Tourism Thailand Adjusts Tourism Goals Amid 30% Drop in Chinese Visitors

[snoop1130]

Photo courtesy of South China Morning Post

 

Facing a significant decrease in Chinese visitors, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is considering revising its foreign tourist targets for the year. Initially projecting 37.46 million visitors and 3.4 trillion baht in revenue for 2025, TAT may lower these numbers to approximately 35.54 million tourists, mirroring last year's figures. Chinese tourists, key contributors to Thailand's tourism, are expected to number only 4 million this year.

 

During the first trimester, Thailand saw a 20% decline in tourists from Northeast Asia, including a sharp 30% drop in Chinese visitors, resulting in a 0.2% decrease in overall foreign tourist numbers compared to last year. Factors such as safety concerns, intense regional competition, and environmental issues have shaped this downturn.

 

In response, TAT has allocated 2 billion baht for the "We Travel Together" campaign, set to launch next month. The initiative aims to revive domestic tourism, offering better weekday deals and subsidies to Thai tourists, particularly during the June-to-October rainy season.

 

Recognising safety perception as paramount, TAT plans to bolster confidence via social media and incentivise travel by promoting charter flights and partnerships with Online Travel Agencies (OTAs). The strategy targets Free Independent Travellers (FIT) and long-haul markets from Europe, which showed a 16% increase, with tourists spending more on wellness activities.

 

To offset the decline in Chinese tourists, TAT is expanding its focus to nine neighbouring markets and 15 long-haul ones, targeting quality leisure, family, and specialised travel segments. Emerging markets include Indonesia, the Philippines, Singapore, and India, with an emphasis on high-value segments like health and wellness and digital nomadism, drawing visitors from the Middle East, India, and Europe.

 

Domestically, TAT aims to boost tourism in lesser-known cities, promote travel during weekdays to ease congestion, and elevate Thailand's image as a destination for "Instant Happiness." Meanwhile, safeguarding against past issues, TAT plans stricter project regulations to prevent room price inflation and fraud, ensuring more effective and transparent use of resources.

 

Key influences on the tourism landscape this year include the US-China trade war, the India-Pakistan tension, and US tax policies, alongside efforts to restore Thailand’s reputation for safety, striving to prevent incidents that could deter visitors further.

 

  Adapted by ASEAN Now from The Thaiger 2025-05-09

 

 

[norsurin]

There came the trillions again.They never stop!!!