Thailand strives to charm more Chinese visitors

This year marks the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China. During the past 70 years, what comes with the massive economic achievements is the ever-growing understanding between the Chinese people and the outside world, which is driven by varied cultural exchange activities and tourism.

According to the Chinese Ministry of Culture and Tourism, total Chinese international tourism visits globally were estimated to have reached 150 million visitor trips in 2018, rising by 15 times compared with the 10 million Chinese international visitor trips recorded in 2000.

Against the backdrop that Asia is the preferred destination for most Chinese tourists, Thailand has become a key beneficiary of China's tourism boom. Chinese tourist visits to Thailand have risen from about 1.7 million visits in 2011 to a record high of 10.5 million in 2018, increasing six-fold within seven years and reaching a 27.4 percent share of all international tourism arrivals in Thailand last year.

According to Chattan Kunjara Na Ayudhya, deputy governor of Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), One of the reasons that Thailand has become the No 1 outbound destination for Chinese tourists is that apart from working with key travel agents, TAT is now also collaborating with major online travel agencies in China, like Ctrip and Lvmama. It's also working with social media such as Weibo and Wechat, which is a big help in reaching people to share their travel products.

To offer more new experiences to Chinese travelers, especially those who travel to Thailand multiple times, Thailand is opening more second-tier cities and towns as tourist destinations to bring visitors closer to its unique local culture.