TURKEY: China Southern Airlines, China's Largest Airline To Fly More Chinese Tourists To Istanbul

China Southern Airlines, the country's largest airline, is introducing the world's largest passenger aircraft - the Airbus 380 - on its Istanbul route, due to an increased interest in Turkey.

The use of such aircraft and Turkey's flag carrier Turkish Airlines' (THY) new destinations in China, including the central northwestern city of Xi'an, will help Chinese companies bring more tourists to Turkey.

Turkey has seen high interest from Chinese tourists in recent years, boosted by improving cultural and economic ties between the two countries.

According to the Culture and Tourism Ministry data, some 292,000 Chinese citizens came to Turkey in the first eight months of this year, an increase of 12.66% compared to the same period last year.

If this upward trend continues, the number of Chinese tourists is expected to hit 500,000 by the end of the year.

As Chinese airlines launched flights to Turkey one after another to get their share, Chinese companies with existing lines to Turkey have also scheduled additional flights from new destinations.

Last May, China Southern Airlines launched flights from Wuhan, the largest city in Central China with a population of around 11 million, in addition to its Beijing line.

Regarded as China's largest airline in terms of fleet, the company schedules flights from Beijing's Capital airport. And the airline is now planning to carry more passengers to Turkey by expanding the type of aircraft due to intense demand from its citizens.

With necessary permits, the company will resume its flight from Daxing, the second airport of Beijing, to Istanbul Airport with the Airbus 380, which can carry up to 853 passengers in a single-class economy configuration or 555 passengers if in a three-class configuration.

China marked Turkey Tourism Year in 2018 and hosted dozens of events around the country. Around 400,000 Chinese tourists visited Turkey last year.

This number is expected to approach 500,000 this year and surpass 750,000 by 2020. The number of Chinese tourists in the country is expected to rise to 1 million in two years.

Chinese citizens mostly visit Cappadocia, one of the prominent destinations frequented by Chinese tourists in Turkey, Pamukkale, Ephesus and Istanbul.

Meanwhile, Airbus 380s could not use now-closed Atatürk Airport except for special operations due to the lack of suitable runways and taxiways.

However, with runways, taxiways and passenger bridges fit for wide-body aircraft, Istanbul Airport can easily accommodate the A380.

Airbus previously announced that it would halt the production of A380 passenger aircraft and that the final delivery would take place in 2021.

The A380 has a body length of 73 meters, a height of 24 meters, and a wingspan of 80 meters. The aircraft can fly at a top speed of 1,185 kilometers per hour, with a range of 14,800 kilometers.

China Southern Airlines Company Limited is an airline headquartered in Baiyun District, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China.

Established on 1 July 1988 following the restructuring of the CAAC Airlines that acquired and merged a number of domestic airlines, the airline became one of China's "Big Three" airlines alongside Air China and China Eastern Airlines, the world's seventh-largest airline measured by passengers carried and Asia's largest airline in fleet size, revenue, and passengers carried.

With its main hubs at Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport and Beijing Capital International Airport, the airline operates more than 2,000 flights to more than 200 destinations daily and was a member of SkyTeam until 1 January 2019.

The airline started a frequent flyer program partnership with American Airlines in March 2019. The logo of the airline consists of a kapok flower which is also the city flower of Guangzhou on a blue tail fin.

The parent company of China Southern Airlines Company Limited is China Southern Air Holding Company, a state-owned enterprise that was supervised by the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council.

China Southern is headquartered in the China Southern Air Building at 68 Qixin Road in Baiyun District, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China.

It was previously at 278 Jichang Airport Road in Baiyun District.

China Southern had plans to open a new headquarters facility on a 988-acre (400 ha) site on the outskirts of Guangzhou, about 4 miles (6.4 km) from Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport. Woods Bagot won a competition for the architect firm which would design the facility.

The proposed site consists of two parcels of land on opposite sides of a highway leading to Baiyun Airport; both sites are shaped like wings. The site will have a bridge and light rail system that operates above the highway to connect the two parcels, which will each have distinct functions.

For instance, the east parcel will house internal functions such as the data center facilities, staff dormitories, and the training center. The airline wants it to be aesthetically pleasing from the air since it sits below a runway approach.

The site will have a lot of outdoor space, which Woods Bagot designed along with Hargreaves Associates and Sherwood Design Engineers.

Jean Weng, a Woods Bagot Beijing-based principal, said most Chinese cities are very dense and very urban, but China Southern wants to create a human-scale campus, that's close to nature. The new headquarters was opened in August 2016.

China Southern Airlines serves 193 destinations in 35 different countries worldwide.

It maintains a strong presence in the domestic market with its main hubs at Beijing Capital International Airport and Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport with secondary hubs at Shanghai Pudong International Airport, Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport, and Urumqi Diwopu International Airport, along with other focus cities in Changchun, Changsha, Dalian, Shenyang, Shenzhen, Wuhan, and Zhengzhou.

The airline plans to continue to develop Chongqing and Urumqi as hubs as well to exploit the domestic market potential.

China Southern offers 485 flights a day from its Guangzhou hub and 221 from its Beijing hub. The airline provides services to 65 international destinations.

Most of the international flights link Guangzhou with world cities. There are also plenty of international flights operated through Beijing, Shanghai, Urumqi notably to Central Asia and Dalian to Japan, South Korea, and Russia.

China Southern Airlines has developed an extensive network to Southeast Asia and also has become the Chinese airline with the largest presence in Australia.

China Southern is also considering expanding into the South American markets, as well as further expansion into the African market.

Guangzhou Baiyun aircraft collision: On 2 October 1990, a hijacked Xiamen Airlines Boeing 737 crashed into a China Southern Airlines Boeing 757, killing 128 people from both aircraft.

China Southern Airlines Flight 3943: On 24 November 1992, China Southern Airlines Flight 3943, a Boeing 737-300, crashed into a hill near Guilin, Guangxi, due to an engine thrust malfunction. All 141 people on board were killed.

China Southern Flight 3456: On 8 May 1997, China Southern Flight 3456, a Boeing 737-300, crashed on approach to Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport killing 35 people and injuring 9.

On 13 November 2017, China Southern Flight 6406, a Boeing 737-800, with 151 passengers, was en route at 7800 meters (FL256) about 90 nm southwest of Changsha (China) when the crew received a cargo smoke indication and decided to divert to Changsha Huanghua International Airport.

The aircraft landed safely on runway 36 about 20 minutes later. The crew initiated an emergency evacuation via slides; one passenger was injured - sprained ankle during the evacuation. Emergency services found no trace of fire, heat or smoke.

On 5 January 2018, during a blizzard that hit the northeastern United States, a China Southern Boeing 777-300ER's wingtip struck the tail end of a Kuwait Airways Boeing 777 while taxiing at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport, causing damage to both aircraft. Nobody was injured.

In 2013, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) ordered China Southern Airlines to pay $11,600 in fines for violations of the Animal Welfare Act (AWA) during the airline's transport of monkeys to laboratories in the United States.

The USDA found the airline had transported more than 1,000 monkeys into the United States without federal permission to do so and had transported the animals in insecure crates.

Previously, the airline had been ordered to pay $14,438 for AWA violations during one transport that left more than a dozen monkeys dead after they went without food and water for an extended period of time.

Following these most recent violations, China Southern announced that it would no longer transport monkeys to laboratories. PETA had protested against the airline for these shipments.

TAIWAN: Japanese Tourism Expected To Shoot Up After News Of China's Tourist Ban

On Aug. 1, the Chinese government announced that it would be suspending all individual permits for travel to Taiwan, forcing Chinese citizens hoping to visit the country to join officially approved tour groups instead.

The move is widely seen as an attempted political maneuver to damage Taiwan’s economy ahead of the January 2020 elections.

While Taiwan is likely to see a major dip in tourism from China in the coming months, there are reasons to be optimistic, as the sudden drop in Chinese visitors will make Taiwan’s popular tourist destinations less crowded.

Japanese website Zakzak is encouraging Japanese vacationers to consider visiting Taiwan in 2019 on account of decreased crowds and potential travel deals offered by hotels and tour operators to make up for losses.

