National —
On September 21st, 2024, Mr. Sorathep Rojpotjanaruch, an Honorary Advisor to the Thailand Hostels Association, raised concerns about the significant drop in hotel bookings and spending by Chinese tourists.
According to Sorathep, spending per Chinese tourist has decreased by 20% compared to pre-COVID-19 levels, with the average spending per trip now at 44,000 baht, down from 55,000 baht in 2019.
He also mentioned that the booking rates for Chinese tourists during this year’s National Day holiday, which falls on October 1st, are alarmingly low, causing concern for Thailand’s tourism sector.
Sorathep emphasized that typically, by this time in September, hotels would have already seen advance bookings from Chinese tourists for the National Day holiday. However, hotels of all sizes have reported little to no bookings so far. This is worrying because Chinese tourists represent one of the largest markets for Thailand, especially in October, which is a peak season for travel from China.
Sorathep urged the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) to immediately conduct a survey of the current bookings from Chinese tourists for hotels and flights to key destinations like Phuket, Surat Thani, and Chiang Mai.
Sorathep warned that if there is no surge in bookings within the next five days, Thailand risks missing out on this crucial wave of tourists, potentially falling short of the year’s target of 36.7 million foreign visitors.
Additionally, Sorathep highlighted the need for the government to shift its focus from sheer tourist numbers to quality tourism. He suggested attracting high-spending tourists, particularly Digital Nomads, who can contribute significantly to the economy through extended stays.
Sorathep proposed offering six-month free visas to Digital Nomads, who are increasingly being targeted by countries like Japan. Despite his proposal being raised for over three years, no Thai government reportedly has taken concrete action on this issue, while other countries are already capitalizing on this growing segment, according to Sorathep.
This article originally appeared on our sister website The Pattaya News.
