Tourism Authority of Thailand plans first roadshow in China after pandemic

Now that China has lifted travel restrictions for its citizens, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is once again tapping into the Chinese tourism market. TAT is planning a roadshow in China during the third week of February.

This will be the first roadshow after the Covid-19 pandemic, according to TAT’s Regional Director of East Asia Chuwit Sirivejkul.

The roadshow is to be held in three major Chinese cities, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Chengdu. As many as 120 business people from China and Thailand plan to join the roadshow, Chuwit said yesterday. This is part of a bid to create tour packages for foreign independent travellers (FITs) and tour groups.

Chuwit added that the Chinese online travel agent Ctrip said that the company would launch an online marketing campaign on social media to promote its tour packages in Thailand, Nation Thailand reported.

Chuwit said TAT estimates that only around 300,000 Chinese travellers will come to Thailand in the first quarter, with the number predicted to increase from the second quarter onwards.

TAT’s deputy governor for international marketing in Asia and South Pacific said that all five TAT offices in China, as well as domestic tourism operators, are looking to prepare for Chinese tourists’ return. Chuwit said…

“The TAT has been notified by the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand as well as airlines operators of the restoration of flights between Thailand and China, which will start on January 18 until the third week of March this year, when the winter season finishes.”

TAT isn’t the only group preparing for the Chinese to return to Thailand. Thailand’s tourism businesses are also preparing for Chinese tourists to make their way back to the land of smiles. Over the weekend, ferry companies in Koh Samui started preparing to transport Chinese tourists.

The manager of Lomprayah said the company was preparing for Chinese tourists by cleaning the ferry each time it transported passengers, and preparing hand sanitiser on the ferry.

Now that the Chinese are slowly heading back to Thailand, the kingdom’s tourism industry is getting ready to welcome them back.