Now is a “great chance” to visit Taiwan, which is regularly a top destination for Japanese tourists.

In 2013, there were 1.24 million Japanese visitors to Taiwan, but by 2017 that number had increased to 1.9 million, reports Zakzak.

That number is likely to continue increasing in the years ahead.

This year, during the high summer travel season of July 15 to Aug. 31, Taiwan expects to see around 240,000 visitors from Japan, which is an 8.3 percent increase over the same period in 2018.

According to Zakzak, many Japanese travel agencies report that Taiwan is consistently a top choice for customers looking to book vacations.

The island's geographic proximity, relative safety, low-cost travel options, and welcoming attitude towards Japanese visitors make it an ideal destination for short trips.


Tourism Observer

CHINA: Chinese Citizens Warned Against Traveling To US, Airlines Face Hard Times

China has issued a travel warning against the U.S. through the end of 2019, the latest shot amid the worsening trade war. While the overall impact on the U.S. tourism would be manageable, it could pose a threat to some airline companies as well as casinos.

While Chinese tourists spend heavily around the world, contributing to $270 billion abroad last year alone, they only accounted for 3% of the $1.1 trillion U.S. travel market in 2018, according to the U.S. Travel Association.

In a worst-case scenario, the number of Chinese tourists to the U.S. could drop by nearly 50%, resulting in an $18 billion hit to travel spend, Bank of America Merrill Lynch estimated.

Chinese tourism is a big prize in global trade. On this front, the U.S. has more to lose than China, Robin Winkler, foreign exchange strategist at Deutsche Bank, said in a note.

The trade war would likely take a severe dent to household income growth to squash the new middle class’s appetite for passports and foreign travel. A weaker exchange rate could make foreign travel somewhat less affordable, Winkler added.

Chinese travel to the U.S. has already declined by 5.7% in 2018 from a year ago, compared to a 4% gain in 2017 and a 15% increase in 2016, according to the U.S. Travel Association.

The number is only going lower after the Chinese government issued an alert for Chinese tourists traveling to America, citing shootings, robberies and theft that have occurred frequently in the U.S.

Since only legacy airline companies offer flights to China, the negative impact from declining Chinese tourists would fall mostly on United Continental, Delta Air Lines and American Airlines, according to Bank of America.

United carries the most flights to China with 47% of U.S. airline capacity, compared to about 25% for American Airlines and Delta, Bank of America analyst Andrew Didora said.

In the bank’s worst case scenario which involves a 50% drop in Chinese tourists, United’s unit revenues could see a 140 basis point drag and the impact would be 70 basis points for American Airline and Delta, Didora said.

Chinese travelers, who are big customers for casinos, might now turn their backs on gaming in the U.S. amid the travel advisory and intensified trade tensions. The casinos in Las Vegas are already feeling the pinch.

Las Vegas has already noted weaker Asian gambling trends. Baccarat gross gaming revenues are often a barometer for the health of the Asian consumer and are down 26% year to date, Didora said.

The weakness could weigh on casinos including MGM, Las Vegas Sands and Wynn Resorts that have an exposure to baccarat, the analyst noted.

Luxury retailers could also take a hit. Tiffany & Co. on Wednesday blamed disappointing quarterly results on a sharp decline in Chinese tourism
because of the trade war.


Tourism Observer

Chinese Tourists Still Dominate Asia

Chinese tourists are difficult to ignore, whether in the news or on holiday. But when you consider that travellers from the Middle Kingdom made 140 million outbound trips in 2018, the fact that they are in your feed and on the ground is, frankly, not that surprising.

However, pundits perturbed by current trade-war tensions, a diplomatic row with Canada and China’s economic slowdown are predicting that tourism will take a hit in the months ahead, meaning that destinations dependent on their biggest spending visitors could feel the pinch unless they diversify their source markets.

Increasingly, Asian holiday hotspots are looking to the region’s other very populous country with a fast growing economy and outbound tourism industry.

Airlines have been adding routes between India and Thailand, while Australia saw record arrivals from both China and the subcontinent in 2017, a trend that is expected to continue.

Indian tourists have a long way to go to catch up with their well-travelled Chinese counterparts, though. According to the most up-to-date statistics available from India’s Ministry of Tourism, a mere 24 million outbound trips were made by its 1.3 billion inhabitants in 2017.

The United Nations World Tourism Organisation estimates that figure will reach 50 million by 2020, driven by a growing and increasingly affluent middle class, but that is only where China was in 2009, when almost 48 million of its citizens made journeys beyond its borders.

Back then, American tourists were still considered the worst in the world, denounced for their rudeness, vulgarity and general obnoxiousness.

In 2013, 15-year-old Ding Jinhao from Nanjing etched his name into Egypt’s ancient Luxor Temple, bringing shame upon his nation and alerting the international media to the virality of stories about misbehaving Chinese, that travellers from China took the undesirable crown.

That year, overseas visits swelled to 98 million, according to the China Outbound Tourism Research Institute, and the reports of improper antics have multiplied as the number of outbound trips has increased.

A number of factors are holding Indian travellers back from becoming the next dominant wave.

India currently has a passport power rank of 69, placing it alongside Sierra Leone and Sao Tome Principe in the Global Passport Index.

Indian citizens can travel visa-free to 25 nations, qualify for visa on arrival in 39 and need to apply for a visa to enter 134. Chinese fare slightly better, at number 60 in the list, with visa-free access to 28 countries, visas available on arrival in 46 and a visa required for 124.

In January 2018, The Economist suggested that India had a hole where its middle class should be. According to the magazine’s research, only 78 million citizens could be considered middle class.

Although that figure has been contested, most convincingly by Indian financial newspaper Mint, which placed 158 million Indians in the middle class, it is significantly lower than China’s 400 million middle-class residents, according to Beijing’s National Bureau of Statistics.

For the time being, destinations from Phuket to Perth will vie to attract visitors from both China and India or Chindia, as Indian politician Jairam Ramesh calls the neighbouring nations that together account for more than one-third of the world’s population, while the title of world’s worst tourists remains uncontested, at least as far as the media is concerned.

SWEDEN: Police Arrest And Abandon Chinese Tourists At Cemetery

A Chinese family was reportedly taken to a cemetery in the Swedish capital of Stockholm last Sunday after being denied hotel check-in, according to a statement released by Chinese Embassy in Sweden, prompting massive discussions on social media both home and abroad.

After arriving at a Stockholm hotel in the early morning on September 2, a Chinese tourist, surnamed Zeng, with his 64 and 67 years old parents, found out that the room they booked was not available for check-in until later in the daytime.

Considering the poor health condition of his elderly parents, Zeng asked staff at the hotel if they could rest in the lobby and they would love to pay a fee.

Unexpectedly, the staff told them to leave immediately. If not, they would have to call the police, according to Zeng.

After the police arrived, Zeng showed the prescription of his parents to the police and asked if his parents could stay at the hotel and he would leave himself.

However, the police denied the request and dragged his father out of the hotel and threw him to the ground.

Zeng said his father, who is suffering from cardiovascular disease, lost consciousness and his body started twitching.

The scuffle gradually attracted more passersby, some of them condemned the police behavior.

The police offered no humanitarian assistance to us during the emergency, Zeng said.

Several minutes later, more armed police officers arrived and took Zeng and his parents into a police car.

The officers asked them if they were refugees or tried to use violence.

They kept beating my parents and even threatened to abandon us in the woods with wild animals, Zeng said.

After an hour of driving, Zeng found that he was together with his family taken to a cemetery, eight kilometers away from the hotel.

A half hour later, a passerby drove Zeng and his parents back to Stockholm downtown.

Upon arrival, Zeng immediately notified the Chinese Embassy and informed the local police of the incident.

We just wanted to leave this place and go back home, said Zeng.

The Chinese Embassy in Sweden issued a safety alert on September 14 reminding Chinese citizens in Sweden to be alert and take precautionary measures.

A day later, spokesperson of the Chinese Embassy in Sweden said that the embassy is deeply appalled and angered by what happened and strongly condemns the behavior of the Swedish police.

We hope that the Swedish side will handle the case in accordance with law, and urge the Swedish side again to take immediate actions to protect the safety and legitimate rights and interests of Chinese citizens in Sweden, the Embassy said in a statement.

