Bangkok (VNA) - Up to 183,000 Chinese tourists are expected to visit Thailand during this year's Golden Week holiday, representing an 88% recovery from 2019, generating 5.1 billion THB (150 million USD) in revenue, according to the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT).
TAT Governor Thapanee Kiatphaibool said Chinese arrivals during Golden Week from October 1-7 should see 30% growth from 18,000 daily visitors recorded since the beginning of this year.
At present, the Chinese outbound market has recovered to 85% of 2019's level, while flight capacity between Thailand and China has improved 70% year-on-year, she said. During the seven-day holiday, TAT forecasts about 132,000 and 183,000 Chinese arrivals, generating 3.7-5.1 billion THB, up from 2.3 billion THB recorded in last year's Golden Week.
According to travel data firm Forwardkeys, the number of flight bookings from China to Thailand during the holiday period increased 250% year-on-year.
According to the TAT, direct flights between Thailand and China in this period tallied 1,097 flights, offering 197,757 seats, connecting 43 Chinese cities with six airports in Thailand.
Thapanee noted that the visa exemption also helped attract Chinese tourists, as the number of arrivals soared 122% year-on-year in the first seven months.
The TAT launched various programmes for the China market in September and October, such as promotional campaigns with five Chinese online travel platforms, special deals for Chinese passport holders and Butter Bear mascot campaigns, she added./.
