China to serve as a springboard for Thailand’s tourism recovery

Tuesday, April 21, 2020

In Q3/Q4 the Chinese travel is forecasted to rebound and is also set to lead Thailand’s tourism recovery. This is as a recent study by C9 Hotelworks and DAC China Digital Services.

In mid-April the study was conducted which surveyed over one thousand respondents in first-tier cities within China and focused on sentiment towards outbound overseas travel, along with a deep dive into the metrics of Thailand’s travel potential post Covid-19.

It looked  at the impact on specific destinations within the country. It noted positive sentiment towards outbound travel from China highlights and the survey results  revealed 53 per cent of respondents would like to travel in 2020. The most popular months for trips abroad for the remainder of the year being August, October and December.

Also, 71 per cent of those surveyed said they would like to travel to the country and one interesting shift in the data is that 83 per cent would choose independent travel over group tours.

Bangkok leads the charge among the most popular Thai destinations Chinese travellers want to visit,  and this is followed in order by Phuket, Chiang Mai, Koh Samui and Pattaya. More than 75 per cent of demand was pinpointed in the top three destinations.

When considering accommodation,  72 per cent said they would prefer staying at a hotel or resort, as opposed to an Airbnb lodging; while the trip budget for 50 per cent of those surveyed was US$2,100 per person.

C9 Hotelworks managing director Bill Barnett said that they  expect Thailand’s reopening trajectory to initially be dominated by the domestic storyline but move quickly into inter-regional travel punctuated by the outbound China sector who are ready and willing to visit the country as demonstrated by the survey results.

There will still be a lingering global fear factor for travellers in the wake of the pandemic, Thailand’s favourable door to door flying time and vast network of approved routes to the mainland supports lead indicator.

Another is the appreciation of the Chinese yuan against the Thai baht in 2020, after reaching a low point in 4Q2019. Thailand’s policy of visa-on-arrival for Chinese travellers is also a strong driver of demand.

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