COVID: Chinese tourists hit Thai beaches for first time in 3 years

• China lifted COVID-19 restrictions and reopened its borders.
• The reopening of China boosts optimism for the return of Chinese visitors.
• The Thai government anticipates at least five million Chinese tourists this year.

Phuket: Chinese visitors are returning to Thailand for the first time since China lifted COVID-19 restrictions and reopened its borders, visiting white-sand beaches and enjoying mango sticky rice and prawns.

“We hadn’t traveled out of China in three years because of the pandemic,” said tourist and company owner Kiki Hu, 28, in Krabi on Thailand’s southwest coast. “We may now depart and come here for the holidays. I’m pleased and emotional “.

With China celebrating the Lunar New Year, Asia’s tourist hotspots have been bracing for the return of Chinese tourists, who spent $255 billion worldwide prior to the pandemic. Countries ranging from Thailand to Japan had previously relied on China as their primary source of foreign visitors.

Yoyo Chen, 32, a business owner from Yiwu in central China, said returning to Thailand felt like coming home.

“I came to eat seafood. When I visited here before, I ate mango sticky rice, which was amazing. I kept thinking about the mango sticky rice here while I was in China. I’m looking forward to the meals and seeing the beaches “Chen stated.

“Obtaining visas is now quite simple. The tourism business is more established here, there are many enjoyable activities and cuisine, and the Thai people are quite friendly “She stated.

The reopening of China boosts optimism for the return of Chinese visitors, who made up roughly a third of Thailand’s 40 million foreign tourist arrivals prior to the pandemic.

The Thai government anticipates at least five million Chinese tourists this year, with 300,000 arriving in the first quarter.

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