BANGKOK, Nov. 24 (Xinhua) -- Thailand is striving to revive its vital tourism industry with the help of social media influencers and key technology partners from China, the largest source of visitors to the Southeast Asian country before the pandemic.
The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has partnered with leading Chinese social media platforms, mobile payment providers, online travel agencies, and airlines to showcase its diverse attractions and promote quality tourism to travelers from China, said Chattan Kunjara Na Ayudhya, TAT deputy governor, on Friday.
The TAT is implementing initiatives to attract Chinese tourists, including organizing roadshows and familiarization trips for Chinese media and travel agents, developing targeted marketing campaigns on Chinese social media, and offering special promotions for Chinese tourists, Chattan told a news conference.
Focusing on user-generated content and first-hand travel experience to create the country's positive image, Thailand hopes these efforts will help regain confidence in the Chinese market, Chattan said.
Thailand has received over 3.01 million visitors from China so far this year, he noted, adding that the Southeast Asian nation hopes to more than double the targeted Chinese tourist tally, from 3.5 million in 2023 to 8.2 million in 2024.
In pre-COVID 2019, Chinese tourists accounted for about 28 percent of the nearly 40 million foreign tourists to Thailand. Tourism, the key driver of the kingdom's economic growth, contributes about 12 percent of its gross domestic product. ■