Over 130 flights on Chinese New Year 2011

BANGKOK, 17 January 2011 (NNT) – As the Chinese New Year is approaching, Chinese tourists are flocking into Thailand. Over 130 flights have been chartered to fly Chinese holidaymakers to Thailand during the Chinese New Year as travel agencies are changing their strategies by aiming at high-end tourists and first-time visitors hoping to increase 30 percent profit. Their main goal is to attract 99 percent of first-time tourists.

During the Chinese New Year, which will fall on February 3, there will be approximately 130 chartered flights loaded with Chinese travelers coming to Thailand. More than half of the flights, around 80, will fly directly to Phuket, the pearl of the Andaman Sea, according to Thai-China Travel Relationship Association President Wichit Prakobkosaan.

The main factors that make Phuket popular are an increase in the purchasing power of the Chinese people and what the tiny island has to offer: pristine beaches, world class accommodation, and Thai hospitality, to name just a few. Moreover, the infamous political crackdown last year has led to more travelers opting to fly non-stop to Phuket, causing quite a concern among tourism entrepreneurs in the capital.

Over 120,000 tourists are expected to visit Thailand during the Chinese New Year. The number is expected to hit 1.05 million by year’s end and will likely increase considerably in the next three to four years thanks to China’s economic expansion and the strong yuan, which makes traveling abroad much cheaper than ever for her citizens. In addition, most of the people in China have regained confidence in Thailand in terms of safety, given the emergency decree blanketing more than half of the nation has been lifted, which led to the Chinese government lifting the warning against coming to Thailand, added the president.