Tourism must avoid putting all eggs in one basket

If you drive around Bangkok and see an oversized bus, chances are it is shuttling Chinese tourists around from place to place. 

In spite of complaints from local residents that these vehicles are clogging up some sois and streets, authorities are putting up with them because these tourists are bringing money into the country. 

According to one estimate by the Tourism Authority of Thailand, the country attracted 4.6 million Chinese visitors in 2014. 

It has been predicted that arrivals from the mainland will grow by nearly 40 per cent this year. In other words, about one in five foreign visitors to the country are Chinese nationals.

Their growing arrivals are fuelled by expanding budget air routes that make the vacation that much more cheaper. But there is a downside to such arrangements as well. 

Often referred to as “zero-tour”, these dirt-cheap tour packages leave the Chinese visitors  at the mercy of local operators who design a comprehensive travel plan. 

Unlike Western tourists who, with Lonely Planet and various brochures, decide for themselves what to eat and where to shop, the tour package for the Chinese visitors is basically a done deal. That means the Chinese group tourists in the cheap package go where they are taken and buy the things that the operators put in front of them. 

Sadly, much of our operators have this attitude that if the visitors don’t know whether they are paying an inflated price to purchase items, or for shows and events planned for them, then it doesn’t really matter. 

Moreover, the spate of negative coverage of the behaviour of some Chinese tourists doesn’t help the situation much. A temple in Chiang Rai shut its door to Chinese visitors for a day after some incidents, which local residents said were disrespectful. 

Local operators, who cater to Chinese holidaymakers, were quick to point out the conduct of some Western visitors as well, as if it that was going to make the situation any better.

It goes without saying that those who benefit directly and handsomely will spin the issue their way. We’re often reminded that it was the Chinese visitors who rescued the industry after a year and half of lull for the industry amid street protests that stretched from late 2013 to May 2015 when the government of Yingluck Shinawatra was ousted from power by a military coup.

Moreover, given the fact that the number of Russian visitors to Pattaya has declined sharply, the arrival of Chinese tourists is music to our ears – at least to some.

Nevertheless, the so-called “zero tour” strategy is not a sound practice and we need to seriously do a rethink, especially when one considers that tourism is a major contributor to our gross domestic product. 

One can argue that the money we make from the Chinese visitors contributes greatly to the economy but sooner or later, the lack of diversification in visitors – not to mention a growing dependence on Chinese tourists – could come back and haunt us. One cannot overlook the possibility that economic growth in China could moderate further, which could translate into less outbound travel from the Middle Kingdom.

A MasterCard annual survey advised the industry not to put all its eggs in one basket. 

Cities that receive tourists from multiple destinations are more “resilient”. In other words, preparing for the rainy day requires Thailand to offer a wide range of attractions that appeal to a broad section of international visitors. 

Besides diversification, there is also the issue of infrastructure. This goes beyond the crowded small sois in certain pockets of Bangkok. 

“If we have got the infrastructure, the growth will come very, very quickly,” said Matthew Driver, president of Southeast Asia for MasterCard. 

Infrastructure implies sustainability that comes with long-term planning. This means we have to get back to the drawing board and get serious about long-delayed projects designed to improve Thailand’s transport infrastructure.