the largest number of entries from a single nation _ and the number is rising.

"If we want to take these tourists, firstly we really have to tum jai [accept it]. But more importantly, we have to try to understand the cultural differences," says Thai-Chinese Tourism Alliance Association secretary-general Chanapan Kaewklachaiyawuth.

"It has been ingrained in their communist nature where there is no social segregation at all, where everyone is considered equal. Talking loudly, for example, does not mean they are arguing. It's the way they normally are, because a loud voice signifies security, stability and sincerity.

"Actually, any tourist group is noisy _ Westerners are too _ but because Chinese tourists tend to travel in groups it's an image we are imprinted with."

Complaints are fine, but when they threaten to turn into prejudice, that can be dangerous. The large Chinese contribution to the tourism economy also complicates matters.

"Instead of only blaming the tourists, I'd like to us to reflect on whether we really are ready to accommodate them. Don't blame them if there aren't enough facilities. We shouldn't be [biting off] more than we can chew. The number of Chinese tourists has doubled from 1.8 million to 2.8 million but the number of toilets remains at, what, 10,000?" says Chanapan.

"We cannot only expect them to change, we must be prepared for them."

Full Story: Bangkok Post

[Lung Per]

Are the Chinese tourists any worse than the Russians?

[bsdk1960]

Are the Chinese tourists any worse than the Russians?

Or anyone else.

[Dr Mike]

Years ago when Americans started to travel they were known as The Ugly Americans, but they became quieter and better behaved. Do NOT expect that of the Chinese tourists and remember the Golden Rule--Those who have the gold make the rules.

[Frank Hovis]

"Instead of only blaming the tourists, I'd like to us to reflect on whether we really are ready to accommodate them. Don't blame them if there aren't enough facilities. We shouldn't be [biting off] more than we can chew. The number of Chinese tourists has doubled from 1.8 million to 2.8 million but the number of toilets remains at, what, 10,000?" says Chanapan.

They come all this way just to take a dump? Chinese toilets must be bad.

[Somchai Turdsak]

I was sitting in my truck today at the wet market waiting for my wife to pop in and buy chilis. It took the typical 40 minutes. As I sat there, three old Thai bitties strolled past. Two of them threw a lung simultaneously into the ka-tunk ka-tunk concrete drains. I started laughing. Five seconds later, the third one honked a desert-oyster into bushes lining the street.

China is here.

[STEVE G]

There has been a huge influx of Chinese tourists here where I work in Europe over the last few years. Obviously there can be small cultural diferences but the vast majority of the Chinese tourists that I've seen are older married couples between the ages of perhaps 45 and 70 and as a rule, those are the sort of people from any nationality who are the least likely to cause you any serious problems.

[Bristolian]

But but! That's only 280 dumps per year per toilet. On that basis they are well underused unless.... We need to add the rest of the tourists and then it's close to 3000 dumps per year per toilet. Now it starts to get crowded and messy, especially when all of the tissue is on the dinner tables.

[Vital Spark]

Chinese tourists are not welcome all over the world. When we were staying in a national park in Nepal a couple of months ago the owner said that he wouldn't accept groups of Chinese tourists. He had quite a rant about them, and said that they didn't respect other cultures and they were vulgar. There may be an historical reason for his point of view, but other Nepalese we spoke to felt the same way. Anyway, there was a group of rather fun Chinese 30 somethings staying at the same time as us. Our favourite guide came back, after spending a day with them, spitting nails. We were told to wear subdued coloured clothing - they had bright red hats and shocking pink trousers. They also wouldn't keep quiet. Every time they spotted an animal they shouted at it, trying to entice it to come closer! He told them, again, and again, if they wanted to see wild animals they'd have to be quiet. They had a great, fun day, but he was furious.

I'm not saying that all Chinese tourists are the same, but just read the recent reports about a Chinese tourist who left a boat to snorkel (when he was told not to) and ended up being killed by the propeller of the boat, and you can understand why they might not be so welcome outside China.

VS

[Dr Mike]

On the other hand, they are not likely to get into any criminal or illegal activities which is more than you can say for some other groups.

[AhFarangJa]

Worked in China & Hong Kong for three years, found them to be loud and self centered.
After having seen them touring in Thailand my opinion has not changed, however I have to agree with Dr. Mike, you do not see them engaging in "criminal activities".....yet

[Siani]

I am not sure if they behave badly or worse than other tourists. When I was in Thailand last we had a load of Russians in the room below, really noisy, playing cards all night, drinking outside until 5 am...a nightmare At breakfast they were the greedy, bad mannered, also dead miserable
I think some tourists are badly behaved in their country too

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[AhFarangJa]

I think if I were playing cards and drinking till 5 in the morning I would be miserable too, those days are long gone..

[deepee]

My friends run a farm stay in Australia which focuses on mainly Asian tourists. It's only been recently that visitors have been coming in from China in big numbers and the business owners are finding them a very difficult crowd to deal with. They say that they are the most demanding, noisy and disorganized of all.
They raised an interesting theory as to why these people act like this and they think it's linked to the fact that most are single children( China's one child per couple laws) , they come from the upper levels of Chinese society and therefore are spoiled rotten and used to being number one.
There are often rows and all hell can break loose amongst these guests when someone of a lower standing gets served first with whatever over someone who thinks they sit higher in the pecking order.

[PeteC]

"We reserve the right to refuse service to anyone". If he can afford the loss of not dealing with them, he should give it some thought. Pete