Thailand Shifts Tourism Strategy Amid US Tariffs and Chinese Market Challenges

Tourism Authority bosses in Thailand strategise to maintain American visitor numbers amidst concerns over increased US import duties

 

Thailand's tourism authorities are implementing new strategies to maintain international visitor numbers following the introduction of "Trump's Reciprocal Tariffs" on April 9th, 2025, while simultaneously addressing ongoing challenges in the Chinese market.

 

The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) plans to emphasize the country's value proposition to counter potential negative effects on American tourists, while expanding efforts in promising European markets to compensate for a slowdown from China.

 

The TAT has assessed the potential impact of President Trump's new retaliatory import duties on Thailand's tourism sector and is determined to maintain its target of one million American visitors in 2025.

 


"Despite Trump's announcement on reciprocal tariffs, we are determined not to lower this target," stated TAT governor Thapanee Kiatphaibool. "In the first three months of the year, we've already welcomed 320,000 American visitors, making them the eighth largest group of foreign tourists."

 


 



 

The authority plans to promote Thailand as a destination offering exceptional value for money, coupled with outstanding travel experiences and competitively priced goods to appeal to cost-conscious American travelers.

 

Rather than reducing targets for long-haul tourists, the TAT intends to boost numbers from particularly promising markets to mitigate risks associated with some short-haul markets experiencing a slowdown.
  

Southern European countries, including Italy and Spain, are showing significant growth potential despite current visitor numbers being in the hundreds of thousands. The TAT is also working to attract other high-spending markets, such as Israel.

 

Major European markets, including Germany and the United Kingdom, are expected to meet their targets of one million visitors each this year, while the Russian market could potentially reach two million arrivals.

 


"We intend to increase targets, mirroring our approach to other long-haul markets," Thapanee explained. "Conversely, the Indian market is showing strong growth, with projections of 2.4 to 2.5 million arrivals in Thailand this year."


 



 

The original policy target for Chinese tourists this year was eight million visitors, though the TAT is now aiming for around 7.3 million.

 

Thanapol Cheewarattanaporn, president of the Association of Thai Travel Agents (ATTA), believes even seven million may be challenging.

 

Key obstacles include persistent image problems following a series of incidents that have dampened Chinese travelers' confidence. These include reports of a missing Chinese actor near the Thai-Myanmar border earlier in the year, crackdowns on fraudulent call centers, and a recent earthquake.

 


"Currently in China, people aren't receiving positive news from Thailand, even though the situation has improved," Thanapol said. "Tour operators in China are reluctant to heavily promote Thai holiday packages due to lingering safety concerns. They face an uphill battle to sell them compared to other destinations like Japan, where the perception of safety is stronger."
 
 

To address these challenges, the ATTA has proposed organizing a "Mega Fam Trip" called "Sawasdee Thailand," which would bring 600 to 700 tour company representatives and journalists from various Chinese provinces to experience Thailand firsthand.

 



 

The association believes revitalizing the Chinese market requires coordinated government action beyond just tourism agencies. For example, the Ministry of Interior could renew "sister city" initiatives by signing Memorandums of Understanding with Chinese cities to facilitate tourist exchanges.

 

The TAT plans to revive traditional marketing tactics, working closely with tour operators to attract Chinese tour groups from emerging cities that have not previously featured prominently as sources of Thai tourists.

 

Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra has called for all relevant departments to intensify efforts to stimulate Thailand's tourism sector, particularly with the Songkran festival approaching.

 

Speaking after a meeting at the TAT Building on Wednesday, the Prime Minister emphasized the opportunity to boost the economy and generate income for businesses, especially SMEs who have prepared for the holiday period.

 


"We need to return to promoting 'Amazing April in Thailand' as usual, with the government's full support," she stated.


 

The TAT will conduct further assessments before potentially revising its overall target for international tourist arrivals during the remaining nine months of the year.

(2025/04/10-00:00)