BANGKOK – The Tourism Authority of Thailand is confident that the number of Chinese arrivals will hit its target in the second quarter of this year.
TAT Governor Yuthasak Supasorn said today that although the number of tourists from China to Thailand fell in recent months by around 2%, he believes the total spending by Chinese visitors in the second quarter, including the low tourism season, will reach the target.
Mr. Yuthasak said that the level of Chinese spending is expected to rise because the government has actively clamped down on illegal tour operators known as the zero-dollar tour from China — an operation that has resulted in the arrival of better quality travelers.
He added that nuclear tensions in the Korean Peninsula and political unrest in several countries have also benefited Thailand’s tourism lately.
The TAT Governor said that domestic tourism has also been improving due to better economic conditions but it remains to be seen what the situation will be after the Songkran holiday when the low season for tourism begins.
