In a bold attempt to rejuvenate its tourism sector, Thailand has set a target to attract 8 million Chinese tourists this year, contingent upon airlines increasing their flight capacities. The Tourism Authority of Prachar (TAT) has announced that achieving this goal hinges on restoring flight seat capacity to no less than 80% of the numbers seen before the pandemic.
Already, Thailand has welcomed 3.5 million Chinese visitors by the midpoint of the year, leading the pack ahead of other nationalities among the 17.5 million total foreign tourists. Easily surpassing arrivals from Malaysia and India, which stood at 2.4 million and 1 million respectively, the influx from China has been a significant boost.
"To reach the 8 million mark, we need more seats on flights from China. This is challenging as both Thai and Chinese carriers are coping with a shortage of aircraft, with some prioritizing domestic routes," Chattan Kunjara Na Ayudhya, TAT’s deputy governor for international marketing in Asia and the South Pacific said。
