According to the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), the number of Thai visitors to China is expected to increase significantly this year, potentially doubling the figure recorded in 2019.
Since the implementation of the new measure on March 1, TAT’s regional offices in Beijing, Shanghai, Kunming, Chengdu, and Guangzhou have been diligently collecting tourism data and gauging responses from Chinese agencies and tourism platforms.
Pimchanok Vonkorpon, Deputy Director of the TAT’s Office of Information Technology, revealed, “Data from People’s Daily Online and Trip.com indicate that 30% more Chinese tourists have purchased trips to Thailand since the beginning of this month.” She further noted a remarkable surge in Thai arrivals in China, with a staggering 300% increase year on year, representing a significant 160% surge over the figures recorded in 2019.
Furthermore, TAT offices in China reported four positive indicators in the Chinese tourism market following the implementation of the permanent visa waiver:
Accommodation reservations in Thailand have witnessed a remarkable 300% increase compared to the same period in 2019, and a notable 200% rise from 2018.
While tour package reservations to Thailand are gradually picking up, TAT offices advocate for the incorporation of additional video advertisements to entice Chinese tourists to explore attractions in Thailand.
Airfare prices are observed to be decreasing, benefiting tourists in Flexible Independent Travel (FIT) groups, while Thai arrivals are also experiencing expedited immigration processes at checkpoints.
Each province’s China National Tourism Administration has introduced supportive measures for airlines, travel agencies, and operators of chartered flights to stimulate tourism.
The Thai government initially implemented a temporary visa-free policy last September, commencing with a 5-month visa exemption for visitors from China and Kazakhstan, followed by India and Taiwan in November.
Following the expiration of the temporary measure, the permanent visa waiver for Thai and Chinese citizens was immediately enacted.
On Tuesday (March 12), the Tourism and Sports Ministry reported that over 1.4 million Chinese tourists had entered Thailand since January 1, representing 40% of all Chinese arrivals in 2023, which totaled 3.52 million individuals.
In the first 11 days of March alone, approximately 214,000 Chinese tourists landed in Thailand.
