Thailand still a turnoff despite travel ban lift

Travel agents in Shanghai are reporting that Thailand package sales have been disappointing since the Chinese government lifted a ban on tourism to the country on June 12. "Before the unrest, we would have two or three groups going to Thailand each week, but now it's a struggle to put just one together," Wu Lei, a manager at the East Asia department of Jinjiang Travel Agency, told the Global Times Tuesday.

"The previous riots in Thailand may be a big concern for many customers, but our other destinations are relatively safe, and the situation in Thailand has already returned to normal," Wu added. The price of tour packages to Thailand in Shanghai is about 5,000 yuan ($746) for four to five days, around the same level as before the riots and the ban on travel to the country by the Chinese government that they prompted.

Last June, Thailand cancelled its visa application fee of 230 yuan ($34) to attract more visitors, although the move has had little impact. "Thailand is no longer one of my top travel destinations, with the riots of course being a reason," Ding Yanjun, a 26-year-old Shanghai resident who works for a pharmaceuticals company, told the Global Times Tuesday. "Japan is relaxing its restrictions on travelers, so I'd rather choose to go there."

From tomorrow, Chinese who have a yearly income of at least 100,000 yuan ($14,925), or who earn at least 5,000 yuan ($746) each month and hold a gold card issued by an international credit card company, will be eligible for a tourist visa to Japan. Previously, Chinese residents required a yearly income of 250,000 yuan ($37,312) to secure a visa to Japan.

"The move will surely impact tourism from China to East Asian countries like Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia, but the cost of packages to those destinations can't be lowered because air tickets to and from Shanghai are still expensive due to the Expo," Jiang Ying, a manager from Spring International Travel Agency, told the Global Times Tuesday.

Jiang also pointed out that Chinese people have shown more preference for domestic travel over the past two months, with the Expo in Shanghai being a popular draw. She also said that over the past six months, the tourism bureaus of Chinese cities have been increasing their promotions in Shanghai, which has helped boost domestic tourism.

 

Sourced=life.globaltimes.cn