Overtaking Thailand, Vietnam is the top regional destination for Chinese tourists

Vietnam welcomed 3.5 million Chinese visitors, surpassing Thailand, thanks to independent travelers, authentic experiences and increased spending, boosting the tourism industry.

Chinese tourists get off the plane, starting a sightseeing and vacation trip in Khanh Hoa . (Photo: Tien Minh/VNA)

Vietnam has overtaken Thailand as the region's top destination for Chinese tourists, with a record 3.5 million arrivals since the beginning of this year (as of August 2025), while the number of visitors to Thailand has dropped sharply by about 35% compared to the same period last year.

The boom in tourist arrivals to Vietnam represents a major restructuring of Southeast Asia's multi-billion dollar tourism industry, with much of the impact on Thailand.

The shift could mean Thailand loses $3.5 billion in revenue, according to China Trading Desk, a company that tracks Chinese tourism and credit card spending.

The shift, fueled by a new wave of independent Chinese travelers, signals a fundamental shift in tastes in the world's largest travel market.

For this new group of Chinese tourists, Vietnam offers something new. Many feel Vietnam is different and more authentic, said Subramania Bhatt, CEO of China Trading Desk.

Up to now, Vietnam has welcomed nearly 14 million international visitors this year, of which the number of tourists from China, the largest source market, increased by 44%.

Chinese tourists visit the Independence Palace. (Photo: Hong Dat/VNA)

The Vietnamese government and private tourism companies are focusing on attracting more foreign tourists, especially Chinese ones. For example, the government of Quang Ninh province, which borders China, has partnered with businesses to develop paragliding and hot air balloon festivals to attract longer-stay visitors.

In the coastal city of Da Nang, big, bold Chinese characters are now printed on everything from hotel entrances to street food stalls. Hotels are hiring Mandarin-speaking staff or using translation apps to communicate with guests.

Some Chinese are ditching the low-cost, guided package tours and looking for cheap flights like before the pandemic.

More than 40% of Chinese visitors are independent, educated travelers looking for authentic experiences, according to Mr. Bhatt. And they are increasingly willing to spend more money.

According to market analysis firm BMI, heavy spending by Chinese tourists is boosting retail sales in Vietnam's tourism sector this year by about 51%.

BMI analysts expect Vietnam to attract a record 22.6 million visitors this year, surpassing the 2019 peak of 18 million.

Meanwhile, from January to August 2025, one-way seat capacity on flights from China to Thailand fell more than 11% year-on-year to 5.1 million, according to flight analytics data from Cirium.

Although tourists from mainland China remain Thailand’s largest source market, the decline in the number of visitors from this market contributed to a 7% drop in total foreign tourist arrivals to Thailand, despite strong growth from other markets such as Europe and the US.

Kasikorn Research Center forecasts hotel revenue in Thailand to fall 4.5% by 2025, with room occupancy rates falling.

Thailand is also losing its reputation for value, with mainland Chinese tourists complaining on social media about rising prices for hotels, food and taxis in the wake of the pandemic.

However, there is still hope for a recovery in Thai tourism in the coming winter season, which is traditionally the peak season in the country./.

(TTXVN/Vietnam+)

Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/soan-ngoi-thai-lan-viet-nam-la-diem-den-hang-dau-khu-vuc-cua-khach-trung-quoc-post1062106.vnp