The Swedish police department has yet to respond.

The incident has also sparked a heated discussion on Twitter.

"They should have claimed to be Syrian Migrants then they would have received a handsome #SocialWelfarePackage, a #FreePasstoAllCriminalActs and a #FreeAccomodation," said @Lizzie De on Twitter.

"I don't know what truth you are referring. If these tourists broke the laws or cause a scene, I believed there are standard procedures to handle them. But tossing them to somewhere near the cemetery sounds pretty awful. Unless you meant that's the Swedish police's standard', said @CheeKeat.

"To be fair, it is inappropriate for the hotel to do like that. But why didn't Zeng pay one more night for the room, especially when they know they will arrive in the midnight?" said @Suk_lowlow on China's Twitter-like Weibo platform.


Tourism Observer

SWEDEN: Chinese Ambassador Alarmed By Swedish Police Manhandling Chinese Tourists

Chinese Ambassador, Gui Congyou gave an interview in Stockholm on Sunday, talking about the brutal treatment of Chinese tourists by Swedish police and clarifying the recent issuing of travel alerts to the country.

There is doubt whether the Chinese Embassy in Sweden had carried out an in-depth inquiry of the incident before taking diplomatic action as there have been many versions of what happened on September 2.

Gui answered that the embassy had reached to relevant parties to get details about the incident from different perspectives, informed the Swedish government and then requested a meeting with Swedish police.

However, there was no response to the meeting request from the Swedish police.

Gui also clarified that the three Chinese tourists did have a reservation at the hotel and they just arrived several hours earlier and stressed that they did not break any Swedish law and urged the police to meet with the embassy.

We have received information from all parties involved, except the Swedish police,Gui said and questioned Why were the three Chinese citizens treated so brutally by the Swedish police when they did not break any Swedish law?

Why has the police not informed the Chinese Embassy of the incident nor responded to the requests for a meeting?

A journalist quickly explained that it frequently happens in Sweden that hotels call the police if tourists refuse to leave the property and the three stayed for a few more hours in the hotel after being told to leave.

In that case, the hotel has the right to remove them according to Swedish law.

Gui answered, If they did stay a few more hours in the hotel, it would already be dawn. But the whole thing happened during the late night.

It was late at night, and they were in a country thousands of miles away from home where they did not know anyone.

Arriving only a few hours earlier than the booking time, they were actually already the hotel's guests and needed assistance from the hotel.

Concerning the police reportedly manhandling out the family of three, Gui asked what the improper behaviors of the Swedish police.

Gui again asked, Did the Chinese tourists break any law? If they did, why did the police and hotel not contact the Chinese Embassy immediately?

Had the Embassy been contacted, we would have provided assistance to the three Chinese tourists immediately, Gui added.

Gui was asked to share his view on the security situation in Sweden as a travel alert to Sweden were issued.

On average the embassy receives two reports of Chinese tourists' wallets or passports being robbed or stolen per day.

Our colleagues often had to wake up midnight or work on weekends and holidays to replace their documents so that they could return home.

We have raised the issue to almost all the relevant Swedish government departments, but none of them said it was their responsibility.

Almost all of the robberies and thefts were reported to the police, but so far no case has received any reply from the police, not to say being solved. Gui says.

He stated that the embassy had issued many such alerts and all Chinese embassies and consulates abroad need to issue travel alerts or warnings when local security is bad or deteriorating to ensure the safety of life and properties of Chinese citizens abroad.

At the end of the interview, Gui emphasized the importance of the relations between China and Sweden and hoped that the two countries could work with the same goal and develop bilateral relations on the basis of equality, mutual respect and win-win cooperation.

The Swedish Embassy in China published a statement on this incident via Weibo, saying that the police officers involved will be investigated if a complaint is filed and prosecutors will carry out the investigation on the complaint that the officers broke the law and neglected their duties.


Tourism Observer

CHINA: China Is Investing And Improving In Tourism Input

Chinese tourists' enthusiasm for travel has spurred businesses to step up input in tourism development. The country's tourist numbers and tourism income both came out on top last year, followed by India, the US, Japan and France, the Beijing-based World Tourism Cities Federation reports.

China's domestic travel market received more than five billion visits, mostly by the Chinese, in 2017, up 12.8 percent as compared with the previous year and 69 percent with 2012, according to the former National Tourism Administration, which is now part of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.

Chinese tourists paid 270 million visits abroad last year, up 3.7 percent year-on-year.

In the second quarter of 2018, the overall travel intention for China is 84 percent, which shows an increase of 1.8 percent from the previous period and a year-on-year growth of 3.8 percent.

It’s expected that the travel market will receive a total of 339 million domestic tourists from the three spring vacations of the Qingming Festival, the Labor Day and the Dragon Boat Festival, according to the administration.

Tourism has contributed 9.13 trillion yuan (1.42 trillion US dollars) to China's GDP, said the administration.

The country's focus on tourism has been demonstrated by the merging of the tourism and culture authorities in March.

Seen from the long run, the Chinese market has strong competiveness, thanks to the culture and tourism integration, said Zhao Jingwen, chairman adviser of CITIC Ltd, at a global tourism investment summit that drew more than 500 Chinese government organs, financial institutes and scenic spots in late May.

We have seen a group of big enterprises rapidly making inroads in the tourism industry, Zhao said, adding that the top five real estate businesses and nine out of the top 10 internet giants have invested in tourism.

At the forum, the Beijing-based ShanHai Cultural and Tourism Group signed a strategic agreement with the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China and the Agriculture Bank of China, as well as multiple local governments and scenic spots to expand its presence in the tourism market.

The Beijing-based company has invested in a sport town in Hebei Province's Xinglong County, a natural resort in Guizhou Province's Anshun City, and a golf facility in Hainan Province's Haikou City over the years, and plans to expand its tourism business, in addition to its real estate, financial and medical involvement.

The full-on cooperation is to develop a sound industrial chain model featuring travel agency, scenic spot, hotel and transportation, says Wang Gaochao, chairman of the company.

Beijing ShanHai will invest in infrastructure, recreational equipment and hotels at various scenic spots and help to boost their publicity.

The company also launched Mounsey, its travel agency, at the forum and announced a three-year plan to open 100 Mounsey subsidiaries and 10,000 brick-and-mortar retail shops to receive travelers directly across the country.

It would also make investments in 80 scenic spots, 100 hotels and 60 homestays. The goal is to integrate tourism resources and offer one-stop services to tourists, Wang explains.

ShanHai is just one of the many forces that have increased their presence in the tourism sector.

China's leading domestic theme park brand Fantawild Adventure intends to open a new theme park worth 12.8 billion yuan in Zhejiang Province's Ningbo City. The property developer Evergrande Group has planned to invest 300 billion yuan to develop 15 Children's World theme parks across China.

The State-owned Overseas Chinese Town has signed a 238-billion-yuan deal to develop culture and tourism in Shaanxi Province's capital Xi'an. Other real estate giants, such as the Hong Kong-listed Sunac and Country Garden, have all moved into the tourism development business.

In 2017, direct tourism investment broke 1.5 trillion yuan in China, and the country's 144 tourism investment funds were worth 800 billion yuan, according to the former National Tourism Administration.

More than 2,000 big-scale tourism projects are now under construction, involving more than 5 trillion yuan in investment. A total of 130 scenic spots have seen investment above 10 billion yuan each, and 45 above 20 billion yuan each.

Investment in culture and tourist towns, theme parks, ethnic and religious tourism, camp sites and those offering TV, film experiences and performances have been on the rise in recent years, supported by the country's favorable policies towards tourism investment, including those that help qualified tourism enterprises go public.

Private capital has taken an exceptional part in overall tourism industry investment, basically surpassing 50 percent, says Li Yuebo, managing director with Industrial Securities.

Private companies have put more focus on medium and high-end travel experiences and invested more in leisure at first-tier cities, while governments and State-owned companies have put money in tourism infrastructure in the central and western parts of the country, Li says.

Speaking about future tourism development prospects, Mounsey's president Wang Tao believes the sky's the limit.

