ID :
31707
Sat, 11/22/2008 - 22:30
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/31707
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MSIAN TOUR OPERATORS STILL UPBEAT OF CHINA MARKET By Tham Choy Lin
SHANGHAI, Nov 22 (Bernama) -- Malaysia tour operators are bracing for even fiercer competition for the China market amid the global crisis but are optimistic that they will not be badly hit.
Several agencies participating in the China International Travel Mart 2008
(CITM 2008) said they were not looking at slashing prices but offering more
value travel instead.
Lee Tham Chai, senior manager for the greater China market of Mayflower
Acme
Tours Sdn Bhd said tour operators must not try and undercut each other or "all
will end up suffering."
"There will be some impact but it will not be serious for us as compared to
Europe. When there is an economic slowdown, the first to be affected are long
haul destinations but Malaysia is not long haul for China," he told Bernama on
the sidelines of CITM 2008 here.
A total of 21 Malaysian exhibitors are among the thousands of foreign
agencies from 106 countries which are participating in the four-day fair that
ends Sunday.
In fact, Lee is mulling over upping the price of packages for non-group
arrivals, otherwise known as free independent travel (FIT) in the industry, to
give them more choices.
He said falling fuel prices would translate into cheaper airfares and allow
operators to come up with more innovative products.
"I would encourage tour operators not to go into a price war, there is no
point. In the end we make nothing and lose everything. We have to look at the
macro picture, if the whole market is not saleable in China, then everyone will
suffer," Lee said.
Last year, Mayflower Acme brought in over 7,000 FIT visitors from China,
ranging from 20 to 45 years old.
The Sarawak Tourism Board (STB), one of three state government agencies
taking part in the mart here, plans to throw in an extra night for five-day
packages.
"We will give more value instead of cutting prices because the Sarawak
experience is unique. The only place where you can get eco-tourism and
rainforests like ours is in the Amazon," said STB marketing executive Catherine
Lau.
Besides, the current packages were already attractively priced between
5,999
yuan for departures from Guangzhou to 7,999 yuan for five days-four nights
packages from Beijing and Shanghai, Lau added.
Wince Chuah, business development manager of Vacation Asia International,
expects the convention market to be dented.
"The leisure market will still be good including semi-FIT tours. We will be
going back to discuss with the airlines and other suppliers on pricing for next
year," Chuah said.
Chinese tourists often picked to visit Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore in
Southeast Asia.
Already, the number of Chinese arrivals to Malaysia between January and
October this year rose 27.3 per cent to 803,000, surpassing the total of 789,783
for the whole of 2007.
Deputy Tourism Minister Sulaman Abdul Rahman Taib, who opened the
Malaysian pavillion at CITM 2008, said with average monthly arrivals of 70,000,
the number of Chinese tourists were nearing the one million target.
-- BERNAMA
Several agencies participating in the China International Travel Mart 2008
(CITM 2008) said they were not looking at slashing prices but offering more
value travel instead.
Lee Tham Chai, senior manager for the greater China market of Mayflower
Acme
Tours Sdn Bhd said tour operators must not try and undercut each other or "all
will end up suffering."
"There will be some impact but it will not be serious for us as compared to
Europe. When there is an economic slowdown, the first to be affected are long
haul destinations but Malaysia is not long haul for China," he told Bernama on
the sidelines of CITM 2008 here.
A total of 21 Malaysian exhibitors are among the thousands of foreign
agencies from 106 countries which are participating in the four-day fair that
ends Sunday.
In fact, Lee is mulling over upping the price of packages for non-group
arrivals, otherwise known as free independent travel (FIT) in the industry, to
give them more choices.
He said falling fuel prices would translate into cheaper airfares and allow
operators to come up with more innovative products.
"I would encourage tour operators not to go into a price war, there is no
point. In the end we make nothing and lose everything. We have to look at the
macro picture, if the whole market is not saleable in China, then everyone will
suffer," Lee said.
Last year, Mayflower Acme brought in over 7,000 FIT visitors from China,
ranging from 20 to 45 years old.
The Sarawak Tourism Board (STB), one of three state government agencies
taking part in the mart here, plans to throw in an extra night for five-day
packages.
"We will give more value instead of cutting prices because the Sarawak
experience is unique. The only place where you can get eco-tourism and
rainforests like ours is in the Amazon," said STB marketing executive Catherine
Lau.
Besides, the current packages were already attractively priced between
5,999
yuan for departures from Guangzhou to 7,999 yuan for five days-four nights
packages from Beijing and Shanghai, Lau added.
Wince Chuah, business development manager of Vacation Asia International,
expects the convention market to be dented.
"The leisure market will still be good including semi-FIT tours. We will be
going back to discuss with the airlines and other suppliers on pricing for next
year," Chuah said.
Chinese tourists often picked to visit Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore in
Southeast Asia.
Already, the number of Chinese arrivals to Malaysia between January and
October this year rose 27.3 per cent to 803,000, surpassing the total of 789,783
for the whole of 2007.
Deputy Tourism Minister Sulaman Abdul Rahman Taib, who opened the
Malaysian pavillion at CITM 2008, said with average monthly arrivals of 70,000,
the number of Chinese tourists were nearing the one million target.
-- BERNAMA
