The event officially kicks off TAT’s Nihao Month initiative
The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) officially began Nihao Month with the Amazing Thailand Mid-Autumn Night event at the Siam Paragon in Bangkok.
Officials spearheading the evening gala included Thai minister of tourism Sorawong Thienthong, minister Wu Zhiwu of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the Kingdom of Thailand; and TAT governor Thapanee Kiatphaibool, Governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand.
The event featured impressive cultural shows celebrating Thailand-China cultural ties, an appearance by popular Chinese actor Luo Yunxi, and special performances by popular Thai stars DaOu Pittaya Sae-chow and Mai Davika Hoorne.
The Amazing Thailand, Mid-Autumn Night is part of a series of special events and promotions leading up to a year-long celebration marking 50 years of Thailand-China relations in 2025.
Other activities include various joint promotions between TAT and China’s leading travel platforms between this month and December, the Chinese Passport Special Deals from now until the end of next month, and two Thailand-China friendship caravan trips scheduled between this month and the next.
A novel way of promoting tourism
For her part, Kiatphaibool remarked: “Through content shared with followers of the participating key opinion leaders via various online platforms in China, we hope the special activities at the “Amazing Thailand, Mid-Autumn Night” will further promote Thailand as a cultural tourism destination for Chinese tourists.”
Thienthong said of the event: “Stimulating the international market is one of the key approaches to reviving tourism revenue, particularly the Chinese tourist market. Today’s event celebrates the time-honoured tradition of the Mid-Autumn Festival and strengthens cultural and tourism ties between Thailand and China. The event will indeed help pave the way for mutually beneficial tourism cooperation between two countries in the next decade and beyond.”
Wu added: “The Mid-Autumn Festival symbolises people coming together. The joint organisation of the Amazing Thailand, Mid-Autumn Night event between China and Thailand allows both nations to celebrate together as one close and warm family. This reflects the long-standing close relationship between the people of both countries.”
By the numbers
TAT hopes that Nihao Month festival cancelled translate into 250,000 arrivals from China during the upcoming Golden Week in October.
Special events and promotions will help generate about 500 million online hits and further enhance the positive image of Thailand as the preferred destination for Chinese tourists.
As of 8th September 2024, Thailand welcomed 4,895,707 tourists from China, maintaining its position as the country’s top source of international visitors. This success is bolstered by a significant increase in flight capacity, with 8,588,274 seats available in 2024, a 65 percent jump from the previous year, and the mutual visa exemption policy by the two countries.