Thai tourism faces 20% drop in Chinese visitors amid safety fears
The Association of Thai Travel Agents (ATTA) anticipates a potential 10 to 20% decline in Chinese tourists during the upcoming Lunar New Year, attributed to reduced safety confidence. This follows an incident involving a Chinese actor who fell victim to a human trafficking gang using Thailand as a gateway.
ATTA President Sisdivachr Cheewarattanaporn indicated that the impact could be minimal if the government and relevant agencies act swiftly to restore tourism confidence. It is crucial to reassure those concerned by the incident that Thailand is not a haven for scammers, and security measures are in place to counter illegal gangs, primarily operating from neighbouring countries.
The widespread coverage of the incident in China is expected to affect the tourism industry. However, Sisdivachr noted that the impact might not be as severe as initially feared, as the police successfully assisted the actor within a few days.
He emphasised the importance of cooperation from the Chinese government in raising awareness among citizens about scammers’ tactics, such as offering fake job opportunities and using a Chinese-speaking decoy to target individuals.
Sisdivachr pointed out that even without the recent human trafficking case, Thailand may not experience significant growth in Chinese tourism in 2025. With 6.73 million Chinese arrivals in 2024, Thailand aims to attract at least 7 million tourists from China this year.
Many Chinese tourists are expected to continue travelling within China or to nearby countries like Japan. Japan’s popularity is increasing due to the weak yen, and the Japanese government plans to ease visa restrictions for Chinese nationals this year, said Sisdivachr.
“There is no indication that Beijing will support outbound tourism as it did before the pandemic.”
The sluggish economy is prompting Chinese citizens to travel domestically, with many cities developing new attractions to allure both domestic and international visitors.
He warned that Thailand could lose its status as a top destination if it fails to offer new products to Chinese tourists.
Despite the Thai government’s ambitious plans to boost tourism revenue through entertainment complexes, including legal casinos, Sisdivachr believes these projects may not significantly attract the Chinese market, reported Bangkok Post.
Macau remains a convenient and affordable destination for Chinese travellers interested in gambling.
Furthermore, the number of Chinese interested in casino tourism is relatively small compared to other segments catering to different types of tourism products.
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