Tourism would be the next gold mine in the next dozens of years in China, after real estate and the internet, Wang says. He mentions that Sunac's revenue was 360 billion yuan last year, and it ranks merely the fourth in the real estate industry.

While the combined business of the tourism giants Ctrip and China International Travel Service Ltd amount to just 60 billion yuan.

With real estate giants flocking to the tourism industry, think about the changes they would bring, he adds.


Tourism Observer

THAILAND: Vendor Arrested For Threatening To Shoot Chinese Tourists After Failing To Buy His Crocodile Skin Bags

Pattaya police arrested a vendor for intimidating Chinese tourists after they refused to buy his bags.

Tourist police in Pattaya and officers from the Pattaya police station arrested Somchai Kraiphan, 43, at a beach road of Na Klua beach at 9.30pm.

Earlier, at 11.30am on Tuesday, a tour guide, whose Facebook identity is Wicha Tham, posted a 1.46-minute video clip showing Somchai shouting angrily at Chinese tourists.

The clip showed Somchai threaten to shoot the tourists for failing to buy his crocodile skin bags after they asked for discounts.

Wicha said in the post that he hoped Pol Maj-General Surachet Hakpal, deputy commissioner of the Tourist Police Bureau, would see the post and take action.

Pol Lt-Colonel Piyapong Ensarn, inspector of the sub-division 4 of the Tourist Police Division 2, said Surchat saw the clip and ordered the arrest.

After his arrest, Somchai said he was sorry for what he had done. He said his case should serve to remind other vendors to have patience.


Tourism Observer

HONG KONG: Chinese Tourists Made More Than 130 Million Outbound Trips In 2017 And Spent US$115 Billion

From T-shirts declaring disputed territories to brawls in luxury boutiques, the antics of Chinese tourists overseas have generated many a headline recently.

However, those who have made viral news are but a small percentage of the millions who now travel overseas, 130 million did so in 2017, a number that is expected to rise this year, according to a report by a think tank, the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

Eager to cash in on the significant spending power of the newly intrepid population, according to the United Nations World Tourism Organisation, China accounts for more than a fifth of the money spent by outbound tourists.

Destinations around the world are clamouring to attract travellers from the Middle Kingdom. But do places actually experience a net benefit from the boom?

Here in Hong Kong, one of the most popular destinations for mainland Chinese tourists, the advantages are often overshadowed.

Tourism is one of the major pillars of the SAR’s economy, with the total expenditure associated with inbound tourists amounting to HK$296.7 billion last year, according to the Hong Kong Tourism Board.

Nevertheless, a 2017 study published in the Kasetsart Journal of Social Sciences, which explored local residents’ perceptions towards visitors from across the border, found that although economic and educational gains are recognised, they are far outweighed by social and cultural concerns.

Those surveyed, pointed out that mainland Chinese are rude, and lack social etiquette and education.

However, a new generation of Chinese tourists who are opting out of tour packages in search of more authentic experiences is doing what it can to subvert the stereotype.

This demographic is of particular interest to developing destinations such as Laos, which welcomed 639,000 Chinese visitors in 2017, according to and where tourism officials and local residents alike are hopeful increasing numbers of visitors will have a positive effect.

Having declared 2018 the year to Visit Laos, authorities are working hard to improve infrastructure, much of it with the help of investment from China, which is not always welcomed with open arms.

Of course, there are many horror stories that illustrate the environmental and societal pressures brought to bear by the unfettered growth of tourism on a destination that is not completely prepared for it.

But, with strategic planning, a more sustainable approach and increased local involvement, there have been success stories.

Laos’ own Vang Vieng is a prime example, having overcome a tainted reputation to emerge as a destination popular with travellers from China and South Korea in search of a very different experience to that of the backpackers who came before them.

And while it may not be reaping quite the economic rewards it was at peak party time, Vang Vieng is now doing its thing with an eco-tourism tagline and without the heavy loss of life.


Tourism Observer

VIETNAM: Will Vietnam Declare Code Of Conduct For Only Chinese Tourists?

Last year March, Vietnam’s Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced that it had released a nationwide code of conduct for tourists for the first time, instructing visitors on how to behave while on holiday.

Details such as where and how the guide was distributed are scant, but the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism’s (VNAT) official website declared that it would help international and local tourists, and tour operators “respect local customs and culture, abide by regulations at both tourist and public sights, provide help for the disabled, the elderly, children and women, and protect the environment.

Unfortunately, the code does not seem to contain any information pertaining to China’s controversial nine-dash line.

If it had, the headline-grabbing incident in May that saw a group of Chinese tourists having to remove T-shirts asserting Beijing’s claim over disputed South China Sea territory upon arrival at Cam Ranh International Airport, south of Nha Trang, might never have happened.

To say that relations between the two neighbours are strained is to put it mildly, with anti-China sentiment culminating in protests across Vietnam over the past few days against proposed special economic zones critics believe would favour Chinese investors.

And disapproval is not confined to government policy, with calls to restrict or even refuse visitors from the Middle Kingdom, according to an article published on June 15 by online newspaper VietnamNet, which went on to suggest that a code of conduct should be created specifically for Chinese tourists.

This follows widespread condemnation of zero-dong package tours, which inject little into the local economy, and the fining of Vietnamese tour guide Tran A Hung, in Da Nang, for having allowed a Chinese woman in his charge to spread distorted information about the history of Vietnam, in April.

The woman, Wang Jihong, told fellow travellers that the traditional Vietnamese dress, the áo dài, was based on the cheongsam and that Vietnam used to belong to China.

In the first five months of the year, Vietnam received 6.7 million tourists, an increase of 27.6 per cent on the same period in 2017, according to VNAT. Of those, 2.1 million came from China, 37 per cent more than in the corresponding months last year.

However, the current tension is likely to affect arrivals. Travel agencies were hurrying to alter routes and schedules as demonstrations broke out, while social-media users have announced that tour companies have begun cancelling trips following embassy and consulate warnings.

Following widespread anti-China protests in May 2014, the number of Chinese visitors to Vietnam fell sharply. If history repeats, the country might lose its top source of tourists, and that targeted code of conduct will not be necessary.

While Vietnam may be willing to lose out on Chinese travellers, Scottish businesses are hoping to cash in on a recent uptick, with the introduction of the first ever direct flights between the mainland and Scotland.

Hainan Airlines launched the Beijing to Edinburgh route on June 12, and already businesses are scrambling to fulfil Mandarin-speaking positions.

A hotelier in the Highlands, said: I struggled to get a Mandarin-speaking receptionist. There aren’t very many Mandarin speakers in Drumnadrochit.

While current numbers remain modest – a mere 41,000 Chinese tourists visited Alba in 2016, spending a total of £36 million (US$47.7 million) between them, according to VisitScotland, the castle-filled country wants a slice of the world’s most lucrative wedding market and is courting Chinese couples with its countless wedding-picture-perfect locations.

We are seeing more and more Chinese couples choose Edinburgh’s historic heart to take official photos prior to their wedding, said Rob Lang, chairman of Edinburgh Tourism Action Group’s China Ready initiative.

That such a drive exists just goes to show how serious Scottish destinations are about making this particular union a happy one.


Tourism Observer

NORTH KOREA: 32 Tourists Dead In Tour Bus Accident

Chinese tourists have been involved in a major road accident in North Korea and there are a large number of casualties, China's foreign ministry said.

Diplomats rushed to the scene of the accident in North Hwanghae province, which happened on Sunday evening, the ministry added, without saying how many people had either been injured or killed.

The Working Group of the Chinese Embassy in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, accompanied by the head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, rushed to the scene of the incident.

The Chinese Embassy in North Korea was informed by the DPRK that a serious traffic accident occurred on North Korea's Huanghai Road at night, causing heavy casualties to Chinese tourists, the statement said, adding that relevant details are currently being verified.

The ministry explained that an emergency mechanism has been put in place and the government is sparing no effort to investigate,

The accident involved a group of Chinese travel company staff, near an area of a roadway which is under construction.

Chinese state television's English-language channel tweeted that a tour bus had fallen off a bridge, killing more than 30 people, but later deleted the tweet.

