South Korean tourists outnumber Chinese in Chiang Mai amid direct flights boost
The South Korean market may surpass the Chinese in terms of tourist arrivals in Chiang Mai this year, attributed to the increase in direct flights and favourable winter weather, as reported by the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT).
Patsalin Swetarat, director of TAT’s Chiang Mai office, noted that a decline in safety confidence among Chinese travellers has somewhat affected tourism in the province, particularly among independent travellers arriving via direct flights.
In January 2025, Chiang Mai International Airport recorded 34,954 South Korean arrivals, slightly surpassing the 34,894 Chinese tourists. Despite the Chinese market not experiencing a significant drop this year, the recovery post-pandemic has been sluggish, with a 30% recovery compared to 2019.
Consequently, Chiang Mai tourism has shifted focus to other promising markets, like South Korea, to mitigate risks.
During the Chinese New Year celebrations this week, the province is expected to achieve an 82% occupancy rate, generating overall revenue of 686 million baht (US$20 million), with 463 million baht (US$13.6 million) coming from international visitors.
In 2024, Chinese tourists led the market with 326,651 arrivals, followed by South Korea (283,681), Taiwan (158,552), Hong Kong (58,237), and Malaysia (55,067). Patsalin highlighted that direct flights are a crucial factor for tourism growth in Chiang Mai, with all top markets having direct services to the province. Efforts are underway to attract more direct flights from India.
International tourists make up 30% of Chiang Mai’s market, while the remaining 70% consists of local travellers. The winter season has boosted the local market from late 2024 onwards, helped by the prolonged cool weather in north Thailand and reduced PM2.5 levels in January.
Tourism in the province was only briefly disrupted during the floods in October 2024. Additionally, Airbnb reported that South Korea was the leading inbound market for Chiang Mai during the first and third quarters of 2024, with a 50% increase in bookings compared to 2023, reported Bangkok Post.
Other significant international markets included China, the US, the UK, Germany, Australia, Canada, and France. Airbnb also noted increased interest from Asia-Pacific travellers, with searches from Japanese and Indian guests rising by around 90% and Australian guests by over 80% for trips planned in 2025.
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