Tourists visit the Grand Palace in Bangkok, Thailand, on Jan. 7, 2023. Photo by Reuters
Thailand, Southeast Asia’s second largest economy, expects to welcome about 200,000 Chinese tourists during the eight-day Golden Week holiday starting from Wednesday, a 24% drop from last year.
Tourism revenue in Thailand is projected to drop by 17% to 9.1 billion baht (US$280.8 million), Nation Thailand reported.
Many Chinese tourists are now opting for Japan for Golden Week where average travel costs are 15% lower, or Malaysia and Singapore, where certain routes are 6% cheaper.
Long-haul destinations such as France, Switzerland, and Spain are set to see a 110% surge in Chinese tour groups during the holiday, said Thapanee Kiatphaibool, governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand, as reported by Bangkok Post.
Outbound bookings from China have risen by 28% this year, with international flight capacity increasing by 10%.
However, Thailand failed to make the top 10 list of destinations, as cities like Ho Chi Minh City, Kuala Lumpur, Hanoi, Denpasar, and Singapore experienced double-digit growth in Chinese tourist arrivals, Bangkok Post reported.
Over the first eight months this year, Vietnam overtook Thailand as the top destination for Chinese tourists in Southeast Asia thanks to increased tourism campaigns, its geographical location, perception of great safety, and low costs.
Chinese tourists to Vietnam from January to August surged 44% year-on-year to 3.53 million, making them the largest group of foreign visitors.