Chinese tourists are once again heading out for vacations, with many choosing Thailand as their destination of choice.

Thailand’s pristine beaches, vibrant shopping districts, and stunning temples are drawing in crowds once more, with Chinese travelers receiving a warm welcome under a new visa-free policy.

In an effort to boost the country’s economy, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin introduced a visa-free initiative for tourists from China and Kazakhstan, running from September 25 to February 29, making the revival of Thailand’s tourism sector a key focus.

Timed perfectly with China's 'Golden Week' holiday season, which centers around the National Day festivities on October 1, the policy allows for a seamless influx of visitors.

This year's Golden Week also coincides with the Mid-Autumn Festival, leading to a 10-day travel surge from September 29 to October 8. It's one of the first major holiday periods since the pandemic when Chinese citizens can travel freely again.

Chinese tourists arriving from Shanghai were warmly welcomed at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport on Monday, where they were presented with gifts by Prime Minister Sretta and other tourism officials as the new visa-free policy took effect.

Prime Minister Sretta expressed confidence, telling reporters, “We believe this initiative will significantly boost the economy.”

He added, “We aim to attract more Chinese tourists not just to major destinations like Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Pattaya, and Phuket, but to a broader range of locations.”

Sretta highlighted the government’s hope to encourage travelers to explore smaller towns, extending their visits and increasing their economic contributions.

This week’s warm reception was met with approval from Beijing, with China’s Foreign Minister Wang Wenbin praising the gesture during a press conference on Tuesday.

Before the pandemic, China was the leading source of tourists for Thailand, with nearly 11 million visitors in 2019, representing over a quarter of all international arrivals to the country.

In stark contrast, only 2.2 million Chinese tourists visited Thailand from January to September 2023, according to data from the Tourism Authority of Thailand.

After the pandemic-related travel restrictions, Southeast Asian countries had high hopes for a resurgence in international tourism, especially following China’s relaxation of its travel rules in early 2023.

With a sluggish Chinese economy, a weakening yuan, and rising unemployment, regional travel hubs have had to scale back their expectations and prepare for a slower recovery in the tourism sector.

Gary Bowerman, the founder of Check-in Asia, a research and marketing firm specializing in tourism, noted that the new visa-exemption policy will set the tone not only for the busy Golden Week but also for the upcoming Christmas and Lunar New Year holiday seasons.

“The competition to attract Chinese tourists is heating up across the region, and countries must make travel as simple as possible to succeed,” Bowerman remarked.

He pointed out that China’s outbound travel market is currently in a “transitional phase,” with changing travel trends and attitudes post-pandemic, and a growing number of Chinese travelers seeking new experiences, often on smaller budgets.

The surge in travel continues as millions of people take to the skies and explore new destinations.

Last year, China’s Covid restrictions prevented citizens from traveling abroad for leisure, leading to a surge in domestic tourism instead.

Now, despite the ongoing economic challenges, many Chinese who can afford it are seizing the chance to travel abroad for a quick getaway.

One such traveler is Huang, a tech worker who shared with Dinogo on Xiaohongshu (China’s version of Instagram) that last year she spent the long October holiday on a road trip in Sichuan province, but this year, she’s heading to Thailand for a surfing adventure.

“I’ve been to Thailand before, but this time I’m most excited to try surfing. I have no idea what the waves will be like, and I’m looking forward to exploring new destinations,” she said.

Outbound international travel bookings have skyrocketed nearly 20-fold compared to the same period last year, according to Trip.com, which also runs China’s largest travel booking platform, Ctrip.

In September 2022, over 70 major cities across China were under strict coronavirus lockdowns, affecting approximately 300 million people.

Following the announcement of the visa-free policy on September 13, hotel bookings to Thailand soared by 6,220% compared to the same time last year, according to Trip.com. Thailand is expected to be the leading travel destination for outbound Chinese tourists, with South Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, Australia, and the United Kingdom closely trailing.

During Golden Week, over 21 million passengers are expected to travel by air in China, with an average of 17,000 daily international flights and 14,000 domestic flights, as reported by Jin Junhao, a deputy director at the Civil Aviation Administration of China.

Train travel is also seeing a surge, with passengers heading to China’s far-reaching destinations across the country.

China Railway predicts approximately 190 million railway journeys will be made during the 12-day travel rush from September 27 to October 8, based on data from the rail booking platform 12306.

This year, travel during the holiday season has more than doubled compared to last year’s 72 million trips, even surpassing the 138 million trips taken in 2019, before the pandemic hit.

Despite the sharp increase in travel, China’s outbound flight capacity is still about 50% lower than pre-pandemic levels, and international flight prices remain significantly higher than in 2019 due to the limited number of available flights, according to Joanna Lu, head of consultancy for Asia at Ascend by Cirium.

Post-pandemic, Chinese travelers are seeking unique experiences at affordable prices, with shifting preferences that reflect changing habits, said Dr. Wolfgang Georg Arlt, CEO of the China Outbound Tourism Research Institute (COTRI).

“There has been a shift in consumer behavior, with people now seeking more value for their money,” he explained.

Travelers with disposable income will continue to explore, but now they aim to combine leisure with business, health, education, and family activities during their trips, he added.

Challenges in attracting tourists back are being complicated by rumors and the influence of media, hindering efforts to revive tourism.

Before the introduction of the visa-free policy this month, Chinese tourists had been slow to return to Thailand, showing hesitancy in their travel patterns.

For the first time in a decade, China was absent from Thailand’s list of top tourist markets during the first seven months of 2023, as reported by Thailand’s Ministry of Tourism and Sports in August.

Efforts to regain this valuable market were complicated by rumors circulating on Chinese social media, which sparked fears of potential kidnappings in Thailand. Some claimed that travelers might be trafficked to scam centers in Myanmar or Cambodia. These rumors were further fueled by the release of the film 'No More Bets,' a thriller set in a Southeast Asian country where people are deceived into working in fraudulent operations.

On Weibo, a hashtag translating to 'why people are unwilling to travel to Thailand' garnered 420 million views and became a hot topic last month. Some users voiced concerns about being lured into scam factories, while others complained about delays in the visa process at that time.

This surge in negative sentiment prompted the Thai government to work on rebuilding trust with Chinese tourists, according to Sisdivachr Cheewarattanaporn, president of the Thai Travel Agents Association. He clarified that the rumors were baseless and that such illicit activities were occurring in neighboring countries like Myanmar and Cambodia, not in Thailand.

Despite the challenges earlier this year, Thailand’s tourism sector remains hopeful for a rebound, expecting a surge in Chinese visitors during the upcoming holiday seasons.

“The situation may not be fully back to normal, but it's definitely improving. Tour operators are ready for the influx,” said Sisdivachr.