State television's main Chinese language news channel later showed images of a crashed blue bus with its wheels in the air, in footage taken in pouring rain in the dark.

It showed at least one person being treated in hospital, but also gave no details of casualties.

In a separate statement, China's health ministry said it was sending a team of medical experts along with equipment and drugs to North Korea to help treat survivors.

North Hwanghae province borders South Korea.

North Korea is a popular tourist destination for Chinese, especially from north-eastern China.

Chinese MFA spokesperson Lu Kang later on Monday reported that 32 Chinese nationals and four North Koreans were killed in the accident, adding that an additional two PRC citizens were in a critical condition due to serious injury.

South Korean think tank the Korea Maritime Institute estimates tourism generates about $US44 million in annual revenue for North Korea.

About 80 per cent of all North Korea's foreign tourists are Chinese, it said.

China said more than 237,000 Chinese visited in 2012, but it stopped publishing the statistics in 2013.


Tourism Observer

JAPAN: Trader Overcharges Chinese Tourists To Punish Them For Their "Terrible Manners"

A man who has not been named owns the store on Miyakojima island and posted a sign saying that parasols would be 20,000 yen (HK$1,414) for Chinese people, while the fee for everyone else would be a mere 2,000 yen.

The operator of a beach equipment store in Okinawa Prefecture has backtracked on a policy of charging Chinese tourists 10 times the price to rent items after becoming the target of an online campaign.

The owner said he had operated the store for 14 years but only recently put the sign up after becoming tired of dealing with Chinese visitors.

Chinese tourists have terrible manners, he said.

I have tolerated them for years but as I don’t want to rent to them now I decided to charge them 10 times as much.

Asked whether his actions were not discriminatory, the man replied, I have experienced a case in which five Chinese tourists sat on a chair meant for one person and broke it.

I don’t want to rent to them simply because I do not want any more broken chairs, he said.

It is not discrimination he said.

Those explanations have not washed with online commentators, with one contributor saying the man’s actions are the definition of discrimination.

You’re attributing problems with individuals to the group instead of the people who broke it, the poster said. You might as well attribute it to all Asians or to all men or to people with families. But no, you went straight to nationality.

Another commented: Xenophobic racism. There is no excuse for this.

The online criticism appears to have worked, however, as the owner of the store told local media that he was no longer asking Chinese to pay more.



Tourism Observer

CHINA: Importance Of Chinese Tourism

Accordingly, spending by Chinese tourists abroad has increased. Various sources place their expenditures in 2016 at $261 billion. Today, China has become the world’s largest outbound tourism market in terms of volume and spending, surpassing the United States and European countries.

Millennials and senior citizens make up the bulk of the travellers. By 2020, 300 million millennials are predicted to avail of leisure tours to foreign countries. These young adults were born between 1980 to the 1990s, when the one-child policy was still in effect. Having no siblings to compete with for their parents’ and grandparents’ affection and money, they have the means to travel the world with no monetary restrictions.

In Asia, Europe and the Americas, Chinese tourists have now become an ubiquitous presence. Their number has more than doubled in the last seven years, from 57.38 million in 2010 to 122 million in 2016, according to the its government's tourism administration.

China’s phenomenal growth in international travel has been attributed to its booming economy, the massive expansion of its middle class, the government’s moves to lessen restrictions and simplify certain processes, and the easing of visa restrictions specifically for them in many countries.

In the past decade, its average annual GDP growth has reached a high of 14.2% in 2007. (The ideal GDP growth to sustain a good economy is 2-3 percent.) China is now the second top economy after the US, with a nominal GDP of $11 trillion (the US’ nominal GDP is $18 trillion.) But in terms of purchasing power parity (PPP) China has overtaken the US and is expected to be the number one by 2050, as a study by Pricewaterhouse Cooper shows.

As a result of the country’s robust economy, millions of its people have been lifted from poverty to gain a middle-class status. Although more than half of its population of 1.388 billion are still in the low-income class, 31 percent now belong to the middle class, earning from $10 to $50 per day. That amount is more than enough to provide for the basic needs, leaving extra money for travelling.

The top destinations for these new globetrotting Asian travellers shift periodically. Most first-time travellers visit Asian nations before venturing farther out west. Hong Kong, Thailand, Japan, Taiwan, Singapore, Vietnam and Malaysia remain the favourites while the United States, France and Germany are the most visited in the western world. In 2016, South Korea saw an increase of Chinese tourists while Europe experienced a decline in incoming travellers because of recent terrorist attacks.

The economy in places visited by these alien visitors has been enormously benefitted. Retail shops, luxury brands, restaurants, hotels, the transportation industry and entertainment stand to gain much from catering to them. In turn, many of these businesses are modifying their services to please their free-spending Chinese clients, earn their praise and goodwill and spread the word about them for future patronage.

The travelling Chinese are quite sensitive when on foreign land. They see discrimination and disrespect in simple acts from the non-Chinese, such as when they are told to queue the line or not to smoke in hotel rooms. They are also protective of their country’s history, and perception of alleged revisions in significant events like the Nanking Massacre can have a negative effect on business.

On the other hand, they are also typecast as lacking in manners, and are rude and uncouth. Cultural differences are not only apparent in their trips to the US and Europe; even their Asian neighbours have complained about them.

The first half of 2016 saw a 7% drop in outbound Chinese tourists to Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan. But elsewhere, it is still increasing, albeit not as much as in the previous years. Optimistic forecasts say that the outbound Chinese tourists will be twice as many as the 122 million in 2016. Goldman Sachs predicts that overseas spending by the tourists will reach $450 billion by 2025.

The older population in China is increasing, too. Thanks to improved healthcare, they live longer and stay healthier into their 50s and 60s. Done with their parental responsibility to only one child, they are now enjoying a lifestyle that gives them time and enough cash for leisure travel.

China and the host countries should take advantage of the gains to be had from each other. The communist country’s government through its China National Tourism Administration (CNTA) recently published a guidebook educating its citizens on proper behaviour and social graces to observe when travelling abroad. Tour agencies booking Chinese travellers must also help in the education.

Countries receiving Chinese tourists are learning to recognise their cultural distinctiveness and respond accordingly by putting up signs in Chinese and teaching them the local ways and customs in a non-offensive manner.

If both parties are open to a change in mindset that leads to improved relationships, global economy will grow and an understanding of the differences in cultures will promote friendship that will bring about mutual benefits.



Tourism Observer
www.tourismobserver.com

EUROPE: Chinese Tourists In Spain, UK To Boost Luxury Market

Prospects for the global luxury market are looking up again thanks to an expected resurgence in Chinese tourists visiting Europe, as well as increased spending in China, according to a report released today by Bain & Company.

Bain predicts that market growth for personal luxury goods, such as jewelry and handbags, will be between 2 and 4 percent, reaching a total of €254-259 billion in 2017.

Lead author of the report, Claudia D’Arpizio, said 2017 looks “promising” for the industry following a challenging year.

“Factors such as the continuous repatriation of Chinese consumption as well as a positive outlook in Europe both for locals and tourists will help drive overall market growth during the remainder of the year,” she said.

Parts of Europe have been struggling to attract tourists, especially from China, after travel safety was called into question following acts of terrorism in France as well as several major incidents of theft, one of which led to the death of a Chinese student in Rome.

While popular shopping destinations like France have remained coveted destinations for Chinese travel itineraries, a general trend of Chinese tourists going to places they deemed safer, such as Australia and parts of Southeast Asia, meant the luxury industry took a hit, especially in the first quarter of last year.

However, “safer” tourism means that countries like Spain have been attracting more wealthy Chinese spenders, while shopping destinations like the UK have brought in more Chinese travelers taking advantage of a weaker pound on the back of Brexit.

Bain predicts that Europe’s luxury industry alone will see a 7 to 9 percent growth this year.

The Chinese consumers that do decide to stay at home and spend, attracted by a closing price gap thanks to tougher restrictions on cross-border shopping, may help boost mainland China’s luxury market by 6 to 8 percent, according to Bain. Meanwhile, China’s neighbors are facing more difficulties as geopolitics hurts tourism from mainland China to places like Taiwan and South Korea.

Despite the fact that Bain says Hong Kong and Singapore are “on the mend,” the entire Asia-Pacific region is expected to shrink by 2 to 4 percent.

