Concerns over safety in Thailand have led to a surge in cancellations from Chinese tour groups ahead of the Chinese New Year holiday. Independent travelers are also showing slower booking patterns due to heightened fears.
Recently, Hong Kong-based singer and actor Eason Chan canceled his concert in Thailand, citing safety concerns regarding Chinese fans. The Hong Kong Security Bureau also deployed a task force to investigate the case of its citizens being targeted by job scams in Southeast Asia, with some lured into human trafficking schemes.
However, Natthriya Thaweevong, Thailand's permanent secretary for tourism and sports, clarified that no Hong Kong nationals had been abducted or deceived in Thailand. The incidents involved individuals who were hired to transport goods to South Asia and tricked into entering Myanmar via Thailand. The Hong Kong government has advised its citizens to exercise caution if approached with offers of high-paying jobs.
Thailand's Ministry of Tourism and Sports has assured Hong Kong authorities that the country is reinforcing its safety measures for tourists. Tourist Police are now providing 24-hour assistance to visitors in need of support.
The impact on tourism is becoming increasingly visible, especially for hotels targeting Chinese group tours. Prachoom Tantiprasertsuk, chairperson of marketing for the Thai Hotels Association, revealed that bookings in key destinations, especially Bangkok, have begun to drop. Tour companies, which have the flexibility to cancel hotel and flight bookings, are particularly affected. Independent tourists, whose bookings are generally non-refundable, have been less impacted.
While the situation is still unfolding, hotel operators are urging the government to take swift action to restore confidence in safety and prevent a decline in bookings. Before the human trafficking concerns related to Chinese actor Wang Xing emerged, Thailand had seen strong bookings for the upcoming Chinese New Year, with hotels in Bangkok reaching 70-80% occupancy and resort areas like Phuket reporting 80-90% occupancy.
Meanwhile, Thai Lion Air’s Nuntaporn Komonsittivate noted a significant number of cancellations from Chinese tour groups, including charter flights to Phuket. The airline expects to see clearer patterns once bookings are finalized closer to the end of this week, given that Chinese travelers can make last-minute decisions thanks to the visa-free policy between Thailand and China.
A source from Thai AirAsia also confirmed that new bookings from Chinese customers continued to decline this week, signaling growing concerns about travel to Thailand.
Source: Bangkok Post
Bd-pratidin English/ Jisan
