Abduction of Chinese actor hurting tourism from China
The abduction of Chinese actor Xingxing is taking a toll on Thailand as some Chinese travellers are opting to suspend or postpone their trips for the eight-day Lunar New Year holiday over safety concerns.
According to a Bloomberg report on Monday, cancellations of flights from China to Thailand jumped 155% over the weekend compared with the same period last year, citing data from travel analytics firm ForwardKeys.
The cancellations were triggered by the disappearance of Xingxing, whose real name is Wang Xing, in Tak’s Mae Sot district early this month. The actor was later rescued by Thai police from a scam centre where he had been lured by human traffickers.
Bloomberg noted that news of his plight has gone viral on social media, with some saying they are now cancelling plans to visit Thailand.
“Hong Kong singer Eason Chan cancelled a sold-out Bangkok concert originally slated to be held on February 22, citing safety concerns for Chinese fans travelling to Thailand,” Bloomberg said, adding that Chinese comedian Zhao Benshan also postponed a performance in Bangkok on the same day.
Thanet Supornsahasrungsi, president of the Association of Chonburi Tourism Federation, said 30-40% of Chinese tour groups have cancelled bookings in the eastern province.
However, he confirmed that tour groups only accounted for 20% of total Chinese arrivals in the province, with independent travellers making up the rest.
Though news of the Chinese actor’s abduction might only affect Thai tourism in the short term, he noted that this caused difficulties for Thailand to attract Chinese travellers, who remain the biggest source for Thailand.
“Thai businesses have been hit by a slower-than-expected return of Chinese visitors, who have been more cautious on spending on everything due to China’s economic slowdown,” he said.
He added that news of the abduction also contributed to the price of tourism and leisure shares in the Stock Exchange of Thailand dropping by 9% since the beginning of the year.
Natthriya Thaweevong, the Tourism and Sports Ministry’s permanent secretary, told media on Monday that Thai officials are working to contain negative fallout due to the Chinese actor trafficking case.
Government agencies have stepped up measures to ensure the safety of foreign tourists, she said.
