Too soon to predict China tourism rebound The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has expressed caution about the pace of recovery in Chinese tourism, despite early signs of growth in arrivals during the first two months of 2026. While Chinese visitors increased by 0.3% to 991,718 as of February 23, compared to the same period in 2025, the agency emphasized the need for further observation before declaring a strong rebound. The TAT plans to assess demand stability by May, coinciding with the next major holiday for Chinese tourists, Labour Day. According to the Tourism and Sports Ministry, the total number of Chinese arrivals for the first two months is projected to reach 1.08 million, representing a 4.5% year-on-year increase. This growth is attributed to factors such as 100,000 additional airline seats, promotional campaigns through chartered flights, and online travel agents. The ministry highlighted that these efforts have contributed to a noticeable uptick in visitor numbers, particularly during the Chinese New Year period. Chinese arrivals rose 4% compared to 2024 and 10% compared to 2025 during the holiday season, with the tourism sector reporting significant revenue from the mainland. Of the 27.7 billion baht earned from seven Asian markets during the holiday, approximately 60.3%—or 16.7 billion baht—came from Chinese tourists. Siriges-a-nong Trirattanasongpol, executive director for East Asia at the TAT, noted that the agency is monitoring tourism flows and maintaining promotional campaigns as the low season approaches. She stressed the importance of waiting until Labour Day to gauge whether demand has fully stabilized. Concerns about safety in Thailand have eased, as visitors at the end of 2025 confirmed to friends and family that the country has returned to normal conditions.#china #thailand #tourism_authority_of_thailand #dragon_trail #siriges_a_nong_trirattanasongpol
