Bangkok (VNA) – Thailand’s tourism industry, a key pillar of the national economy, is facing a turbulent year in 2025 as international arrivals are projected to fall by 5% as a result of a sharp decline in Chinese tourists and mounting competition from other Asian destinations.
From January 1 to July 5, 2025, the country welcomed 16.8 million international visitors, compared to the 17.7 million recorded during the same period last year. Tourists from nearby countries fell by 12.2%, with East Asia seeing a sharp fall of 24.8%. This drop is primarily attributed to fewer Chinese travellers, whose number decreased by 34.2% compared to pre-pandemic levels in 2019.
Other markets such as India, Japan, Singapore, Australia and the US have shown growth, particularly among long-haul travellers who tend to spend more. Yet, their smaller volume, making up only 28% of total arrivals, means they cannot fully offset the Chinese tourism shortfall.
Historically, China was Thailand’s top source of international tourists, contributing nearly 28% of all arrivals with about 11.1 million visitors in 2019. In stark contrast, Chinese tourists now make up only 13.6% of arrivals, with projections estimating that the total Chinese visitor number will decrease to below 5 million in 2025 for the first time in over a decade (excluding COVID-19 years).
Facing current challenges, Thailand is making concerted efforts to revitalise its tourism sector, which accounts for around 20% of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP).
The Thai government decided to delay the implementation of the long-planned Travel Fee for Foreign Tourists, locally referred to as the “Kha Yeap Pan Din” (literally, “stepping onto Thai soil” fee). Initially scheduled to come into effect in 2025, the fee is now expected to be introduced in mid-2026.The fee, set at 300 THB for air arrivals and 150 THB for land or sea entries, will be used to improve tourist sites and fund insurance coverage for foreign visitors.
Meanwhile, local authorities are also providing a subsidy of 350,000 THB per charter flight. New agreements recently signed with travel agents in Chongqing, Lanzhou, and Hangzhou are also hoped to bring some 150,000 Chinese tourists to Thailand.
Earlier this year, it rolled out a new digital entry system, replacing paper-based procedures with a streamlined online registration process aimed at delivering a more seamless visitor experience.
Experts remain optimistic that the full impact of these stimulus measures will become more apparent by the end of this year. They predict that, barring any unforeseen disruptions, the number of Chinese visitors to Thailand could recover to 70–80% of pre-pandemic levels by the end of 2026./.
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