5 million Chinese visitors expected on waived visa as govts agree to discussion

China is now the biggest source of tourists to Thailand, with about 3.22 million Chinese visiting in the first eight months of 2013, up 88.42 per cent over the same period of 2012, according to the Tourism Authority of Thailand.

Vichit Prakobgosol, honorary director for the Thai-Chinese Tourism Alliance Association and chairman of CCT Group, a travel service consultancy, believes that about 5 million Chinese will visit Thailand next year if such a policy can take effect.

“Waiving visas is inevitable because the number of Chinese tourists to Thailand is really big,” Vichit said. 

Lower costs and more convenience will encourage more Chinese tourists and investors to visit Thailand, said Vichit, whose company estimates it will receive 300,000 Chinese tourists this year.

Wang Dong, a Chinese businessman in Bangkok, said what was more important than saving money was the time saved, with better scope for business.

“The Thai visa is not as difficult or expensive to get as many other countries’, but for a frequent visitor who lives in a small city, I have to hire a travel agency to help me mail my documents to the consulate in Shanghai. It’s troublesome,” Wang said.

Currently, only the Thai Embassy in Beijing and consulates in seven other big cities including Shanghai and Guangzhou can process visa applications in China.

Young people nowadays enjoy spontaneous and independent trips. A visa exemption will give them another excuse to do this, said Zhang Guangrui, director of the tourism research centre with the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

Song Meidan, a manager of a Beijing-based travel agency, echoed Zhang’s views, but added that the package-tour business would benefit less from the policy because Thailand already offers visas on arrival and China’s newly released tourism law has dampened the booming trend.

China’s first tourism law that took effect on October 1 bans travel agencies, which heavily rely on package tours, from offering rock-bottom prices but adding hidden costs such as mandatory shopping outings.

In response, travel agencies raised tour-package prices and lost many potential clients.

“One reason for Thailand’s popularity among the Chinese is its low cost. If it was as expensive as a trip to Europe, which do you think people would choose?” Song asked.

However, Vichit said most Chinese still preferred group tours when they travel to a country for the first time.

“Only 20 million Chinese tourists visited Thailand over the past two decades, while 400 million Chinese can afford to travel overseas now. For Chinese in second- and third-tier cities, package tours are still the top choice,” he said.

Kanjana Boonsopa, a staff member at a Bangkok hotel, said she would like to see more Chinese visitors: “It’s good for business.” 

Chutinunta Agukrikul, marketing director of Bangkok-based Central Department Store, said: “We would certainly welcome even more Chinese shoppers to our store.”

Pu Yue, production manager of Ctrip’s tourism department, predicts more than 20,000 Chinese travellers will visit Thailand using its services this year. The agency does not feel pressure regarding supply because the tourism industry is optimistic that Thailand’s tourism resources, such as flights and accommodation, will continue to grow.

Vichit said Thailand had to prepare itself to welcome more tourists through such methods as developing high-speed trains and strengthening security and sanitary facilities. 

“Waiving visas is not just a technical procedure but shows a high level of trust and friendliness between two countries, which will make the two peoples feel comfortable in each other’s countries,” he said.