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As we all know, the scale and influence of Chinese outbound travel in the global tourism market cannot be underestimated. The spending power and cultural demand of Chinese tourists are also increasing, and they have become an important source and contributor to the tourism industry of various countries.
However, the image and reputation of Chinese tourists are not satisfactory. Some countries and regions have a cold or even hostile attitude towards the reception of Chinese tourists, believing that their uncivilized behaviors such as not abiding by public order, making loud noises, and graffiti have affected the local environment and culture.
In two countries, 10,000 people jointly rejected Chinese tourists, which aroused attention and discussion at home and abroad. Why are these two countries rejecting Chinese tourists? And how do Chinese tourists perceive these events? This article will analyze the following three aspects:
1. Two countries where 10,000 people jointly rejected Chinese tourists
In April 2023, an incident occurred in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan, that caused an uproar. Local residents have launched a petition online asking the government to lift the visa-free policy for Chinese tourists and restrict their travel activities in Okinawa Prefecture.
According to the petitioners, the influx of Chinese tourists has had a serious negative impact on Okinawa Prefecture, including environmental pollution, traffic congestion, rising prices, and deterioration of public order. The petition campaign garnered the support of more than 100,000 people in just a few days.
In May 2023, a similar incident occurred in Phuket, Thailand. Some local hoteliers and residents have launched an online petition asking the government to stop implementing a "sandbox program" for Chinese tourists, which would allow vaccinated foreign tourists to travel freely after a 14-day quarantine in Phuket.
The petitioners argue that the plan will increase the risk of the spread of the coronavirus and damage Phuket's ecological and cultural identity. The petition campaign garnered nearly 100,000 support in less than a week.
2. The reasons and effects behind the rejection of Chinese tourists
Japan and Thailand are among the most popular destinations for Chinese tourists. According to the China Tourism Academy, in the first half of 2023, Japan and Thailand received 10.28% and 10.76% of Chinese outbound tourists, respectively, ranking second and first. So why are these two countries rejecting Chinese tourists?
On the one hand, this has to do with the panic psychology caused by the pandemic. Japan and Thailand are both countries with severe COVID-19 cases, with more than 2 million confirmed cases and more than 50,000 deaths as of the end of June 2023. Thailand has more than 1.5 million confirmed cases and more than 15,000 deaths.
Vaccination rates in these two countries are also not high, with Japan having a vaccination rate of 30% and Thailand having a vaccination rate of 20%. In this situation, some local residents are repulsive and hostile to foreign tourists, fearing that they will bring more risk of infection.
On the other hand, it is related to the uncivilized behavior and negative image of Chinese tourists. Although the civilized quality and tourism awareness of Chinese tourists have been significantly improved in recent years, there are still some tourists who show uncivilized behaviors such as disrespecting local customs, not abiding by public order, and not cherishing environmental resources during outbound travel.
These actions not only damage the image and reputation of Chinese tourists, but also affect China's friendly relations and exchanges and cooperation with other countries. Some local residents have a deep-rooted negative impression of Chinese tourists, believing them to be "undesirable" guests.
The incident of 10,000 people in these two countries jointly rejecting Chinese tourists has had a certain impact on Chinese tourists and tourism. For Chinese tourists, this may affect their interest and confidence in tourism in these two countries, and may also trigger reflection and improvement on their own behavior and image.
For the tourism industry, this may affect the size and income of the tourism markets of the two countries, and may also affect the cooperation and exchanges between China and the two countries in the field of tourism.
3. How do Chinese tourists view these events?
In the face of the incident of 10,000 people in Japan and Thailand jointly rejecting Chinese tourists, the attitude of Chinese tourists is not consistent. According to the "Outbound Tourism Big Data Report for the First Half of 2023", 35.6% of respondents said they were "very willing" or "somewhat willing" to travel to Japan, and 40.2% said they were "very willing" or "somewhat willing" to travel to Thailand.
This shows that there are still a considerable number of Chinese tourists who maintain their interest and love for these two countries. On the other hand, there are also some Chinese tourists who have expressed disappointment and anger at the two countries. They believe that the rejection of Chinese tourists by these countries is unfair and unfriendly, and is an insult and discrimination against the Chinese people.
They said they would not travel to these countries again and would not recommend them to friends and family. They called on the government to take corresponding measures to protect the legitimate rights and dignity of Chinese tourists.
epilogue
The incident of 10,000 people in Japan and Thailand jointly rejecting Chinese tourists reflects the attitudes and views of some countries and regions towards Chinese tourists. As one of the world's largest outbound tourism markets, China should actively promote civilized tourism, improve its image and reputation, and win the respect and welcome of more countries and regions.
At the same time, communication and cooperation with other countries in the field of tourism should also be strengthened, misunderstandings and estrangements should be eliminated, and friendship and understanding should be promoted. Only in this way can tourism become a bridge that connects the world, enhances friendship, promotes development and benefits the people.