Thailand opens the gates: New flights from China bring tourists!

Thailand opens the gates: New flights from China bring tourists!

Something is happening in Thailand! The Tourism Authority of Thailand (Tat) has set an ambitious goal to meet tourist demand during the upcoming holidays. After the pandemic and the associated burglaries in the number of visitors, the use of additional flight capacities is an important step. Charter flights from several Chinese cities such as Xi’an, Chengdu and Hefei, which mainly end up in Bangkok, are to be offered with some connections to Samui and Chiang Mai. This shows how much the Thai government is interested in stimulating the tourism sector quickly.

The rush of Chinese tourists is becoming increasingly clear. Between September 26 and October 2, 2023, Thailand welcomed over 586,000 international visitors, including over 123,000 from China. These numbers are a ray of hope, especially when you consider that the arrivals from China have risen rapidly in the past few weeks.

Review and challenges

But the situation is not all rosy. How Thailandtip reports, the tourism sector has received a considerable decline of 34 % in the arrival from China in the first half of 2025, which dropped the total number of visitor to 2.27 million. This happened at a time when Thailand had a total of 16.7 million international tourists - a decline of 4.66 % compared to the previous year. These developments show how important it is for the Thai government to act agile in order to regain the trust of the Chinese tourists.

The forecasts show that the numbers for 2025 are still below expectations. The President of the Atta, Thanapol Cheewarattanaporn, emphasizes the necessary quick adjustment of the strategies to achieve the tourist figures before pandemic. The charter flight market is now to be strengthened with a planned economic stimulus package of almost 4 billion baht. Effective advertising could possibly achieve six million arrivals from China, but this still remained behind the goals of the crime.

A new plan for the future

In view of the worrying declines, Thailand will have to rethink his tourism strategy. The visitors from China made up a quarter of all international tourists before the pandemic. After the end of the zero-Covid policy in China, it turns out that no special tests or proof of vaccination are required. This is a positive step that facilitates the return of the Chinese tourists, how Daily show reported.

While the first aircraft filled up again with Chinese tourists, local entrepreneurs such as Dokcchan Gobhuea, owner of a massage salon, express mixed feelings. They are happy about the return of tourists, but are also concerned about a possible revival of covid infections. At the same time, restaurant operators report quiet times when the guests spend less. Smaller companies fight for survival while large chains cut better.

Thailand plans a sustainable future in tourism and does not want to turn to mass tourism again. A new tourist fee should be incurred in the future to improve the attractiveness of tourist goals. This fee, which is expected to be almost nine euros per person, is still under discussion.

The next few months will be crucial for tourism in Thailand. With a clear strategy and the right commitment, the country could soon be very popular again in international travel events.