Thapanee Kiatphaibool, Governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), has projected a sharp increase in Chinese tourist arrivals during China’s National Day holiday from October 1st to 7th. Daily arrivals are expected to rise by 30% compared to usual periods, with an estimated average of 18,000 Chinese tourists arriving per day.
The long holiday often prompts Chinese tourists to travel abroad, and Thailand remains a top destination. TAT estimates that between 132,000 and 183,000 Chinese tourists will visit Thailand during the week, marking a 57-144% increase from the same period in 2023. This surge in visitors is expected to generate between 3.71 billion and 5.18 billion baht in revenue, with tourists spending approximately 6,300 baht per day and staying for an average of six days.
Flight bookings from China to Thailand for this period have increased by 250% compared to last year, with the peak expected on October 1st. Many tourists began arriving as early as September 28th, as they now tend to plan their trips just eight days in advance and travel in smaller groups, typically around 13 people, according to Thapanee.
Direct flights between China and Thailand have risen by 70%, with 1,097 flights from 43 Chinese cities offering 197,757 seats into six major airports: Suvarnabhumi, Don Mueang, Phuket, Chiang Mai, Samui, and Udon Thani.
Thapanee emphasized that the visa exemption, which allows Chinese tourists to stay in Thailand for up to 30 days, has been a key factor in the surge. From March to July, Chinese arrivals jumped by 122%, with over 4.1 million visitors.
