Thailand is the #1 destination for China travellers on Airbnb this winter
Thailand makes up for five of the top 20 most searched cities and towns by China guests on Airbnb this winter. Phuket comes in first; Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Koh Samui and Pattaya are also top of mind
Building on last year's tourism rebound, Thailand has kicked off the new year announcing a goal to welcome 40 million international arrivals in 2024 and a permanent dual visa waiver for Thai and Chinese travellers, starting 1 March 2024.
Having welcomed over 3.5 million visitors in 2023, Thailand remains a preferred travel destination among Chinese travellers with many flocking to Airbnb to book their next trip. Latest Airbnb data shows that Thailand ranks #1 in the top outbound search destinations for Airbnb guests from China this winter season.
The top 10 most searched countries by Chinese guests on the platform this winter from December 2023 to February 2024 are:
1. Thailand
2. Japan
3. New Zealand
4. Australia
5. United States of America
6. Malaysia
7. Indonesia
8. United Kingdom
9. Norway
10. South Korea
Notably, there are five Thai destinations amongst the 20 most searched cities and towns by Chinese guests on Airbnb this winter, namely Phuket (1st), Bangkok (2nd), Chiang Mai (7th), Koh Samui (10th) and Pattaya (12th).
Driving greater tourism growth
Since the reopening of cross-border travel in China last year, Airbnb has seen a surge in outbound travel by Chinese guests to a wide variety of destinations. This is underscored by a year-over-year increase in outbound travel searches of over 14-fold by Airbnb users in China for the upcoming Chinese New Year period.
Last year, searches for Airbnb trips to Asia Pacific destinations during the Golden Week Holiday period last year increased approximately 17-fold year-over-year. In November-December 2023 alone, Airbnb saw an approximately 88 per cent spike in searches for Thailand by Chinese travellers.
Defined as three or more guests, group travel is also on the rise amongst Chinese travellers with searches for group travel stays increasing at a faster rate than solo/ duo travel. Interestingly, a large proportion of first-time bookers on Airbnb are group travellers.
Based on a Kantar survey commissioned by Airbnb last June, Chinese travellers' top five accommodation priorities are reliability (89%), amenities (84%), customer service and support (80%), uniqueness (80%) and convenient location (56%).
Amanpreet Bajaj, Airbnb's General Manager for Southeast Asia, India, Hong Kong, and Taiwan, said, "Thailand has been a popular destination among Chinese guests on Airbnb. We are thrilled with the Thai government's announcement of a permanent visa waiver for citizens of both countries, further boosting inbound tourism to Thailand. We believe this policy will see a surge in visitor numbers and significantly fuel Thailand and China's tourism resurgence post-pandemic. As a keen partner to Thailand, Airbnb remains committed to playing a vital role in elevating Thailand as a global destination and further propelling the country's tourism recovery and growth."
As part of its efforts to continue attracting more Chinese travellers to the region, Airbnb last year launched a once-in-a-lifetime Southeast Asia island hopping getaway for Chinese travellers, which featured Koh Samui, Thailand amongst other islands in Malaysia and Indonesia. One winner and their four special guests got to experience Airbnb Superhost stays and local experiences showcasing the island's vibrant community, hospitality and scenic beauty.
