The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is using digital marketing initiatives and visual destination campaigns to strengthen consumer confidence and drive demand from the Chinese outbound market.
Following the spread of safety-related rumours on Chinese social media, TAT has stepped up efforts to address negative perceptions and reinforce confidence in Thailand as a tourism destination.
Siriketanong Trairattanasongphol, director of the East Asia region at TAT, said restoring confidence requires close monitoring and a rapid response to public concerns.
“Our primary strategy is meticulous media monitoring. When we encounter fabricated stories, we immediately clarify the situation to the public. For legitimate incidents, we coordinate swiftly with relevant law enforcement agencies to reach a resolution,” Siriketanong said.
Pattaraanong Na Chiang Mai, deputy governor for international marketing, Asia and South Pacific, said TAT is focused on communicating that Thailand remains a safe destination for visitors.
“We must clearly communicate that tourists are not the targets of bad actors. While visitors should exercise standard caution, Thailand is secure for leisure travel,” she said.
Pattaraanong noted that the Chinese market has performed strongly this year, with arrivals during the first five months tracking at an estimated recovery rate of 18 to 19 per cent. TAT remains on course to achieve its target of 6.7 million Chinese arrivals in 2026.
To support its marketing efforts, TAT has partnered with China Media Group (CMG) to utilise digital tools and platforms.
“To effectively counter negative perceptions, we introduced an AI influencer named Nong Mali. This digital ambassador, launched in December 2025, allows us to proactively broadcast engaging narratives directly to Chinese consumers,” Pattaraanong explained.
TAT is also developing tourism products that align with the content-sharing habits of younger Chinese travellers, with a focus on destinations that perform well on social media.
“We recently brought Chinese agents to survey the Red Lotus Sea in Udon Thani and immediately recognised its immense appeal for this market. Chinese tourists are driven by visual aesthetics and highly value unique photo opportunities,” Pattaraanong said, adding that the experience of “sitting on a boat wearing beautiful dresses provides the exact type of stunning visual content that Chinese girls actively seek”.
The tourism board is promoting such destinations through initiatives including charter flights linking Udon Thani with the Chinese cities of Yiwu and Wuxi.
Pattaraanong stated TAT’s long-term objective is to convert first-time visitors into repeat travellers.
“Ultimately, our objective is to ensure that every visitor departs with exceptional experiences. We want them to retain those positive memories, encouraging them to travel to Thailand again in the future,” Pattaraanong concluded.
