BANGKOK, THAILAND – Tourism authorities and business leaders gathered this week in the Thai capital to confront steep visitor losses from China and to call for urgent safety and infrastructure reforms.
Alarming figures and cautious forecasts
During the “Rebuilding Thai Tourism Trend: Travel for New Gen” discussion on Monday in Bangkok, Nithee Seeprae, Deputy Governor for Marketing of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), reported that international arrivals may reach 34 million visitors by the end of 2024. In an interview at the event, Seeprae said: “WE CAN’T SAY EVERYTHING LOOKS GOOD, BUT WE SEE SOME RECOVERY.” He added that the fall came mainly from short-haul markets, especially China, while long-haul tourists from Europe and the United States continued to rise.
Generation shift reshapes travel demand
Addressing a crowd of more than 200 hotel and airline representatives at the Siam Kempinski Hotel Bangkok, Seeprae stressed that younger travelers now choose different destinations than their parents. “THE NEW GENERATION OF TRAVELLERS WANTS SOMETHING DIFFERENT,” he said, explaining that the TAT has launched new digital campaigns using pop culture and influencer content to attract younger audiences across Asia. The agency plans to roll out the next wave of youth-focused marketing by October 2024.
Security concerns deter Chinese visitors
At the same forum, Chai Eamsiri, Chief Executive of Thai Airways, linked the downturn to rising safety concerns among Chinese tourists. He stated that police incidents and online reports of scams had amplified hesitation in major Chinese cities such as Shanghai and Beijing. “IF WE IGNORE SECURITY TODAY, WE’LL FACE LONG-TERM DAMAGE TOMORROW,” Eamsiri warned. Alongside airfares and fierce regional competition, these fears have reduced seat occupancy on Bangkok–Guangzhou routes by more than 20 percent since May.
Thienprasit Chaiyapatranun, President of the Thai Hotels Association (THA), echoed Eamsiri’s remarks, urging stronger cooperation between the Interior Ministry and hotel operators. The TAT, responding on Tuesday, confirmed that it would coordinate with about 1,000 hotels and restaurants nationwide to upgrade visitor security measures and emergency systems.
Infrastructure push and new regional projects
Chaiyapatranun also demanded deeper investment in transport links, calling for expanded flight connections and an ambitious railway link between ASEAN and China. He proposed that discounted cross-border train tickets could revive arrivals from China’s southern provinces within two years. The THA leadership hopes the Ministry of Transport will allocate funds for feasibility studies by early 2025.
In the same statement, Chaiyapatranun suggested building new artificial attractions—theme parks and entertainment zones—to rival those in Vietnam and Singapore. He argued that natural beauty alone no longer sustains Thailand’s competitiveness. According to THA data shared at the event, Thailand still ranked among the top three destinations for Chinese travelers during 2023, but total arrivals dropped by approximately 30 percent compared with 2019.
Coordinated response ahead
Despite the crisis tone, Seeprae said the tourism recovery remains possible if agencies move quickly. He projected that with coordinated campaigns among airlines, hoteliers, and government bodies, Thailand could regain lost confidence within six months. “IF EVERYONE WORKS TOGETHER, WE CAN RETURN TO THE NUMBER ONE SPOT IN ASEAN TOURISM,” he told participants at the close of the Bangkok session. The government is expected to review these proposals before the next TAT quarterly meeting in December 2024.