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Thailand’s ‘zero-dollar’ tour packages weigh on travel sector despite crackdown
- The notorious strategy, once used to fleece Chinese tourists, has now been replicated to lure Russians and Indians
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Thailand’s travel sector is feeling the squeeze from the resurgence of “zero dollar” tour packages previously aimed at Chinese visitors, as operators target Russian and Indian holidaymakers despite a crackdown on the shady practice.
The tours involve Chinese visitors paying Thai-based companies low prices for their package holiday. But once in the Southeast Asian nation, they are often pressured into buying overpriced food, accommodation and gifts.
The government said the low-budget trips had tarnished Thailand’s image and police had frequently conducted enforcement blitzes to rein in the tours.
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But those efforts do not seem to have produced the desired results, with foreigners accused of engaging in unsustainable price wars that threaten to inflict economic losses on local travel firms.
The Association of Thai Travel Agents said more foreign nationals were offering zero-dollar deals by using locals as proxies for their illegal business.
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