Thailand expects Chinese tourists to fall by 2 mln this year

Members of the Thai Airways crew disinfect the cabin of an aircraft of the national carrier during a procedure to prevent the spread of the coronavirus at Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi International Airport, Thailand, January 28, 2020. REUTERS/Athit Perawongmetha

BANGKOK: Thailand expects the number of Chinese tourists to fall by 2 million to 9 million this year due to the coronavirus oubreak in China, the Tourism Authority of Thailand said on Tuesday.

Tourism has been hit hard by China's ban on all group tours. Chinese tourists, Thailand's biggest source of visitors, were numbered about 11 million last year.