ATTA boss calls for boost to Chinese tourism market
The newly appointed president of the Association of Thai Travel Agents (ATTA) is urging the government to ramp up support for marketing initiatives and development to revive the lagging Chinese tourism market.
Thanapol Cheewarattanaporn, elected for a two-year term, welcomed the Cabinet’s approval of the draft entertainment complex bill but emphasised the need for strict casino regulations and meaningful employment opportunities for Thais.
“Developments should not solely benefit foreign nationals.”
Thanapol expressed concern over the sluggish growth of the Chinese market, revealing that from January to March, ATTA welcomed only 214,213 Chinese tourists, a shocking 47% decrease compared to the previous year.
Despite Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra’s meeting with President Xi Jinping to tackle cyber scams, Thanapol pointed out a glaring omission: there has been no direct dialogue with Chinese tour operators to ensure safe travel.
To counteract this decline, ATTA is planning a major roadshow in May targeting China’s second-tier cities, involving over 100 Thai operators and 400-500 Chinese operators.
Thanapol’s presidency aims to expand involvement from northern and southern provinces to boost tourism in second-tier cities and enhance the MICE (meetings, incentives, conventions, and exhibitions) segment.
The government’s plan to develop new tourist attractions, including legalised casinos, has been welcomed by Thanapol as a potential tourism booster. However, he expressed concerns about the government’s ability to regulate these operations properly, preventing illegal activities and ensuring benefits for locals through appropriate employment quotas, Bangkok Post reported.
Additionally, Thanapol stressed the necessity for the government to improve infrastructure to provide a seamless travel experience and maintain competitiveness with other international destinations.
Tourism Minister Sorawong Thienthong announced a proposal for a domestic tourism co-payment scheme.
The plan includes a central budget allocation of 3.55 billion baht to support 1 million bookings, subsidising accommodation fees by 40% in major cities and 50% in second-tier cities, with a maximum of 3,000 baht per night per person, limited to ten bookings during the programme.
Meanwhile, the Tourism Authority of Thailand is hosting the Amazing Thailand Festival 2025 at Queen Sirikit National Convention Center until the end of March, drawing an expected 130,000 visitors over five days.
With Thanapol at the helm, ATTA is positioning itself for strategic growth, aiming to revitalise Thailand’s tourism sector and capture the interest of global visitors once more.
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