BANGKOK, 23 January 2014 The Association of Thai Travel Agents (ATTA) has reported that travel agencies who operate inbound charter flights from China have been affected by the political protests in Thailand. The association warned that Chinese tourists will travel to other countries instead of Thailand during the Chinese New Year if violence erupts.
ATTA President Sissiwat Cheewarattanaporn said there were uncertainties in inbound tour business targeting Chinese tourists during the Chinese New Year festival this year while charter flights failed to make profit. Confidence of some tourism entrepreneurs had dropped since the anti-government protests escalated, the president said.
According to the ATTA, most tour operators who will bring Chinese tourists to Thailand during the Chinese New Year this year are major travel companies from Beijing and Shanghai.
