An Analysis of the Comparative Advantage of Thai Tourism with Chinese Tourists Compared to Other ASEAN + 6 Countries

Abstract

The tourism industry is a very important part of the Thai economy. The purpose of this study was to investigate the potential of Thai tourism and to analyze the competitive advantage of Thai tourism with Chinese tourists compared to other ASEAN + 6 countries except China from 2000 to 2015. The investigation of the competitive advantage of Thai tourism with Chinese tourists compared to other ASEAN + 6 countries except China was analyzed by the Revealed Comparative Advantage a methodology.

The result of the study demonstrated that Vietnam had the greatest RCA with the Chinese tourists followed by Korea, Laos, Japan, Thailand, Australia, Singapore, Cambodia, New Zealand, The Philippines, Myanmar, Brunei, Malaysia, Indonesia, and India. Firstly, Vietnam, Korea, Laos, Japan, and Thailand have tourism competitiveness with Chinese tourists throughout the whole period of study. The largest RCA for Vietnam, Korea, Laos, Japan, and Thailand were 9.68, 12.69, 6.97, 4.35, and 4.62 in 2000, 2013, 2001, 2012, and 2013 respectively. The result of the study found that Laos, Japan, and Singapore were competitors of Thai tourism with Chinese tourists. Secondly, Australia, Singapore and Cambodia had tourism comparative advantage almost every year of study except one year. Thirdly, New Zealand, The Philippines, Myanmar, Brunei, Malaysia, and Indonesia had no tourism competitive advantage with Chinese tourists in the same period. For example, The Philippines, Brunei, and Indonesia had no competitiveness in the first period but they had tourism competitive advantage in the last period. Lastly, India had no tourism competitive advantage with Chinese tourists throughout the whole year of study. It was shown that the RCA index was less than 1 the whole year of study.

In conclusion, Thai tourism had a competitive advantage with the Chinese tourists in 2000 to 2015. It can predict that the trend of Chinese tourists visiting Thailand will increase in the future. Countries in ASEAN +6 had different tourism comparative advantages with Chinese tourists. It depends on the situation, law, and tourism strategies in each country.

Keywords: Competitive advantage, Thai tourism, Chinese tourists, and RCA