TAT expects roadshow to help bring 5 million Chinese tourists to Thailand this year

Earlier this week, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) launched its ‘Amazing Thailand Amazing New Chapters Roadshow to China 2023.’ The roadshow began on 21 February in Shanghai and later moved to Chengdu and Guangzhou.

TAT expects the roadshow to help it reach its goal of welcoming 5 million tourists to Thailand this year.

The roadshow aimed to create business opportunities for Thailand’s 61 tourism suppliers and Chinese tourism professionals. It also aims to raise awareness of Thailand’s wide range of quality tourism experiences.

TAT also promoted the “Tiew Muang Thai Ying Pai Ying Sanook” tourism campaign. The campaign highlights exclusive and high-quality tourism products and services catering to current Chinese travel segments, such as hyper-millennials, families, workation, and silver luxury.

From 1 January to February 15, a total of 161,540 Chinese tourists visited Thailand.

In the first half of January, Thailand welcomed 913,013 foreign tourists, according to the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT).

Governor of the TAT Yuthasak Supsasorn revealed that Russia has overtaken Malaysia as the Number 1 tourism market. The top tourist groups in Thailand from January 1-15 were Russians (99,593), Malaysians (89,461), South Koreans (47,471), Indians (41,863), and Laotians (41,863).

As time goes on, Chinese tourists are expected to make their way into the top five. In the first half of January, Chinese nationals ranked 10th, totalling 28,643.

Most Chinese arrivals in Thailand are free independent travellers (FIT), which are tourists who travel on their own without a tour guide or joining a tour group, according to the Thai Association of Tourism Business (ATTA).

Nearly 2,000 Chinese flights are set to enter Thailand in the coming months. Thailand’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAAT) authorised 1,910 flights from China to enter the kingdom, with 671 expected to arrive in February and 970 slated for arrival in March, according to CAAT president Suttipong Kongpool.

There are four tourism markets that the TAT expects will bring over one million tourists into the kingdom this year, including five million from China, four million from Malaysia, two million from India, and 1.1-1.2 million from South Korea.

Earlier this month, the Tourism Council of Thailand predicted that over 30 million foreign tourists would travel to Thailand in 2023, bringing 3 trillion baht to Thailand’s economy.