Thailand welcomes back Chinese tourists as key market returns – Thailand warmly welcomes back visitors

Thailand has welcomed its first group of Chinese tourists since China lifted travel restrictions after virtually sealing its borders due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Three government ministers personally greeted the passengers from the southeastern Chinese city of Xiamen. Thailand was the most-visited international destination by Chinese travellers in 2019, welcoming around 11 million tourists, over a quarter of the country’s overseas arrivals.

Thailand’s deputy prime minister and minister of public health, Anutin Charnvirakul, said it was essential to send a solid signal to revive the economy, adding that if every Thai person welcomes tourists with warm hospitality and takes good care of their health, it will accelerate the country’s economic recovery after suffering from the Covid-19 pandemic for three years. The move underscores the economic significance of Chinese tourists, who were embraced with “arms wide open,” according to Bill Barnett, founder and managing director of C9 Hotelworks, a hospitality consultancy in Phuket. Hotels in Bangkok Riverside have even put out great offers on the table such as the Avani+ Riverside Bangkok Hotel’s ‘Glow Up Wellness Escape’ and ‘Non-stop dim-sum’ offers.