The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) on 10 February 2026 launched a year-long initiative—Zhong Tai Yi Jia Qin, or ‘China and Thailand Are One Family’—aimed at restoring Chinese arrivals to pre-pandemic levels. Working with major mainland online travel agencies such as Qunar, Tongcheng, Fliggy and Klook, as well as Thai Airways and duty-free giant King Power, TAT will roll out themed promotions aligned with each Chinese holiday period, from the imminent Lunar New Year to the Mid-Autumn Festival.
The strategy bundles airfare-and-hotel packages under an expanded Holiday Air-Tel Scheme that gives Chinese visitors exclusive shopping discounts and fast-track airport services. Marketing spend will be channelled into livestreams and influencer content designed to rebuild safety confidence—still a sticking point after isolated crime incidents in 2025—and to showcase new tourism products in secondary Thai cities.
Amid these preparations, travelers who do require visas—such as Chinese residents needing business, work or extended-stay permits—can streamline the paperwork through VisaHQ’s digital concierge platform. VisaHQ’s China office (https://www.visahq.com/china/) guides applicants step-by-step, pre-checks documentation to avoid embassy rejections, and can arrange courier hand-offs so passports need not leave the traveler’s possession for long. This service can shave days off the lead time and fits neatly with the tight booking windows TAT is encouraging.
![Thailand Unveils ‘Zhong Tai Yi Jia Qin’ Campaign to Court Chinese Travellers Throughout 2026]()
Behind the upbeat branding is hard economics. From 1 January to 5 February Thailand welcomed just under 500,000 Chinese tourists, far below the monthly peaks of 2019. TAT believes the new campaign can lift daily arrivals to 20,000 during the 13–22 February New Year window and reach a cumulative 241,000 for the holiday. Success is critical for airlines and hotels that have ramped up capacity on Bangkok, Phuket and Chiang Mai routes; many negotiated temporary landing-fee waivers on the assumption that Chinese load factors would climb this quarter.
For Chinese business travellers the programme offers ancillary benefits: promotional fares are valid for mixed-purpose trips, and TAT’s partnership with King Power includes duty-free allowances that can be redeemed against conference expenses. Corporates running regional meetings in Thailand should monitor seat-inventory releases, which are expected to open 30-day booking horizons at discounted rates.
Mobility advisers note that Thailand’s mutual 30-day visa-waiver with China remains unchanged, but elevated demand during campaign periods could strain appointment slots at China-based Thai visa-centres for travellers who need longer-stay or work categories. Early documentation and contingency routing via less-busy consulates (for instance, Chengdu or Kunming) are recommended.
The strategy bundles airfare-and-hotel packages under an expanded Holiday Air-Tel Scheme that gives Chinese visitors exclusive shopping discounts and fast-track airport services. Marketing spend will be channelled into livestreams and influencer content designed to rebuild safety confidence—still a sticking point after isolated crime incidents in 2025—and to showcase new tourism products in secondary Thai cities.
Amid these preparations, travelers who do require visas—such as Chinese residents needing business, work or extended-stay permits—can streamline the paperwork through VisaHQ’s digital concierge platform. VisaHQ’s China office (https://www.visahq.com/china/) guides applicants step-by-step, pre-checks documentation to avoid embassy rejections, and can arrange courier hand-offs so passports need not leave the traveler’s possession for long. This service can shave days off the lead time and fits neatly with the tight booking windows TAT is encouraging.
Behind the upbeat branding is hard economics. From 1 January to 5 February Thailand welcomed just under 500,000 Chinese tourists, far below the monthly peaks of 2019. TAT believes the new campaign can lift daily arrivals to 20,000 during the 13–22 February New Year window and reach a cumulative 241,000 for the holiday. Success is critical for airlines and hotels that have ramped up capacity on Bangkok, Phuket and Chiang Mai routes; many negotiated temporary landing-fee waivers on the assumption that Chinese load factors would climb this quarter.
For Chinese business travellers the programme offers ancillary benefits: promotional fares are valid for mixed-purpose trips, and TAT’s partnership with King Power includes duty-free allowances that can be redeemed against conference expenses. Corporates running regional meetings in Thailand should monitor seat-inventory releases, which are expected to open 30-day booking horizons at discounted rates.
Mobility advisers note that Thailand’s mutual 30-day visa-waiver with China remains unchanged, but elevated demand during campaign periods could strain appointment slots at China-based Thai visa-centres for travellers who need longer-stay or work categories. Early documentation and contingency routing via less-busy consulates (for instance, Chengdu or Kunming) are recommended.