Bain tells luxury brands that to keep the momentum going they will need to shift their focus to millennials, who will make up 45 percent of the personal luxury goods market in just eight years.

This has been a particularly important issue for brands in China as millennials make up a growing proportion of the upper middle class and tend to have a greater disposable income to apply to high-end goods.



Tourism Observer
www.tourismobserver.com

MALAYSIA: Mega Sale Carnival To Attract Chinese Luxury Shoppers

Affordable luxury shopping in an exotic destination is what Malaysia is betting on to attract affluent Chinese tourists to its shores during the summer travel season.

The ‘Malaysia Mega Sale – Luxury Shopping Experience Campaign’ is bringing tourism authorities and shopping attractions together to make a joint bid for Chinese big spenders’ wallets in the competitive summer season.

The campaign is the result of the Malaysian government’s efforts to promote Malaysia as a shopping haven for tourists looking for high-end luxury goods, an effort that has coincided with a rapid growth of Chinese tourists visiting the Southeast Asian destination.

The campaign also coincides with the Malaysian sale season, an annual national sale held between June 15 and August 31.

Among the stakeholders in the campaign are the Malaysian government, the Pavilion Kuala Lumpur shopping mall, and high-end retailer The Melium Group, who are jointly promoting the shopping event on the global scale.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, Chinese tourists represent the most important customer segment for luxury retailers in Malaysia,outspending all other customer groups in Malaysia’s luxury shopping segment.

Malaysia, which has liberalized its visa policy for Chinese tourists, is an increasingly popular destination for Chinese travelers.

In 2016, 2.1 million Chinese tourists visited the country, a number the Malaysian government hopes will grow to 3 million Chinese visitors in 2017.

Based on a report on the Tourism Refund Scheme, 43 percent of the tourist expenditure is on watches and jewelry, which are considered as luxury items.

Chinese tourists are the largest spenders on these items, followed by Singaporeans, Indonesians, Indians, and Bangladeshis.

All this gives an indication of the growth and potential of luxury shopping and luxury tourism, with markets in Asia leading the way as high retails spenders, YBhg. Datuk Hj. Ab. Ghaffar bin A.

Tambi, the Malaysian Ministry of Tourism and Culture Malaysia Secretary General said in a speech at the Kuala Lumpur campaign launch event.

Just across the Johor-Singapore Causeway, Singapore is holding a similar shopping event.

The Great Singapore Sale which also vies to attract big-spenders in the region to retailers in Singapore. Organized by the Singapore Retailers Association in collaboration with Visit Singapore and China’s UnionPay, The Great Singapore Sale serves a formidable competitor for the Malaysia Mega Sale—both hoping that their sales will generate increased visitation and shopping among important customer segments.

With our duty-free status, we can capitalize on the luxury tourist shoppers market as luxury brand prices in Malaysia are within an average of 25 percent lower than in some other countries and with GST tax refund, our luxury brands prices are more attractive.

On top of that, Malaysia now has an impressive range of international luxury fashion brands, The Melium Group President Dato Seri Farah Khan said at the event.

With a growing number of shopping events popping up around the world, each promoting deep discounts and generous tax refund policies, finding a suitable shopping destination has never been easier for China’s big-spending luxury tourists.


Tourism Observer
www.tourismobserver.com

AUSTRALIA: Chinese Tourists Adventure In Australia

More Chinese travelers are coming to Australia and seeking unique, personalized experiences, according to an authority with Tourism Australia.

"Chinese travelers are more confident, more adventurous, and more experiential, and they are making more local Australian friends as they travel. To me, this is the true spirit of friendship between two countries, manifested through rapid development in tourism exchange," Andy Jiang, China Country Manager of Tourism Australia,said.

In a recent trip to South Australia, he met two young Chinese couples travelling through Port Lincoln, a beautiful spot on Eyre Peninsula.

They were young, full of passion for travel, and were telling me great experiences that they just had -- tasting fresh oysters from the ocean at Coffin Bay, swimming with sea lions at Baird Bay, gazing at beautiful stars at night in the Flinders Ranges,he said.

What we are seeing are more and more Chinese travelers are now going beyond the gateway cities of Sydney, Melbourne and the Gold Coast, and they are travelling through some of the best regional locations in Australia and are having a fantastic time, he added.

China is by far Australia's fastest growing and highest spending international market, he said. It is also Australia's fourth-biggest market for international business events spending and third-biggest in terms of international business events arrivals, Jiang said.

In 2016, almost 1.2 million Chinese visited Australia and spent over 9 billion U.S. dollars, up 18 percent year on year. The China market has the potential to be worth 13 billion U.S. dollars by 2020.

Many of those driving the growth are affluent and independently-minded travelers who are young, inquisitive and have a sense of adventure.

They are interested in the stunning natural resources, art and culture programs in Australia, he noted, adding that these have also become the focus of Australia's marketing campaigns in China.

To attract the country's young tourists, Tourism Australia has taken targeted measures such as using Virtual Reality (VR) and 360 degree videos to provide an immersive experience showing off Australia's aquatic and coastal attractions.

The year 2017 marks the China-Australia Year of Tourism and the 45th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries, which Jiang believes will be a boost for promoting Australia as an attractive destination.

He pointed out that tourism is an important industry for both countries, bringing jobs and business opportunities to cities and rural communities alike.

As part of initiatives to mark the China-Australia Year of Tourism, Tourism Australia is working to implement a pilot ten-year visa for Chinese travelers, enabling them to apply online in the Chinese language.

The milestone policy to open air space has significantly increased flights between China and Australia.

Many tourist attractions in Australia have increased their investment in the outbound Chinese market. For example, the Bridge Climb, a major attraction in Sydney, will launch tailored Mandarin guide services in April this year.

Following Premier Li Keqiang's official visit to Australia last week, the two countries agreed to build on the China-Australia Year of Tourism to organize promotional activities and encourage people-to-people exchanges.

The more Chinese people visit our nation and the more Australians come here to China, the better we understand each other and the more opportunities we have for further engagement and cooperation at every level, he said.

CHINA: Chinese Tourists Have Wierd Manners, Why?

They are seen as pushy, loud, impolite, unruly, and they are everywhere.

And although destination countries welcome the tourism dollars the Chinese spend, they loathe the chaos and hassle some mainland tourists bring upon their cities and other tourists.

Why can’t they just behave? people wonder.

I have been asking myself the same question in the past months after reporting on the uncivilised, sometimes galling behaviour of some compatriots.

It seems that every time a rude Chinese tourist story is published, it goes straight into the site's top 10 most read articles one such article even managed to crawl back to the top months after it was posted. So I decided to give the question some serious thought.

I read up on the topic, talked to tourism experts and travel agents and chatted with some of these tourists who are now at the centre of public anger.

It soon dawned on me that the real question to ask is: “Why are the Chinese rude?”

Yong Chen, tourism researcher and post-doctoral fellow at Hong Kong Polytechnic University, said most “bad” tourists don’t intend to be “bad” or “tourists”, they are just being themselves - they are being Chinese.

Not every Chinese tourist is a rude one, and educated people are usually better behaved than those who have had a lower standard of education, said Chen.

This could be why middle-aged or older tourists who have been deprived of or received little education during China's politically tumultuous times tend to act more unruly.

Many of them do not speak English, and some are not fluent Putonghua speakers. Their knowledge of the destination country and its culture is often at best outdated or non-existent.

This might explain the behaviour of a "rogue” mainland couple who recently visited Hong Kong with a group.

They called the police and demanded HK$3,000 yuan in compensation after being made to wait two hours for their coach.

The travel agency later said the coach had broken down and accused them of “blackmailing”.

Jenny Wang, a Beijing-based Maldives travel agent, said uneducated tourists usually turn a blind eye to local rules and customs.

A Chinese man who was recently vacationing at a Maldives resort flipped out after discovering that the restaurant where he wanted to eat was fully booked, Wang said.

He yelled threats and slurs at Chinese staff until one member was in tears.

You cannot reason with these kinds of people,Wang said. They think they can do anything with their money.

