Several Chinese airlines have cancelled flights to Thailand due to lower bookings, attributed to China’s economic slowdown. Efforts to boost domestic tourism have not resulted in an influx of tourists. Thailand’s tourism sector is expected to fall short of its target for Chinese arrivals, with only 40% compared to pre-Covid times. The recovery of the Chinese market is crucial for Thailand’s tourism industry, which contributes about 20% to its GDP. Thailand has already welcomed 23 million foreign visitors this year, and it is projected that the number will reach 27.6 million by 2023, according to K-Research.
Chinese Airlines Cancel Thailand Flights
Several Chinese airlines, including Air China, China Eastern, and Shanghai Airlines, have cancelled flights to Thailand for December and January due to lower-than-expected bookings. The cancellations are attributed to China’s economic slowdown and efforts to boost domestic tourism. Initiatives like granting free visas to Chinese nationals have not resulted in an influx of tourists. Chinese arrivals in Thailand are currently at around 40% compared to pre-Covid times.
Tourism Sector Falters
The tourism sector in Thailand is expected to fall short of its target of 4 million Chinese arrivals. The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) now projects that there will be approximately 3.4-3.5 million tourists from mainland China this year, contributing an estimated 190-196 billion baht to the economy. The 10 airlines that have cancelled flights are Air China, China Eastern, Shanghai Airlines, Spring Airlines, China Southern, Shenzhen Airlines, Juneyao Airlines, Okay Airways, Hainan Airlines, and Beijing Capital.
Crucial Chinese Market for Thailand
The recovery of the Chinese market is crucial for Thailand’s tourism industry, which contributes about 20% to its GDP and employs millions of people. Thailand has already welcomed 23 million foreign visitors so far this year, and it is projected that the number will reach 27.6 million by 2023, according to K-Research.
Source : Chinese airlines cancel flights to Thailand due to low tourist numbers
