According to survey by Ctrip, a Chinese provider of travel services including accommodation reservation, transportation ticketing, packaged tours, Thailand will be the Chinese’s top destination during the 8-day golden week. Second popular destination is Japan.

Initial estimate by the Ministry of Tourism and Sports is 260,000 Chinese tourists arriving during the golden week period, and 21 billion baht in earnings.

According to the China Tourism Academy, more than 710 million Chinese tourists will be traveling domestically or abroad during this year’s holiday, up 10% year over year.

Total tourism receipts during Golden Week 2017 are expected to increase by 12.2% year over year and reach ¥590 billion ($89 billion).

Mid- to long-haul trips appear to be the norm: 49% of Chinese travelers plan to travel for 4–7 days, while 31% plan to travel for 2–3 days and 18% for one week to one month.

The China National Tourism Administration’s Holiday Travel Guide indicates that the Southeast Asia region remains the most popular short-haul travel destination. This is largely attributable to the relative ease with which certain countries in the region grant visas to Chinese passport holders.

In addition, the number of direct flights between Chinese and Southeast Asian cities has grown this year, making it easier for Chinese tourists to reach various destinations in Southeast Asia.

Chinese passport holders benefit from visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 65 countries and regions around the world this year, an increase from 57 countries last year.

Thai permanent secretary for Tourism and Sports Mr Pongpanu Svetarundra said the ministry has forecast that about 260,000 Chinese tourists will visit Thailand during the Golden Week, up 35% from the same period last year, according to NNT.

According to the ministry, the Chinese tourists will likely spend their holidays in Bangkok, Pattaya, Phuket, Chiang Mai and Samui Island.

source: Thailand Business News