But one thing many Chinese vacationers don’t want to do with their money is tip - a custom in some places which many have ignored, Wang said.

Though most travel agents in China would educate their clients about tipping in a foreign country ahead of their trip, most people ended up tipping very little or none.

Some are not used to the idea of tipping, and they fail to understand that staff working at the Maldives resorts, who usually earn a meagre salary, rely heavily on tips, Wang said.

This has created increasing tensions between the Chinese and their hosts. Staff would naturally prefer serving guests from countries with a tipping culture. Other staff have gone after Chinese clients and asked openly for tips, a rare thing for them to do in the past.

Students at Ewha University in Seoul, known for its beautiful campus, have recently complained about an influx of Chinese tourists, said the school.

Apparently taking photos on campus was not enough.

Some camera-toting Chinese would also stride into libraries and take photos without the permission of students, according to media reports.

As much as we want to keep the campus open to the local community, said a university representative, we’d like to prioritise our students’ right to study in a quiet and safe environment.

Ewha resolved the crisis by putting up multi-language signs advising tourists to stay clear of study areas.

It seems that thousands of years after Confucius admonished his students not to impose on others what you yourself don’t desire, the Chinese now act in quite the opposite way.

Such people, both overseas and at home, selfishly skirted rules for a reason, said Chen.

Living in China, where the rule-of-law doesn’t exist, means everyone has to look out for their own interest. It also means people have little or no respect for laws.

This is bound to happen when ordinary folk are forced to watch their laws being violated every day by their leaders, Chen said, citing the Chinese idiom, shang xing xia xiao, meaning people in lower class follow what their leaders in the upper class do.

How long do we have to put up with bad tourists?

China and its people are paying a price for the bad behaviour of their tourists.

A poll by the Public Opinion Programme of the University of Hong Kong recently found that the number of Hongkongers holding negative feelings towards Beijing and mainland Chinese is up by about 40 per cent since November.

What makes some Hongkongers dislike mainland China and its people?

As of noon, more than 50 per cent readers blamed the negative feelings on “ill-behaved tourists”.

The Chinese government and travel agencies should take the initiative to educate our tourists, Chen said, urging co-operation from both authorities and private sectors.

While many argue that historically American and Japanese tourists were also criticised for their bad behaviour when they became wealthy enough and traveled abroad for the first time, Chen said the Chinese should not use this as an excuse.

In fact, the Communist Party's Central Guidance Commission for Building Spiritual Civilisation and the China National Tourism Administration have recently issued a 128-character-long rhyme to remind tourists of behaving in a “civilised manner” on the road.

The topic has also been a big hit on China's social media, where bloggers discuss and criticise the uncivlised behaviour of their compatriots.

But many are not optimistic that the situation will change any time soon.

Take it or leave it, the Chinese Tourists are not about to change!

“Chinese tourists have a long way to go before they will be respected by the world,” said Wang.

CANADA: 90,000 Visitors From China Expected In Alberta

Businesses in Banff are busy preparing for a new generation of tourists from China.

More Chinese millennials than ever are travelling — and Travel Alberta is organizing workshops for hundreds of hotel and restaurant staff across the province to be ready for them.

"We know millennials will outpace any other group," said an American hospitality trainer Daniel Crain, speaking ahead of a workshop in Banff on Thursday, following sessions in Edmonton and Calgary.

"The group travel will never go away, but the millennials are really taking over," Crain said.

Travel Alberta says the province can expect around 90,000 visitors from China this year. That's about 50 per cent more than a few years ago.

Unlike their parents, Crain says the millennials want rental cars rather than tour buses, and constant Wi-Fi access with clear instructions.

And social media is how to connect with Chinese tourists these days, he added.

"That is how everything is happening, and that is the way that this group is definitely going to travel. It's usually couples — more married than not married. These are not the party people that are coming for a good time. They're coming here to have an experience."

They're also more likely to want to do outdoor sports and share their experiences with friends back home through social media.

"We're seeing skiing — a lot of skiing — because of the 2022 Olympics.

Canada has a great opportunity because lots of Chinese students are coming here to learn how to be ski instructors and going back to China," said Crain.

The average stay is six to nine nights.

VIET NAM: Fake Tourism Or Zero VND Tours A Menace To Tourism

“Zero-VND tours” have re-emerged in tourist attractions in Viet Nam, for examples in Quang Ninh Province, for Chinese travellers. Although free of charge, travel firms earn money from the exorbitant prices tourists are charged at certain shops. The “zero-dong tours” are of poor quality and have a negative impact on tourism. What has been done to curb them?

The Viet Nam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) and inspectors from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism plan to propose to the Government specific mechanisms to address such violations.

For now, tour operators and owners of 15 stores offering goods for Chinese only will be fined heavily or have their business licences revoked.

In the longer term, we propose improving the Law on Tourism with additional sanctions for tourism mismanagement.

Higher fines are recommended and even criminal charges, depending on the seriousness of the violations.

VNAT will strengthen co-operation with its Chinese counterpart to ensure the rights and benefits of tourists traveling between the two countries.

What do you think about Quang Ninh’s proposed rules for Chinese travelers?

VNAT backs the province in the initiative and will join hands in developing the rules, which stipulate that travel firms must themselves provide the tours they offer and cannot transfer clients to other firms.

A price floor would be set up to avoid unreasonable price reductions, which is also expected to curb unhealthy competition.

Travel firms are encouraged to join a group or club in which they share the same views, visions and together implement measures to fight against poor quality tours.

Travel firms that are not qualified or refuse to join the group have to open a branch in Quang Ninh and fulfill tax obligations.

These suggested rules will be applied in Quang Ninh only. Other localities will have their own specific mechanisms.

Cheap tours, including zero-dong tours, have both negative and positive impacts. What should we do to minimise the negative and promote the positive?

In 2016 alone, 727,000 Chinese visited Quang Ninh Province through inland border gates, paying about VND330 billion (US$ 14.5 million) in visa fees and fares for sightseeing in Ha Long Bay.

The sum did not include revenues from accommodation and transport.

Each year, the province gets about VND900 billion ($39.6 million) to VND1 trillion from tourism that generates stable jobs for 3,000 -3,500 people.

To some extent, cheap tours and even zero-dong tours helped generate revenue. It’s not reasonable to completely ban such tours.

However, the tours need more control. Government bodies must tighten control and inspections at stores which want to overcharge or create difficulties for visitors.

On the other hand, more communication is needed to help visitors reach reliable service providers in the town.

Tax agencies, market watch and tourism agencies need further co-operation in overseeing foreign currency exchanges and international money transfers.

Such moves would help avoid tax loss as well as oversee the price and quality of goods sold to tourists.

Tourists must be informed clearly and fully about their tours. Both Chinese and Vietnamese travel firms must be strictly punished if they are found to collude to cheat tour buyers.

The Vietnam National Administration of Tourism is working with some localities that are popular destinations among Chinese tourists such as Quang Ninh, Danang and Khanh Hoa to cope with travel firms providing poor-quality tours to protect the interests of customers.

The agency also organizes many tourism promotion programs in China. Particularly, from May 11 to 20, the agency will cooperate with several travel firms to introduce Vietnam’s tourism in four Chinese cities, including Nanning, Fuzhou, Nanjing and Hefei.

The number of Chinese tourists to Vietnam has increased rapidly and is forecast to set a new record by the end of this year, with four million visitors, compared to 2.7 million in 2016.

The most popular Vietnamese destinations chosen by Chinese tourists include Hanoi, Halong, and Ninh Binh in the north; Danang, Hoi An, Hue and Nha Trang in the central region; and HCMC and Phu Quoc in the south.

Tour operators have also prepared themselves for the upsurge in Chinese arrivals.

“Last year, the number of Chinese visitors increased by 50% and we expect strong growth this year. Therefore, we have to prepare hotel rooms in advance to ensure better service for the tourist season at the end of 2017,” said Tu Quy Thanh, director of Lien Bang Travel Trading Company Limited (Lien Bang Travelink).

Similarly, Chinese tourists account for 60-70% of total international arrivals catered to by local tour operator Vietravel, and the company usually receives large orders for groups of tourists all year round.

