Chart of the Day: Chinese Tourists Sour on Thailand
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Chinese tourists are falling out of love with Thailand, opting instead for destinations like Japan, South Korea and Vietnam that are deemed safer and offer favorable travel conditions.
In August, the number of Chinese visitors to Thailand fell 37.7% year-on-year to around 409,700, according to data platform Macrobond, citing the country’s Ministry of Tourism and Sports. For the first eight months of the year, the number of Chinese tourist arrivals dropped by a cumulative 35.3%.
The drop comes after a series of events dented Chinese tourists’ confidence in Thailand. The disappearance of Chinese actor Wang Xing in the country earlier this year sparked concerns over personal safety. Earthquakes and a recent border conflict with Cambodia have also added to travel anxiety.
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- Chinese tourist arrivals to Thailand fell 37.7% year-on-year in August and 35.3% cumulatively over eight months, due to safety concerns.
- Vietnam, South Korea, Singapore, and especially Japan saw sharp increases in Chinese visitors, with Japan receiving 725,720 arrivals in June 2024 and 4.16 million in the year’s first half.
- Thailand postponed a planned entry fee for foreigners until 2026 as its tourism economy was hit by the decline.
- 2019：
- Chinese tourists accounted for nearly 28% of all international arrivals to Thailand.
- 2023：
- China resumed regular outbound travel.
- 2024：
- Singapore and China implemented a mutual visa-free policy.
- First half of 2025：
- Japan hosted 4.16 million Chinese visitors; South Korea hosted 2.53 million; Vietnam hosted 2.73 million; Thailand hosted 2.26 million.
- Earlier in 2025：
- The disappearance of Chinese actor Wang Xing in Thailand sparked concerns over personal safety.
- June 2025：
- The Netflix series 'K-Pop Demon Hunters' was released, boosting Chinese tourist numbers to South Korea.
- June 2025：
- Japan recorded 725,720 arrivals from China, a new high since China resumed regular outbound travel.
- July 2025：
- Chinese visitors to South Korea exceeded 602,000, a new high.
- July 2025：
- Singapore attracted a record number of nearly 414,500 Chinese tourists.
- August 2025：
- The number of Chinese visitors to Thailand fell 37.7% year-on-year to around 409,700.
- August 2025：
- Vietnam welcomed approximately 414,200 Chinese tourists, an increase of 34.9% year-on-year, surpassing Thailand’s figure for the month.
- First eight months of 2025：
- The number of Chinese tourist arrivals in Thailand dropped by a cumulative 35.3%.
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