Alarm mood in tourism: Chinese visitor numbers are collapsing!

Alarm mood in tourism: Chinese visitor numbers are collapsing!

The tourism landscape in Thailand is facing new challenges, particularly in view of the decline in Chinese visitor numbers. The Association of Thai Travel Agents (ATTA) warns that foreign arrivals for the whole of 2025 may only be 32 million, significantly below government expectations. The decline in Chinese tourists is particularly worrying. Currently, only about 10,000 Chinese visitors arrive per day, resulting in a 34% decline in the first half of 2025, with only 2,265,556 arrivals compared to last year, as The Thaiger reported.

With this in mind, it is no surprise that the five most important source markets for Thailand this year are surprisingly dominated by Malaysia and no longer by China. The figures show: Malaysia leads with 4.5 million arrivals, followed by China with 4.6 million, India with 2.2 million, Russia with 1.6 million and South Korea with 1.5 million. The economic consequences of such a development are currently being worked on diligently.

The situation of the tourism industry

ATTA President Thanapol Cheewarattanaporn describes the current circumstances as a question of survival for many players in the industry. He emphasizes that Thailand's tourism economy has reached one of its lowest points. At the same time, there remains hope for gradual improvements as the government works intensively on solutions. However, it remains to be seen whether planned initiatives, including a 3.96 billion baht economic stimulus budget to boost the charter flight market from China, will actually have the desired effect.

The Thai government is hoping for a surge in Chinese arrivals in the second half of the year, with a marketing roadshow to China planned between July 27 and August 2, 2025. This will aim to connect Thai tourism operators with Chinese travel companies. A clear plan to coordinate these activities could be crucial to regaining traveler confidence and encouraging a revival of interest in Thailand.

The importance of tourism for Thailand

Thailand is one of the world's leading travel destinations and is characterized by cultural diversity, breathtaking landscapes and a rich culture. Up to 1.7 trillion baht were generated from the tourism sector in 2024 alone, with Bangkok remaining a top destination for many travelers. From January to December 2024, over 940 billion baht in tourist sales were generated here, while provinces such as Chiang Mai and Phuket also increased their popularity. This sector creates numerous jobs and business opportunities, which are increasingly threatened by the ongoing shocks of recent years.

Although Thailand has historically experienced a rapid recovery process following the lifting of travel restrictions in 2022, the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic is still being felt. Specifically, there are ongoing concerns about the health and safety of travelers that could reduce the country's appeal. How Statista stresses, this is an area where further efforts are needed to regain trust and strengthen Thailand's attractiveness as a travel destination.