China crisis or Golden Week wonder? Tourism hopes take flight in May
In the midst of a 12% year-on-year plunge in Chinese tourist numbers during the first two months of the year, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is holding its breath for a revival come May, perfectly timed with China’s Labour Day holiday.
TAT Deputy Governor Pattaraanong Na Chiangmai, handling international marketing across Asia and the South Pacific, highlighted that safety concerns have hit Chinese travel patterns hard. To add fuel to the fire, airlines have slashed flight frequency to Thailand, especially from second-tier cities.
Official figures show that Thailand rolled out the red carpet for 1 million Chinese tourists in the first two months, dipping from last year’s 1.18 million for the same period. February suffered a brutal 45% drop in Chinese arrivals, tumbling from 674,558 to 371,542, largely thanks to the Chinese New Year snaffling all January’s festivities.
Despite the turbulence, Pattaraanong remains optimistic.
“If no unexpected curveballs come our way, we should see a boost in Chinese arrivals by May, thanks to the five-day Labour Day break, with bookings already streaming in for this period.”
However, Thailand’s tourism sector is navigating choppy waters as China’s economy sluggishly limps along, evidenced by its consumer price index hitting the brakes at the fastest pace in 13 months.
While this downturn might not faze tourists with cash to splash, those on a shoestring budget might reconsider hopping across the border. Interestingly, high-flying Chinese holidaymakers are landing in Phuket, living it up in luxe hotels.
TAT is not taking this lying down. Teaming up with heavyweights like Trip.com, Qunar, Alipay, and AirAsia, they’re dangling irresistible deals.
Later this month, they’re rolling out a roadshow extravaganza in Xiamen, Wuhan, and Chengdu, aiming to ignite wanderlust in Chinese travellers, especially from second-tier cities. To reel in meetings and incentive groups, over 500 Chinese travel agents will be wined and dined next month as they discover Thailand’s top tourist spots.
On top of these efforts, April showers tourists with special treats – think discounts on car hire, luxe spas, and tantalising restaurants.
Yet, Thienprasit Chaiyapatranun, the big cheese at the Thai Hotels Association (THA), warns that China’s economic woes might put the brakes on outbound travel overall. Still, affluent Chinese globetrotters are chasing cherry blossoms in Japan, which could help explain Thailand’s dipping popularity.
Thienprasit drives home the message that tourist safety tops the Thai tourism agenda. According to THA’s hotel business sentiment index, hotels basked in a 77% average occupancy rate this February, with a cautious forecast of 65% for March.
Could May mark a turning of the tide, or will China’s Labour Day holiday simply paper over the cracks? Stay tuned.
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