Siriges-A-Nong Trirattanasongpol, executive director of East Asia Region at the Tourism Authority of Thailand Photo: Li Hao/GT

The Chinese market remains extremely important to Thailand's tourism industry in terms of both value and volume, Siriges-A-Nong Trirattanasongpol, executive director of East Asia Region at the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), told the Global Times in an exclusive interview on Friday, noting that "it is essential for us to build confidence among travelers to Thailand so they can enjoy a safe, free and happy journey."

The remarks were made amid the state visit to China by King Maha Vajiralongkorn Phra Vajiraklaochaoyuhua of the Kingdom of Thailand from Thursday to Monday. This marks the first visit to China by a Thai King since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries, according to Xinhua.

"The royal visit at this time is remarkable for the relationship between our two nations, once again highlighting that Thailand and China are not just partners but 'as close as one family,' as the phrase says," said Trirattanasongpol, noting that it shows the deep ties between the two neighboring countries, which existed long before the establishment of diplomatic relations 50 years ago.

The bilateral relationship goes beyond political and economic levels, as it is also rooted in people-to-people exchanges, she said, noting that "Thailand always warmly welcomes Chinese tourists, and Thai people are likewise interested in coming to China not only to see the country but also to experience its culture, which forms part of the roots of Thai culture as well."

So far this year, Thailand has received about 3.9 million Chinese visitors, representing around 13 percent of all international tourists, according to latest data that TAT provided to the Global Times on Friday. Although this figure is 33 percent lower than the same period last year, China remains one of our top sources of tourists, Trirattanasongpol said.

TAT's projection for the number of Chinese tourists to Thailand this year is around 4.5 million, "a target we still strongly believe we can achieve, keeping China among our top source markets," said the Thai tourism official.

The number of Chinese tourists to Thailand has declined due to multiple factors, including safety concerns, an issue that Trirattanasongpol said she understands and shares, and a series of safety measures has been introduced.

"We understand and share the concerns of many Chinese tourists when traveling to Thailand, and we are making every effort to ensure the safety of visitors not only from China but from all countries," she said, giving example of the Trusted Thailand stamp, a new nationwide accreditation program that certifies hotels and tourism businesses based on safety, service quality, digital payment readiness and multilingual support. Chinese travelers can look for this symbol as an assurance of comfort, convenience, and high-standard hospitality, according to the official.

Despite the difficulties, she believes that it would not take too long for the recovery trend to build up among Chinese tourists.

To cater to the needs of Chinese tourists, Thailand has launched various schemes and measures to attract more Chinese visitors. Since September 25, 2023, the Thai government has granted Chinese citizens a temporary visa waiver.

"I believe confidence among Chinese tourists will gradually recover, and I expect that as early as the upcoming Chinese New Year next year, we will begin to see signs of a rebound," she said.