Chinese Tourist Numbers to Thailand Expected to Remain Steady

[webfact]

FILE photo

 

Thailand anticipates its influx of Chinese tourists to plateau in 2024, with numbers hovering around 7 to 8 million arrivals. This prediction by the Association of Thai Travel Agents (Atta) is attributed to persistent economic issues in China, including the expected economic impacts of upcoming tariff measures from the Trump administration.

 

The president of Atta, Sisdivachr Cheewarattanaporn, voiced caution over meeting the Tourism Authority of Thailand's (TAT) goal of attracting 9 million Chinese visitors by 2025. He cites a mix of global geopolitical tensions and China's internal economic strains as key obstacles to substantial growth.

 

Currently, China represents Thailand’s largest market, contributing roughly 6.3 million arrivals out of a total 32.7 million international visitors as noted by December 8th this year. Despite having a permanent mutual visa exemption, daily arrivals from China remain around 15,000 to 20,000, a figure that suggests yearly totals might fall short of TAT’s 7.3 million target.

 

Contributing to this stagnation are China's economic policies, which have put a damper on their citizens' overseas travel capabilities. Challenges such as domestic tourism initiatives, a real estate downturn, weak consumer spending, and high unemployment among young people have impacted the potential for increased spending on foreign trips.

Moreover, there has been a noticeable reduction in government backing for outbound tour companies, contrasting sharply with pre-pandemic levels. While Thailand has witnessed an increase in independent travel from Chinese tourists, the overall spending and economic contribution from this segment remain subdued.

 

Meanwhile, China has been employing fiscal measures and easing monetary policies aimed at countering the forthcoming tariff increases from Donald Trump’s presidency and to uphold their economic growth. Despite this, if tariff hikes materialise, this could further strain Chinese consumers and impact Thailand’s tourism market negatively.

 

Nevertheless, should China manage to sustain a healthy economy with around 5% GDP growth, Thailand may see brighter prospects, particularly as it remains a favoured destination among Chinese travellers.

 

Looking forward to the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties between Thailand and China in 2025, strategic promotion could leverage this milestone to penetrate newer markets within China. Currently, efforts are hindered by limited support for charter flights and promotion of Thailand’s second-tier cities, which could otherwise open avenues for incremental growth, reported Bangkok Post.

 

-- 2024-12-17

 

 

[daveAustin]

Too much and too many. Any one group coming to another country en masse is not great and these guys pile in, stick to one another and don’t give a F about anyone else. The Chinese and Russians should visit one another’s countries and give the rest of the world a break. 

[daveAustin]

28 minutes ago, webfact said:

 

Sorry but that is just an awful picture. It makes me not want to go to that place as much as JUST seeing my own there.