BANGKOK: Thailand expects around 250,000 Chinese visitors during the 2026 Golden Week period, generating an estimated 11.5 billion baht in tourism revenue.
Thapanee Kiatphaibool, governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), said the Chinese travel market was showing clearer signs of improvement ahead of China’s National Day holiday, or Golden Week, in 2026.
TAT is focusing on the period from September 25 to October 7, covering both the Mid-Autumn Festival and the National Day holiday over 13 days.
Around 250,000 Chinese tourists are expected to visit Thailand during the period, up 24% from the same period last year, generating an estimated 11.5 billion baht in revenue, up 37%.
Stronger revenue growth than visitor numbers suggests an opportunity for Thailand to shift the Chinese market toward higher-value, higher-quality tourism.
Longer stays expected during Golden Week
One notable trend this year is the prospect of longer stays, with the average trip extending from about eight days to 13 days as travellers combine the Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day holidays.
The longer break could increase spending per trip while encouraging Chinese visitors to explore a wider range of destinations and experiences.
Advance bookings for travel to Thailand in October have risen 16%, while searches for flights from China to Thailand are up 24%.
Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Hangzhou and Chongqing are among the leading departure cities.
Another positive factor is the increase in direct flights from China to Thailand, including services to Bangkok, Chiang Mai and Phuket. The additional capacity is expected to improve convenience and create more opportunities to disperse visitors beyond the main destinations.
The baht has also weakened by around 9.8% against the yuan, to approximately 4.93 baht per yuan, improving Thailand’s price competitiveness for Chinese travellers.
Thapanee said TAT would use the Golden Week period to intensify its marketing efforts through the Amazing Thailand, Mid-Autumn (Nihao Month) 2026 campaign.
Activities will include KOL mega familiarisation trips, Thai cultural experiences, special privileges for Chinese tourists and cooperation with market partners.
The campaign aims to strengthen confidence in Thailand as a quality and safe destination, while encouraging higher spending and longer stays and extending the momentum through to Chinese New Year 2027.
China remains one of Thailand’s most important tourism markets, but competition has changed as Chinese travellers have more destination choices and are increasingly willing to travel farther afield.
TAT said Thailand’s challenge was therefore no longer simply to attract as many Chinese visitors as possible, but to make the country more appealing, encourage longer stays and higher-value spending, and give travellers more reasons to return. -The Nation/ANN
