Baht surge makes Thailand pricier than Vietnam for Chinese tourists

“Of course, restoring confidence in Thailand’s safety will take time. But this issue has been deeply ingrained in Thai society for far too long,” said Adith Chairattananon, secretary-general of the Association of Thai Travel Agents (ATTA).

ATTA forecasts that in 2025 Chinese arrivals to Thailand will remain subdued, pressured by safety concerns and Beijing’s push to promote domestic tourism to stimulate its economy.

Looking further ahead, however, the outlook is bright. With China’s 1.4 billion people, more than 400 million are already considered middle class. By 2035, the Chinese premier predicts that number will double to 800 million.

“As the middle class expands, tourism will grow—because travel is a lifestyle for the middle class everywhere,” Adith explained.

He noted that Chinese travellers currently take an average of five overseas trips per year, compared to 13 for Hongkongers, 14 for Singaporeans, nine for Taiwanese, and 3.5 for Thais. This gap shows room for growth and a major opportunity for Thailand.

Despite claims that the “era of 10 million Chinese visitors a year” is over, Adith still believes Thailand could attract 15–20 million annually, citing its advantage as a short-haul destination within five hours’ flying time.

Even so, rising living costs in Thailand—now the highest in ASEAN—pose challenges. The baht’s appreciation against the yuan has made Thailand 20% more expensive for Chinese visitors compared to last year.

“When the baht strengthens 20% against the yuan, how can we not lose ground to Vietnam? Vietnam is offering fresh destinations and building infrastructure across five key cities—Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Danang, Nha Trang, and Phu Quoc—where airport transfers to city centres take under 30 minutes. In Thailand, only Bangkok offers such convenience,” Adith said.

Chinese arrivals fall 35% in first eight months

Pattaraanong Na Chiangmai, deputy governor for Asia and South Pacific markets at the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), said that in the first eight months of 2025, foreign arrivals to Thailand declined mainly from “short-haul markets”.

Chinese visitors dropped by around 35% year-on-year, while South Korea, Hong Kong and some ASEAN countries also recorded declines. In contrast, markets showing strong growth included India, Japan and Indonesia.

According to the Ministry of Tourism and Sports, 3.23 million Chinese tourists visited Thailand between January 1 and September 14, 2025. The full-year figure is expected to reach nearly 5 million—down from 6.7 million in 2024 and far below the pre-Covid record of more than 11 million in 2019.

“The decline in Chinese arrivals this year stems from safety image concerns, which government agencies are working hard to rebuild, as well as changes in China’s tourism structure, where more travellers prefer independent trips,” Pattaraanong said.

“But this does not mean Thailand will only target high-spending tourists—we still value the group-tour segment, as volume remains vital to sustain tourism supply chains.” 

In response, TAT has launched the “Trusted Thailand” campaign, introducing a confidence symbol for tourism businesses. Registration opened in September via www.tourismthailand.org/trustedthailand, enabling travellers to easily access a list of certified establishments that meet safety standards.

TAT also rolled out the “Nihao Month” campaign in Guangzhou on September 15, linking with the Mid-Autumn Festival and China’s National Day holiday on October 1. Activities aim to enhance Thailand’s image and stimulate travel decisions during the high season. 

Partnerships with leading Chinese online travel agencies (OTAs) will promote Thai packages, while the “Chinese Passport Privilege” programme offers exclusive discounts and gifts at shopping malls, hypermarkets, shops, spas and tourism services from September 20 to December 31, 2025.