People visit the Grand Palace in Bangkok, Thailand, in June 2020, as it reopened for visitors amid the easing of COVID-19 restrictions. (Photo: AFP)Bangkok (VNA) – Thailand’s tour operators areexpecting outbound tourism from China will restart in late January 2023 duringthe Lunar New Year festival when China gradually lifts its COVID-19 restrictions.
The move will support the recovery of tourism-relating stocksand Thailand’s tourism.
Speaking at a recent event held by the Federation of ThailandCapital Market Organisation (Fetco), Governor of the Tourism Authority ofThailand (TAT) Yuthasak Supasorn said that the agency has a plan to boostoutbound tourism from China to Thailand next month or within the first quarterof next year at the latest.
It is expected that China authorities will allow its citizens totravel overseas from the lunar new year holidays, he said, adding that Thailandhopes it is on the list of countries that China allows its citizens to travelto.
If excluding Chinese visitors, Thailand expects to receive 11million foreign visitors this year and a rise to 20 million in 2023.
The country welcomed the 10 millionth foreign tourist arrival onDecember 10.
Yuthasak also expects the country’s tourism revenue in 2023 toreach 2.38 trillion baht (over 68 billion USD), equivalent to 80% of its revenue of 3 trillionbaht before the pandemic in 2019.
However, he pointed to major challenges for the country’stourism industry, including the global economic slowdown, currency fluctuations,and energy price crisis, especially when its low season begins in March.
Meanwhile, Fetco President Kobsak Pootrakool said tourism andrelated industries will benefit from the industry's rapid recovery. Currently,many stocks in this industry are still at low prices, and so are the stocks inthe airline, food, and hotel sectors./.