AFRICA: Africa Needs More Chinese Tourists

China has recently become the largest outbound tourist market in the world. The number of Chinese tourists traveling worldwide has grown to over a 100 million, likely to double by 2020. In 2013 Chinese tourists spent a total $102 billion dollars on their trips.

When Chinese-looking persons enter the Nairobi City Market or Massai Market Fair in Kenya’s capital, they are often greeted with “Ni Hao” as they pass shops and stands. Some local shop-keepers have a broader Mandarin vocabulary, which helps them sell African woodcarvings, fabric, or other local souvenirs to Chinese tourists.

Those numbers are expected to keep rising. Many Chinese are weary of traditional destinations, such as Europe and North America. So they are turning to Africa as a great place to spend an exotic vacation.

The numerous bilateral exchanges between China and Africa have encouraged Chinese tourism in African countries. In 2008 only 2.8 % of Chinese tourists chose Africa as a destination.

In 2014, according to the China Outbound Travel Development Report, that number has reached 9.4 %. The annual growth rate of Chinese tourist traffic to Africa has been 50% since 2010 - higher than to any other part of the world.

The most popular destination for Chinese tourists is South Africa; with direct flights currently available between Beijing and Johannesburg. Derek Hanekom, Tourism Minister of South Africa, says China is one of the important sources of tourists for his country and pledges to help create more conveniences to welcome Chinese travelers.

Other destinations popular among the Chinese are Egypt, Kenya, Cameroon, Senegal, Algeria, Angola, Mauritius, Tunisia, and Zimbabwe.

Since the Chinese government has granted Kenya an Approved Destination Status for outbound tourism in 2004, the number of Chinese tourists going there has risen. In 2013, 37,000 Chinese visited Kenya.

The same year, on a visit to China, Kenya’s president Uhuru Kenyatta said his country’s tourism industry had set the goal of attracting a record number of 1.3 million Chinese.

Tourism in Kenya is popular in the summer when migration of animals can be observed in its national parks. When China Central Television (CCTV) aired live broadcasts of the migration of rhinos, zebras, and wilder beasts in 2012-13, that became a well-known wonder in China.

That has attracted thousands of Chinese during the summer season to Kenya.

Zhang Hongtao, director of AA lodges in Kenya, said, Now Chinese tourists book hotels six months in advance to get a room nearby even when the accommodation price doubles or triples.

The majority of Chinese tourists prefer big organized group trips within budget. About 10% of them, however, are high-end travelers who spend 4-5 times more money than the average tourist.

People in this category travel in smaller groups and avoid rough roads by taking charter flights to national parks.

They use secluded private lodges instead of hotels. While in Europe they may buy luxury brands, in South Africa their interests are diamonds.

Some of Kenya’s tour-operators, including Safari Collection, Governor’s Camp, and Loisaba Wilderness, cooperate with Chinese counterparts to promote luxury services.

There are some important tips from experts, which would be helpful to Africans in their attempts to attract more Chinese tourists and make their experience more enjoyable:

1.African governments should make tourism a greater priority on their national agenda by taking the following steps:

a). Improve safety measures around tourist sites.

b). Enhance tourism-related infrastructure.

c). Ease visa procedures for Chinese travelers.

d). Spend more on tourism promotion, which brings much easier and quicker economic returns than industrial investments.

Currently, only few African countries, such as South Africa, Zimbabwe, Namibia, and Morocco have set up tourist promoting agencies in China.

If the Chinese overcome the stereotypical international fear of travel in Africa and realize what a great experience it could be, the number of their visits there would skyrocket.

2.African service and hospitality sector needs to:

a). Hire more Chinese-speakers. Many Chinese business travelers might know English, but their families members who come on a safari often might not.

b). Offer Chinese food at National Park lodges, porridge and noodles for breakfast, complimentary green tea, and hot water – all good gestures of Chinese hospitality.

Many National Park lodges in Kenya, for example do not offer any Chinese food. Some Chinese tourists, especially seniors, may enjoy their safaris, but can’t wait to return to Nairobi for Chinese food.

Even though Chinese travelers, like others, might sometimes be discouraged by problems including the Ebola epidemic in 2013-14 or an occasional terrorist assault, Chinese tourism in Africa will flourish.

Yang Jinsong, a professor of international tourism at the China Tourism Academy, considers this phenomenon astounding. “The number of Chinese tourists to Africa will rise, and rise greatly” said Yang.

South Africa is targeting Chinese and Indian tourists after relaxing its visa rules.

South Africa’s tourism industry is recovering from an ill-fated experiment with stricter visa regulations. The country welcomed nearly 3 million tourists in January this year, 15% up on a year ago, according to the tourism ministry this week.

In the last quarter of 2015, the number of tourists from China fell by nearly half, and visitors from India dropped by 15%, according to the South African Tourism Services Association.

Tourism has consistently made up 3% of South Africa’s economy in the last decade, and is a key source of jobs and foreign income, according to Statistics South Africa, a government agency.

Tourism minister Derek Hanekom attributed the revitalized growth to South Africa’s weakened currency, the elimination of the Ebola outbreak all the way over in West Africa, and scrapping controversial visa restrictions.

The laws were relaxed earlier this year but it could take up to five years for the industry to fully recover, Tourism Business Council of South Africa CEO Mmatati Ramawela said.

In October 2014, South Africa’s Home Affairs department introduced new laws that required all visitors to have their bio-metric data captured in person at an embassy or official visa center.

Children were required to travel with a certified unabridged birth certificate and the written consent of a parent where the child was traveling with one parent or a relative.

The new regulations were aimed at a broad number of issues to “balance South Africa’s openness to legitimate travelers,” home affairs minister Malusi Gigaba said at the time. His department’s main concerns were South Africa’s porous borders and national security.

But it was the legitimate travelers who may have been worst affected, especially from China and India. The tourism minister Hanekom has since traveled to China and India to reassure visitors that South Africa is once again a hassle-free dream destination.

The improved numbers still reflect a bias toward countries that have historically favored passports. Eight of the top ten visiting nationalities come from countries that don’t need visas, meaning remaining restrictions are still deterring a huge tourism market in the developing world.

South Africa is also missing out on tourists from its own continent. More than 98% of African tourists who visited South Africa, all came from countries within the Southern African Development Community.

Citizens of the 15-member trade and diplomatic community do not need visas to travel within the community, a model South Africa, and the rest of the continent, may want to consider expanding.

South Africa saw a huge increase of Chinese tourists in January and the country is expecting a Chinese tourist boom with a series of measures to facilitate their coming, according to South Africa's digital publishing house.

The report said data from Statistics South Africa show that 1,012,641 tourist arrivals to South Africa were recorded in January this year, up 15 percent from that of the same month last year.

It is the first time South Africa had more than one million tourist arrivals in a month, it said.

The report said 79 percent arrived from African countries and the others were from overseas. And of the overseas visitors, arrivals from China grew by 93 percent.

South Africa Tourism Minister Derek Hanekom indicated that despite China's economic slow-down, there is an expected boom of Chinese tourists in South Africa, the report said.

It said a series of measures have been taken to attract expected Chinese tourists.

With an Accredited Travel Company program in China, which was announced by the Department of Home Affairs of South Africa in January, Chinese travelers to South Africa don't need to make in-person applications at visa processing centers any more.

There's also no requirement for Chinese nationals to have transit visas to travel to South Africa's neighboring countries.

South Africa also opened new visa facilitation centers in Chengdu, capital of Sichuan province, and Guangzhou, capital of Guangdong province. The country already had visa centers in Beijing and Shanghai. Five more centers are expected to be open at the end of April in another five provincial capitals.

We are confident that the number of tourists visiting South Africa from China will grow significantly this year. Our discussions with the Chinese travel trade have included measures on how to make the best of the expected boom, Hanekom said.

In 2015, China was the world's top outbound tourist market, with more than 100 million Chinese traveling abroad.

With the opening of direct flights, relaxation of visa regimes and other incentives, many African countries are expecting the arrival of more Chinese tourists.

In 2015, China Southern Airlines launched flights to Kenya's capital, Nairobi, from Guangzhou and Air China also launched direct flights from Beijing to Ethiopia's capital, Addis Ababa.