On April 14, tourists cross the road at Ratchaprasong intersection to make their way to the Erawan Shrine which houses a statue of the four-faced Phra Phrom, the Thai representation of Brahma, the Hindu god, believed to grant wishes and luck. Wisuttipong Rodpai
Amid intense competition among Asian countries to attract the Chinese market, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is rolling out its "NEXT" marketing strategies for fiscal 2027 to reduce dependence on certain short-haul markets.During the first four months of this year, Thailand, South Korea and Vietnam attracted similar numbers of Chinese visitors, while tensions between Japan and China simmered.
Even though Japan lost a significant number of Chinese tourists to other Asian rivals, posting a decline of more than 55% year-on-year, it still welcomed 1.4 million arrivals from the mainland, while arrivals surged from competitors such as South Korea, rising 22% to 3.93 million.
Meanwhile, more than 550,000 Thai travellers visited Japan during the first four months, marking a 7.2% increase year-on-year, while another 137,125 travelled to South Korea, up 25%.
Pattaraanong Na Chiangmai, deputy governor for international marketing in Asia and the South Pacific at TAT, said the figures demonstrated the importance of short-haul markets for each country, including Thailand.
