- Photo: The Nation/ANN
BANGKOK: Malaysian, Chinese and South Korean visitors top the list of foreign tourists planning to welcome the Year of the Snake in Thailand.
According to digital travel platform Agoda, Bangkok is the most popular destination among Thai and foreign tourists planning to spend Chinese New Year in the kingdom.
The company reported on Wednesday (Jan 15) that accommodation search data on the Agoda platform since December revealed that Bangkok is the top domestic destination that Thai tourists planned to visit during Chinese New Year, which starts on Jan 29.
In second and third places are Pattaya in Chonburi province and Chiang Mai province, with accommodation searches increasing from the previous year by 38% and 55% respectively, it said.
Agoda noted that this year Thai tourists are also interested in new destinations, such as Khon Kaen, which saw a 2,964% year-over-year increase in accommodation searches.
Foreign tourists visiting Thailand during Chinese New Year searched for accommodation in Bangkok the most, a 70% year-over-year increase.
Other popular destinations include Phuket and Hat Yai (Songkhla), which saw 80% and 30% YOY increasing accommodation searches, respectively.
The platform noted that Malaysians top the lists of foreigners looking for accommodation in Thailand during Chinese New Year for the second consecutive year, followed by Chinese and South Korean visitors.
For Thai tourists planning to travel overseas during the Chinese New Year, Agoda reported that Tokyo was the most popular destination in terms of accommodation searches, which increased 66% YOY, and retains its top position for the second consecutive year.
In second place was Seoul (519% increase YOY) followed by Osaka, Japan (42% increase YOY).
Agoda noted that this year Hong Kong did not make the list of Thai tourists’ top choices despite being 3rd last year, reflecting a change in travellers’ interest and demand. - The Nation/ANN
