Though Chinese tourist bookings grew slower than expected in the first month of the year because of safety concerns, they should improve overall from last year as Thailand remains a popular global destination, says online travel agent Trip.com Group.
Thailand's tourism industry was beset by safety concerns after Chinese actor Wang Xing was kidnapped and taken to a scam centre in Myanmar via Thailand last month.
According to Trip.com Group, the operator of CTrip and trip.com, Chinese travellers' hotel bookings in Thailand from Jan 1 to Feb 19 rose by nearly 10% year-on-year. This figure fell short of its original forecast of 50% growth.
Boon Sian Chai, managing director and vice-president of international markets at Trip.com, said the safety issue should be a short-term concern for Thailand.
"After this incident passes, over time the Chinese will return because Thailand is a very attractive destination with good service, culture, hotels and value for money," said Mr Chai.
He said the company anticipated a double-digit booking growth from Chinese tourists visiting Thailand for the entire year.
Overall, it remains optimistic about the Chinese outbound market as many countries now offer visa-free entry for Chinese passport holders.
According to Oxford Economics, Chinese outbound trips are expected to grow 9% above 2019's level this year.
By 2026, it should rise 26% over the level recorded in 2019, overtaking the 24% growth in domestic trips.
Trip.com Group data also showed that flight and hotel bookings for outbound Chinese travellers increased 23% and 22%, respectively, during the Chinese New Year, between Jan 28 and Feb 4 this year compared to the same holiday period last year.
Japan emerged as the top destination for both hotel and flight bookings among Chinese and would continue to be the top choice for global tourists, due to the weak yen, said Mr Chai.
Meanwhile, Thailand would remain attractive for its lower travel costs compared to several destinations.
Regarding Chinese spending power, he said the company remains optimistic about the rising trend of expenditure.
"If they are able to travel overseas, they will be able to spend," he said.
Trip.com Group revealed that the number of bookings for four destinations in the South -- Phuket, Krabi, Samui and Phangnga -- also increased 20% year-on-year during Jan 1 to Feb 19, driven by interest in The White Lotus TV series and the Jurassic Rebirth movie.
The company studied travel trends in 2025 from 6,000 travellers from six Asian markets. Key trends include culinary travel, cruise tourism, travel for major entertainment and sports events, as well as media and film-inspired trips.
