Pattaya expects to welcome more Chinese tourists during the Chinese New Year, which falls on Jan 22, while Phuket has prepared for the return of Chinese tourists after the southern island saw over 6.6 billion baht in earnings from tourism during the New Year holiday.
Sanphet Supbowornsathian, president of the Thai Hotels Association's Eastern Chapter, said on Wednesday the Chinese policy to ease Covid-19 restrictions was good news for Pattaya City because Chinese tourists were a major target group.
Mr Sanphet said tour companies have resumed their business after news that the Chinese government will lift Covid-19 travel policies and allow the Chinese to travel internationally, starting this Sunday.
Initially, so-called Free Independent Travellers (FIT), visitors who travel by themselves rather than with tour groups, will arrive during the Chinese New Year in late January. As for those who travel in groups through agencies, they are likely to start visiting Thailand around March.
He added that hotel owners and the tourism sector are prepared to welcome Chinese tourists and are also equipped with Covid-19 preventive measures to provide comfort and safety to both locals and international tourists.
However, Mr Sanphet said tourism might not grow as much this year as it did before the pandemic due to many reasons, such as the recession, which compels people to tighten their spending. On the bright side, he believed Thailand still has the potential to attract more visitors worldwide, with its affordable tourism budget and excellent services.
Meanwhile, Indian tourists are either postponing or cancelling their trips to Pattaya as their government now requires them to be tested for Covid-19 before their return home, according to the Thai Hotels Association.
Mr Sanphet said the new requirement introduced on Jan 1 by India's Ministry of Health and Family Welfare for travellers from Thailand, China (including Hong Kong), Japan, South Korea and Singapore to produce negative RT-PCR tests had prompted big groups of Indian tourists to either cancel or postpone their trips to Thailand.
"The mandatory RT-PCR tests raises the costs of tourists and they are delaying their visits. Only small groups (of Indian tourists) remain," Mr Sanphet said.
Besides Pattaya, Phuket is also another city pleased by the news of incoming Chinese tourists. Nanthasiri Ronnasiri, the director of the Tourism Authority of Thailand Phuket Office, on Wednesday said the easing in China signals a great opportunity.
TAT will launch a campaign welcoming Chinese tourists, as many of them are set to celebrate Chinese New Year in Phuket. She said Phuket welcomed 208,750 tourists from Dec 30-Jan 2, 2023.