Thailand’s target of drawing up to 9 million Chinese tourists by 2025 is under threat, following a surge in flight cancellations, attributed to safety concerns raised by the kidnapping of a Chinese actor in Thailand, while many Chinese travelers redirected their choice to safer destinations like Japan and Singapore.
According to Bloomberg Intelligence, flight cancellations from China to Thailand spiked 94% in January, with Japanese ski resorts and hot springs becoming the preferred choice for Chinese New Year.
Bloomberg’s Eric Zhu noted that safety fears are a significant deterrent for Chinese visitors, overshadowing the measures implemented by Thailand to ensure safety.
At the same time, Japan has benefited from the situation, with Chinese flight bookings more than doubling in the first quarter compared to last year, aided by a weak yen and competitive airfares.
This influx helped Japan surpass Thailand as the top pick for Chinese tourists during the 2025 holidays. Asia’s second largest economy welcomed a record 980,000 Chinese tourists in January alone, while about 711,000 visited Thailand within the same period.
Though initiatives to quell unlawful operations are underway, Thailand’s ability to reclaim its status as a top destination for Chinese tourists—who constitute a major portion of foreign tourism revenue—remains uncertain.
Tourism contributes significantly to Thailand’s GDP and employment, with industry earnings predicted to reach about $55 billion by 2025. Still, meeting the ambitious tourist targets requires a resolution to ongoing safety concerns, with Zhu indicating that failure to do so might limit arrivals to under 7.5 million in 2025.
However, as bookings for flights from China to Thailand in March are still experiencing a decline of around 10% on a week-to-week basis, according to China Trading Desk, which monitors the mainland travel market, there is a positive trend for April and May, with flight demand showing growth of over 3%.
Meanwhile, the marketing firm also pointed out that while apprehensions about Thai travel have reduced, other areas like Malaysia and Singapore are witnessing stronger resurgence in Chinese tourist arrivals.
Thienprasit Chaiyapatranun, President of the Thai Hotel Association, noted that the Thai government and tourism industry should not only focus on curbing scam activities but also expand tourism development beyond well-known spots like Bangkok, Phuket, and Chiang Mai.
He observed that many Thai residents prefer vacationing in Japan over domestic destinations like Phuket. Hence, to regain high-quality travelers, Thailand must enhance its offerings and introduce a wider array of attractions to draw visitors.
