New data from the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), SiteMinder, Meituan has revealed that out of the 11 million-plus international travelers visiting Thailand this year, over 1.3 million have arrived from China. These figures indicate that Chinese travelers could make up one-fifth of all international arrivals in Thailand by the end of the year.
The statistics were unveiled during the ‘Amazing Thailand Sailing with Meituan’ event held recently in Bangkok.
TAT has projected that international arrivals to Thailand will reach 25 million this year, more than doubling the number of arrivals in 2022. This projection aligns with SiteMinder’s findings, the leading open hotel commerce platform, which reported a 79% increase in weekly reservations made by Chinese travelers to their Thai hotel customers since the beginning of the year.
The General Manager of Overseas Lodging at Meituan, Vincent Xie, highlighted the growing interest among Chinese travelers to visit Thailand, particularly among the younger generation born after 1990. Xie emphasized the importance of providing seamless digital experiences and working closely with partners like SiteMinder and TAT to cater to the needs of these travelers as they plan and book their stays.
Bradley Haines, the Market Vice President – Asia Pacific at SiteMinder, meanwhile, acknowledged the pent-up demand for international travel and the significant impact of Chinese travelers. SiteMinder’s data showed a 79% increase in weekly bookings made by Chinese travelers to their hotel customers in Thailand and a 58% increase globally since the beginning of the year. Haines encouraged hotels to invest in commerce technology that enables them to effectively sell, market, manage, and grow their businesses to meet the preferences of modern Chinese travelers.
With the steady rise in Chinese travelers visiting Thailand, the tourism industry is now adapting to meet their demands, leveraging digital solutions and strategic partnerships to enhance their experience and capitalize on this growing market segment. (NNT)
