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Thailand now top tourist spot
By Hu Min |
May 12, 2012, Saturday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
THAILAND replaced Japan as the top overseas destination of Shanghai travelers last year, and visits to South Korea also grew as a result of Japan's tsunami disaster.
The number of organized travelers from Shanghai to Thailand surged by almost 69 percent to reach 190,658, accounting for almost one fifth of the total, according to the 2012 Regional Analysis of China's Outbound Tourism released yesterday at the Shanghai World Travel Fair.
Japan lost about 100,000 visitors, a drop of almost 48 percent in 2011 from a year earlier. The country had been the top destination for Shanghai tourists for three years. The country still ranked second, followed by South Korea, which attracted 95,700 visitors, an increase of nearly 33 percent.
"A large number of visitors diverted from Japan to Southeast Asian countries and South Korea, while some in the high-end market turned to European countries," said Xu Fan, a member of the panel of tourism experts of the World Tourism Organization, which is part of the United Nations. She helped compile the analysis.
Despite the tsunami and its aftermath, the number of Shanghai's organized travelers to Japan rose almost 28 percent in January and nearly 60 percent in March but dipped by just over 14 percent in February.
Vietnam was included for the first time in the top 14 popular destinations of local tourists. It posted the biggest increase among the 14 by registering a 238 percent increase to 24,600.
About 81 percent of organized tourists in Shanghai visited Asian countries. Travel to Europe also grew in 2011 with an increase of nearly 25 percent from Shanghai. France, Italy, Switzerland and Germany were the most popular destinations.
Oceania and America also saw increases, according to the analysis.
"North American countries are increasingly welcome in the local tourism market, but the air transportation capacity of North American region is not sufficient and there are problems in tourist guides and vehicles, which may hinder its further development in the industry," Xu said.
The number of organized travelers from Shanghai to Thailand surged by almost 69 percent to reach 190,658, accounting for almost one fifth of the total, according to the 2012 Regional Analysis of China's Outbound Tourism released yesterday at the Shanghai World Travel Fair.
Japan lost about 100,000 visitors, a drop of almost 48 percent in 2011 from a year earlier. The country had been the top destination for Shanghai tourists for three years. The country still ranked second, followed by South Korea, which attracted 95,700 visitors, an increase of nearly 33 percent.
"A large number of visitors diverted from Japan to Southeast Asian countries and South Korea, while some in the high-end market turned to European countries," said Xu Fan, a member of the panel of tourism experts of the World Tourism Organization, which is part of the United Nations. She helped compile the analysis.
Despite the tsunami and its aftermath, the number of Shanghai's organized travelers to Japan rose almost 28 percent in January and nearly 60 percent in March but dipped by just over 14 percent in February.
Vietnam was included for the first time in the top 14 popular destinations of local tourists. It posted the biggest increase among the 14 by registering a 238 percent increase to 24,600.
About 81 percent of organized tourists in Shanghai visited Asian countries. Travel to Europe also grew in 2011 with an increase of nearly 25 percent from Shanghai. France, Italy, Switzerland and Germany were the most popular destinations.
Oceania and America also saw increases, according to the analysis.
"North American countries are increasingly welcome in the local tourism market, but the air transportation capacity of North American region is not sufficient and there are problems in tourist guides and vehicles, which may hinder its further development in the industry," Xu said.
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