Sheltered from the shell shock

People hold incense sticks as they offer prayers at the reopened shrine and a popular tourist site on Aug 24. [Photo/Agencies]

Flight volumes remain the same. There are about 62 from Beijing to the country weekly.

"We've noticed fewer tourists are paying attention to various travel agencies' packages during the September-October period－a golden time for Chinese travel to Thailand," the manager says.

Ctrip is sending 500-600 group travelers a day, Yan says.

It sent about 1,100 Chinese to Thailand on Aug 20 and that day made arrangements for more than 4,000 other Chinese in Bangkok, Phuket, Pattaya and Chiang Mai.

Beijing Utour International Travel Service's publicity manager, Li Mengran, admits the attacks have influenced Chinese tourists.

"Travelers put safety first," Li says. "Many of our customers have explicitly said they wouldn't go to Thailand and many changed their travel plans."

The litmus test will be the upcoming National Day holiday week starting Oct 1, she says. Many Chinese make last-minute reservations to Thailand before the holiday. It's an affordable destination within five hours' flight of Beijing.

Most Utour bookings during the period are to the United States and Europe.

Li's company suggests similar destinations like Bali to tourists with cold feet.

But it costs money to back out of reservations, since China hasn't issued a travel ban.

"Individual travelers' losses mainly come from flights and hotels," Yan says.

Tourists normally get 95 percent of their money back if they cancel 15-29 days in advance, according to China's tourism laws. It's 40-30 percent if they cancel one to three days before.