Tuesday, May 31, 2016

If China "slashes tourists" any further, we'll be overrun

An abandoned housing project outside Taichung

So I've blown away the claim that the Kenya Deportations were aimed at Tsai Ing-wen, constructed an alternative and better fitting geopolitical scenario for the PRC's resumption of ties with Gambia, and already debunked the claim that tourists from China are falling. We will continue to hear this amusing ZOMG TSAI! narrative in the media, though...

Speaking of tourists, the April numbers are out. Let's look at the massive cuts in tourism that China imposed on Taiwan as "punishment" for Tsai Ing-wen...
MARCH: China: 363,878 up 30.09% year on year
APRIL: China: 375,567 up 4.67% year on year
Yeah, that's right. Tourism from China rose slightly in April. Can't wait to see the May numbers.

The dip took place in the Hong Kong/Macao numbers, for reasons I do not know:
APRIL: 110,716
MARCH: 164,894
FEB: 114,431
JAN: 93,448
Remember that quote from the Reuters piece I looked at:
"The National Tourism Administration told us in February and March to cut the number of tourists we send to Taiwan," an agent in the coastal city of Xiamen, which lies across the strait from Taiwan, told Reuters.
Obviously, being told to do something, and actually doing it, are two different things.
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11 comments:

Tommy said...

Michael,

Regarding HK tourism: https://fragrantdelta.com/2016/05/09/protests-harm-hk-tourism-wheres-the-evidence/. It might resonate with you.

Michael Turton said...

Thanks. I feel like I've found a kindred soul.

Anonymous said...

I'm sure the May numbers will be down. Places like Taroko seem to have much less tour buses.

Anonymous said...

I hope it continues to go down, we really don't need them here. I prefer to go back to pre-2008 days. They can continue to go to HK and Macau or other places. I want to keep Taiwan pure and clean. I have cursed out so many for spitting on the streets and told them, "this is Taiwan, NOT mainland, you can spit all you want in the mainland, but NOT here in Taiwan. We are civilized here and follow common social norms." I love looking at their faces in shock when all the Taiwanese cheer me on (quietly in the minds).

Anonymous said...

Taiwanese also spit and piss and litter in public. The old people are the worst.

Anonymous said...

Why would the Chinese limit their perfect spy program? Taiwan is filled with moles.

Anonymous said...

Due to the neglect of Ma's administration, many problems are now surfacing. The flooding in Taoyuan airport is just the beginning. This is the litmus test for the current cabinet. How well this problem is handled will give us an idea about how long the current cabinet can survive. Taoyuan airport is not a easy problem to fix. In the worst case scenario, this will be the beginning of the end for the current cabinet. The current premier and cabinets are too soft and too blue to move fast and hard against problems in the government.



Unknown said...

Taipei Times just had a headline re Chinese tourist decline based on the MOTC head's statement, yet failed to provide any numerical evidence:
http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2016/06/03/2003647790

What's going on???

Unknown said...

Yet more grist:
Group tour numbers down, independent numbers up
http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2016/06/04/2003647862

Unknown said...

I lived in Taiwan for almost 6 years. During that time the mainland Chinese tourists it seems increased dramatically. If you went to the museum, you found some of the rudest tourists I ever experienced. Speaking loud, pushing, cutting in line, walking in front of you as you read plagues, etc.Seems to me Taiwan would be better off if some of those tourists decided to go smoother place! I heard there are hotels here in the USA who will not give them reservations!

The other interesting things is what do the people who are trying to lay guilt on the taiwanese for voting for their president expect you to do? Impeach here so more Chinese mainland tourists come to taiwan and destroy it! These are not the people who are interested in Taiwan, they are only the ones who are interested in Beijing!

Anonymous said...

Get real. Even if the Taiwan president goes south /west/north she wont be able
to get the same number of tourists from China.China's 1.4 billion is a cash cow.
The Taiwan has to decide whether economic or politics is the way. You cant have the cake and eat it.