Thailand was the top Southeast Asian destination for Chinese tourists during this year’s extended Lunar New Year holiday, welcoming around 250,000 arrivals between February 15 and 23. The rebound is expended to be driven in part of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), which launched the “China and Thailand Are One Family” campaign, offering discounted travel packages and celebratory events. After last year’s decline due to safety concerns over scam centers and regional tensions, some local businesses report that Chinese visitors now account for 30% of customers, up from 20% last year. Thailand’s Suvarnabhumi Airport alone was projected to handle 440,000 Chinese arrivals, contributing to an expected 10% rise in total foreign visitors to Thailand in 2026.
Other popular destinations for the Chinese travelers during the Lunar New Year included South Korea, Malaysia, and Singapore respectively. The online tourism platform noted that destinations within a four-hour flight from mainland China, as well as Hong Kong and Macau, remained highly popular.
Geopolitical tensions reduced Chinese travel to Japan, which received only 130,000 visitors, down from 260,000 last year. This has shifted demand toward Southeast Asia, where safety, accessibility, and affordability remain key draws. Thailand reported steady growth in Chinese arrivals in the weeks leading up to the holiday, reflecting the country’s ability to benefit from regional travel shifts, even as competition from Vietnam and a strong baht present ongoing challenges.
