Giving a helping hand to Chinese tourists

This kind of bad publicity is clearly a concern to China and last month Vice Premier Wang Yang criticised the “uncivilised behaviour” of many of his countrymen when they travel abroad, which he believes has harmed the nation’s image.

In Chiang Mai, which in recent months has experienced a big upsurge in Chinese tourists following the blockbuster success of the Chinese comedy “Lost In Thailand”, many locals are complaining about so-called “cultural clashes” that include messy bathrooms, speeding and jay walking, littering, loudness and queue-jumping.

I’m not totally convinced that Chinese tourists are any worse than those from other countries; after all, there’s a lot of international competition for rudeness as anyone who has travelled can attest. But I do believe it’s important to improve the damaged reputation of Chinese tourists, especially given their value to Thailand. More than 2.7 million visited in 2012, and the Thai-Chinese Tourism Alliance Association expects 3.3 million this year. Trying to understand what might be behind the problem is a good start. The relative newness of Chinese to mass tourism explains some of it. 

Because Mao Zedong considered tourism anti-Socialist, it wasn’t until after his death in 1978 that large numbers of Chinese were allowed to go overseas for anything other than work or study. Only in 1997 were travellers allowed to visit countries other than Hong Kong, Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia, provided they did so in a “planned, organised and controlled manner”.

That may be one of the reasons why so many Chinese travel in groups, and why they are so noticeable to other tourists and locals. Last year, Chinese citizens made 83 million trips overseas, and China is already the single largest source of international tourism spending. The UN World Tourism Organisation says Chinese travellers spent a record US$102 billion (Bt3.1 trillion) overseas last year, a 40 per cent jump from 2011.

You can also look to the experience of Chinese back home. Almost all Chinese tourists are better-off urbanites who are used to crowded living conditions and congested public spaces, where elbows are necessary tools for getting anywhere on foot, and cars that pause in traffic more than is absolutely necessary are doomed to arrive late.

Whatever the reasons, hopefully the urgings of Vice Premier Wang will have some impact on the “uncivilised” portion of tourists and those who organise their package tours.

There may also be a role for the Thai government and the local tourism industry in working with their Chinese counterparts and others to improve the situation. For example, is there a way to better educate Chinese tourists about Thailand and our accepted standards of behaviour before they arrive? 

The fact the Chinese government has publicly stated its concerns could open the door for Thai authorities in China to officially provide visa applicants with politely worded “Do’s and Don’ts” ahead of their visits, while at the same time extending a typical warm Thai welcome.

Increasing numbers of Chinese tourists are a fact of life in pretty much all the world’s popular tourist destinations, including Thailand, so there are strong incentives for both sides to come to a better understanding of each other’s “cultural differences”.

 

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