Thailand gears up for a tourism boom during Chinese New Year

Despite recent negative reports surrounding scams targeting Chinese celebrities and concerns over tourist safety, Thailand’s tourism industry is set for significant growth during the Chinese New Year.

The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) expects a 10% increase from last year’s Chinese New Year, projecting revenue of 40.66 billion baht with approximately 1.35 million arrivals between January 24 and February 2.

Of them, Chinese nationals are expected to account for 287,000 arrivals, marking a 7% surge year-on-year, generating approximately 8.8 billion baht in revenue.

TAT governor Thapanee Kiatpaibool cited several factors contributing to this growth, including Thailand’s visa exemption policy and competitive air fares.

“Current air fares within Thailand are far more attractive than domestic travel options within China,” she said, citing data from major Chinese booking platforms.

 

The tourism boost is supported by increased aviation capacity, with East Asian routes showing a 5% rise in seat availability and ASEAN routes increasing by 8%. The Chinese market, in particular, has seen a 13% increase in seat capacity, with 790,000 seats available. Seven new flight routes connecting Chinese and Taiwanese cities to popular Thai destinations, such as Phuket, Chiang Mai, Koh Samui and Surat Thani, have been introduced for the festival period.

To capitalise on the expected influx, Thailand is also planning several special events, including a lighting ceremony on Bangkok’s Yaowarat Road from January 19 to February 9, marking the 50th anniversary of Thailand-China diplomatic ties.

The CentralWorld shopping mall will also host TAT promotional booths from January 28 to February 2 to showcase tourism opportunities and cultural cooperation between the two nations.

Bookings for the period are showing strong growth, with overall bookings up 21% compared to last year. East Asian markets lead with a 33% increase, while ASEAN bookings have grown by 20%. China, South Korea, Taiwan, and Hong Kong are the largest sources of advance bookings.

 
Thailand remains one of the top three destinations for Chinese New Year travel in Asia-Pacific, alongside Japan, South Korea and Singapore, reaffirming its sustained appeal in the regional tourism market.

As for the recent incident of a Chinese actor being kidnapped by a call centre gang, Thapanee said the case will be reassessed early next week to see if it has had any impact on tourism.

Thienprasit Chaiyapatranun, president of the Thai Hotel Association (THA), however, said the case has not had “any significant impact” on this year’s Chinese New Year hotel bookings. While some group tours have cancelled their bookings, these cancellations represent only a small portion of total bookings, he said.

Conversely, solo travellers are continuing to book rooms, with a noticeable increase in bookings for the festival period.