Regaining a lucrative tourism market

The travel sector is adopting new tactics to lure back Chinese tourists who are flocking to other destinations

- MOLPASORN SHOOWONG

According to China Trading Desk, Chinese outbound tourists are estimated to reach 155 million this year, a full resumption compared with pre-pandemic levels.

However, Chinese visitors to Thailand this year have declined sharply, mainly attributed to safety concerns following several incidents.

This situation has prompted both the public and private sectors to adopt new tactics to lure back Chinese tourists who are flocking to other destinations.

WHAT IS THE OUTLOOK FOR THE CHINESE MARKET?

Earlier this year, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) targeted 8-10 million Chinese tourists in 2025, but the goal was recently slashed to 6.7 million, the same level as last year.

During the first seven months of 2025, this market fell by 35% year-on-year to 2.68 million, though it was still the largest source market for arrivals, with Malaysia a close second.

Tour companies under the Association of Thai Travel Agents (Atta) served 398,168 Chinese tourists in the first seven months, a dip of nearly 60% year-on-year, highlighting the nosedive in tour groups.

Meanwhile, other Asian countries enjoyed steady visitor growth from the mainland. During the first half of the year, Japan welcomed more than 4.71 million Chinese visitors, up 53.5% year-on year, while Vietnam tallied 2.72 million, soaring 44.2%.

The Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) reported a 13.8% increase to 2.53 million, as Beijing in February announced a plan to lift the ban on Korean content for the first time since 2016.

Subramania Bhatt, founder and chief executive of China Trading Desk, said during the first half of this year, Chinese travellers made 66 million outbound trips, increasing 11% year-on-year.

Despite geopolitical and economic risks, the firm maintains its forecast of 155 million trips by Chinese this year.