Following the mutual visa exemption with Singapore, China and Thailand have also officially implemented mutual visa exemption. On January 28, according to CCTV news, China and Thailand signed a mutual visa exemption agreement, which will take effect from March 1, 2024. After the news was announced, related searches on many travel platforms increased significantly, and the search popularity of Thailand-related keywords increased by more than 7 times compared with the previous day. While helping to promote the recovery of outbound tourism, the agreement has also further benefited the inbound tourism market. On Ctrip's international version of Trip.com Thailand site, the search popularity of China-related keywords increased by more than 4 times compared with the previous day. Recently, the three countries "Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand" have successively exempted Chinese tourists from visas, and "Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand" will also become the most popular outbound travel destinations during the Spring Festival.
Search popularity in Thailand increased by more than 7 times month-on-month
After the mutual visa exemption policy between China and Thailand was officially implemented, the number of searches related to traveling to Thailand on many travel platforms surged.
Ctrip data shows that after the news was announced, the search popularity of Thailand-related keywords increased by more than 7 times compared with the previous day. Among them, air tickets and hotels increased by more than 6 times compared with the previous day. Residents of Shanghai, Beijing, Guangdong, Zhejiang, Jiangsu, Sichuan, Shandong and other provinces search for Thailand more. The most searched destinations in Thailand by Chinese tourists are Bangkok, Phuket, Chiang Mai, Koh Samui and Pattaya.
As the eight-day Spring Festival holiday approaches, many consumers have already arranged trips to Thailand. According to Ctrip data, so far, during the Spring Festival, Chinese tourists’ travel orders to Thailand have increased more than 13 times year-on-year. Among them, consumers in Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou, Chengdu and other places have placed more travel orders to Thailand. Among them, parent-child families accounted for 44%, "post-80s" accounted for 47%, and "post-90s" accounted for 33% of the users who placed orders. Overall, small group and in-depth travel have become new trends in tourism to Thailand. China Tourists are willing to spend more for food and experiences.
Previously, according to CCTV news, Thai Prime Minister Settar Thasa told the media that Thailand’s visa-free entry policy for Chinese tourists is valid until February 29, 2024 and is about to expire. After continuous communication and consultation with China, China and Thailand will implement a permanent mutual visa-free entry policy from March 1, which means that no visa is required for the other country to travel to and from the two countries.
Promote customized products for inbound tourists
The implementation of the mutual visa exemption policy not only speeds up the recovery of the Thai tourism market, but also further benefits the recovery of China's inbound tourism market.
Qin Jing, Vice President of Ctrip Group, said that after the signing of the permanent visa exemption agreement between China and Thailand, it will greatly facilitate the exchanges between the people of China and Thailand. China and Thailand have complementary tourism resources. China is also the closest ice and snow tourism destination to Thailand. The permanent visa exemption will Further promoting Thai tourists to travel to China is expected to promote Thailand to become the top three source countries of Chinese inbound tourists in 2024.
The enthusiasm of Thai tourists to travel to China is also reflected in the data level. On the Thai site of Ctrip International Trip.com, the search popularity of China-related keywords increased more than four times compared with the previous day. Shanghai, Chengdu, Harbin, Shenzhen, Beijing, Tianjin, Chongqing, Zhangjiajie, etc. are the most searched cities by Thai tourists.
Facing the inbound tourism market, some travel agencies are also stepping up their layout. Zhou Weihong, deputy general manager of Spring and Autumn Tourism, said that Thailand is one of the important new tourist source countries for inbound tourism in 2023, and the number of people coming to China for business trips, conferences and incentive travel is also increasing. The Spring and Autumn Inbound Products Department also launched a batch of customized travel products and personalized service projects at the first time to help further develop the inbound travel market.
"Singapore-Malaysia-Thailand" orders increased by more than 15 times year-on-year
As Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand have all exempted Chinese tourists from visas, the golden tourism route of "Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand" will reach a new peak during the Spring Festival.
“Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand” are still the favorites of consumers when traveling abroad. Ctrip data shows that so far during the Spring Festival, travel orders from Chinese tourists to "Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand" have increased by more than 15 times year-on-year. Among them, travel orders to Singapore and Thailand have increased by more than 13 times year-on-year, and travel orders to Malaysia have increased by more than 22 times year-on-year. In terms of inbound tourism, during the spring, tourist orders from "Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand" to China increased by 9 times year-on-year, with Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand increasing by more than 14 times, 11 times and 8 times year-on-year respectively.
Li Mengran, the media public relations manager of Uoxin Travel Group, said that for tourists, it is very beneficial for Chinese tourists to have visa-free access to the three countries of "Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand". Tourists can freely choose their travel destinations. At the same time, "New Zealand, Malaysia and Thailand" The "Malaysia-Thailand" online tour is also very suitable for the travel needs of parent-child families. Judging from the Spring Festival booking data of Uoxin Travel, "Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand" are tourist destinations with better bookings among short-term tours. The overall Spring Festival booking volume is close to 90%. The implementation of mutual visa exemption between China and Thailand is expected to promote the Spring Festival and after the Spring Festival. Sales growth in the travel market.
"'Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand', a popular outbound travel route for Chinese tourists, are mutually visa-free with China, and 'just go' travel will greatly promote the prosperity of the tourism industry in China and Southeast Asia," Qin Jing said. Zhou Weihong also said that with the recent release of a series of good visa news, he believed that "Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand" tourism will be pushed to a new climax, and more tourists will travel to these three countries before and after the Spring Festival holiday.
According to Gu Huimin, a professor at the School of Tourism Science at Beijing International Studies University, adopting the visa mutual exemption policy is one of the best ways to promote the recovery of the outbound and outbound tourism market. During this Spring Festival holiday, the outbound travel market will usher in a travel peak. In particular, the recovery of the "Singapore-Malaysia-Thailand" tourism sector will further accelerate. All tourism companies must make corresponding preparations to lay a solid foundation for the upcoming travel peak.
“In fact, in the long run, the visa-free policy will have a sustainable and long-term boosting effect on tourist destinations. In addition to promoting the tourism industry, it will also be used for study tours, study abroad, and large-scale business awards, etc. It will all play a beneficial role." Li Mengran also said.
Beijing Business Daily reporter Wu Qiyun