On January 28th, China and Thailand signed a mutual visa exemption agreement. Following the announcement, searches related to Thailand surged by over 7 times compared to the previous day, with searches about flights and hotels increasing by over 6 times.
According to official data, the enthusiasm for Thai travelers visiting China is also soaring high. Searches related to China on Trip.com, Ctrip's international version, surged by over 4 times compared to the previous day.
Up to now, the orders for Thailand travel from Chinese tourists during the 2024 Spring Festival have increased by over 13 times year-on-year, of which family trips accounted for 44%. Most of the tourists booking trips to Thailand are from Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou and Shenzhen. Data also shows that small-group travel and immersive experiences have become new trends for Chinese tourists, who are willing to dig deep into their pockets for delicious food and exciting activities.
At the same time, the number of Thai tourists visiting China has also increased by over 6 times. Popular destinations include Shanghai, Guangzhou, Beijing, etc.
Qin Jing, Vice President of Ctrip Group, said that the permanent visa exemption between China and Thailand will come into effect from March 1, extending the existing visa-free policy for Chinese tourists, which was scheduled to end on February 29th. The mutual visa exemption agreement will greatly facilitate exchanges between the two countries. "As Thailand and China complement each other in tourism resources, with China being the closest winter destination to Thailand, the permanent visa exemption will attract more Thai tourists to visit China, making Thailand one of the top three tourist markets for Chinese inbound tourism in 2024," said Qin Jing.
Qin also mentioned that popular destinations for Chinese outbound tourists, including Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand, have all implemented the mutual visa exemption. It has made it easier for people to travel and will greatly contribute to the flourishing of the tourism industry between China and Southeast Asia. According to Ctrip data, as of now, the number of Chinese tourists traveling to Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand during the Spring Festival break has increased by over 15 times year-on-year, while the number of visitors from these countries to China has increased by 9 times.