Tourism Malaysian Tourists Overtake Chinese Visitors in Songkhla

[Georgealbert]

 

Picture courtesy of Kaoded.

 

The number of Malaysian tourists entering Thailand has now surpassed that of Chinese tourists, according to data shared by Dr. Sitthipong Sitthiphatprapa, President of the Hatyai Songkhla Hotel Association. The figures, covering the period from 1 January to 8 June 2025, show that 2,041,002 Malaysian nationals visited, compared to 2,029,481 Chinese tourists, a shift that signals a notable decline in Chinese arrivals.

 

Dr. Sitthipong noted that while the volume of Malaysian tourists now exceeds that of Chinese visitors, it does not necessarily indicate a significant increase in arrivals from Malaysia. Rather, the relative gain is largely attributed to the downturn in Chinese tourist numbers, which have dropped sharply this year.

 

In Songkhla province, including popular border town Sadao, tourism levels have remained steady overall, but hotel occupancy rates have declined. The drop is attributed to two key factors:

 

1. Many tourists are bypassing Songkhla and heading to other destinations within Thailand.

 

2. A rise in unlicensed daily rental accommodations, including illegal condo rentals and repurposed buildings, has fragmented the market and affected the formal hospitality sector.

 

Dr. Sitthipong warned that this unchecked growth in the informal accommodation sector poses a risk to legal businesses and urged the government to enforce existing laws to ensure a level playing field.

 

Spending habits among Malaysian visitors are also shifting. “We’ve observed that Malaysian tourists are spending less per person compared to previous years,” Dr. Sitthipong added. “It’s important that the government not only focuses on Chinese tourists, but also actively promotes tourism to the Malaysian market.”

 

To capitalise on sustained interest from Malaysian travellers, who consistently express demand to visit Thailand, Dr. Sitthipong proposed a number of targeted measures to help Thailand reach 5 million Malaysian visitors by the end of 2025:

 

1. Streamline cross-border car entry by enabling online pre-registration, improving efficiency and reducing border wait times.

 

2. Abolish after-hours entry fees currently charged at land borders.

 

3. Allocate budgets to the private sector to host large-scale “Mega Events” to draw tourists.

 

4. Boost tourist spending by introducing VAT refund stations at key border crossings.

 

5. Expand tourism promotions in Malaysia, with bilingual signage and marketing materials in Thai and English to improve accessibility.

 

“With proper government support and the right promotional strategies,” Dr. Sitthipong concluded, “we are confident that Malaysian tourist arrivals can be significantly increased beyond current levels.”

 

  Adapted by Asean Now from Koaded 2025-06-20