PM launches 'Sawasdee Nihao' event, reinforcing trust in Thailand's security

The Prime Minister stated that tourism serves as one of the key bridges connecting Thailand and China on a deeper level, resulting from both countries' tourism promotion policies.

The Thai government aims to enhance facilitation measures, develop infrastructure, and strengthen security in tourist areas by intensively integrating technology. This is to ensure the safety of tourists' lives and property while also supporting the establishment of new types of man-made destinations to continuously attract visitors.

Paetongtarn believes that today’s Sawasdee Nihao initiative marks the beginning of a sustainable pathway for tourism promotion between the two nations. 

“It is intended to instil confidence that every step tourists take in Thailand, whether they are Chinese or from other countries, will be filled with happiness, comfort, and genuine security,” she said.

Tourism and Sports Minister Sorawong Thienthong stated that the government is committed to fostering high-quality, sustainable tourism while creating opportunities for all sectors. Emphasis is placed on restructuring towards standards and quality over quantity.

"'Sawasdee Nihao' will be the starting point of long-term collaboration, enhancing trust, business opportunities, and promoting the tourism image of both nations," he said.

Additionally, this reflects Thailand’s firm commitment to reshaping its tourism image in the Chinese market while strengthening partnerships with Chinese stakeholders to jointly create meaningful and sustainable tourism routes, Sorawong added.

To celebrate 50 years of diplomatic relations between Thailand and China, the "Sawasdee Nihao" programme runs until June 1, aiming to establish a new image of Thailand as a safe, high-quality, and welcoming destination, fostering confidence and trust among Chinese tourists.

The initiative brings together 400 travel agents, 200 media representatives and key opinion leaders (KOLs) to experience Thai tourism firsthand. Additionally, a business negotiation platform will be organised, engaging over 500 Thai entrepreneurs to facilitate sales in the Chinese market. 

It is expected to generate over 350 million consumer impressions and approximately 5,000 business negotiations.

The opening ceremony was graced by Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra and Chinese ambassador Han Zhiqiang. The event also featured a keynote address on tourism policy by Tourism and Sports Minister Sorawong Thienthong.

Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt delivered a keynote speech on the capital’s readiness to welcome tourists, along with the "Bangkok We Are OK" campaign, at Centara Grand & Bangkok Convention Centre at CentralWorld.

Sawasdee Nihao consists of five key activities:

• Business negotiations between Thai and Chinese entrepreneurs, bringing Chinese tour operators from both major and secondary cities to engage in business discussions with Thai tourism operators.
• Tourism forum aimed at fostering positive communication, building confidence, and reinforcing Thailand’s role as a quality destination.
• Welcome reception for Chinese tour operators, media representatives, KOLs, and Thai tourism entrepreneurs, designed to create a lasting impression and reflect Thailand’s readiness.
• Agent & Media Mega Fam Trip—A route exploration and tourism product trial in Bangkok, Chonburi (Pattaya), Rayong, Chanthaburi, Nakhon Pathom, Ratchaburi, Ayutthaya, and other high-potential areas.
• Sawasdee Nihao: A Celebration of Thai-China Relations & Celebrities Marketing—An activity to enhance Thailand’s image by leveraging influential personalities in the Chinese market to convey positive narratives, generate buzz in mainstream media, and inspire target audiences to visit.

Although the Chinese tourist market has shown signs of decline, Thailand welcomed 1.90 million Chinese tourists between January 1 and May 27.

The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) continues to implement proactive measures, aggressively expanding into the Chinese market. This includes accelerating charter flight initiatives across multiple regions, which currently show a projected growth rate of 52%. 

The highest growth areas include Beijing (up 26%), Shanghai (up 117%), and Chengdu (up 164%), the authority said.

Additionally, a large-scale campaign will be launched to enhance Thailand’s image within China, encouraging Chinese tourists to visit and share their experiences via social media, generating user-generated content between May and July 2025.

Preparations are also underway for Nihao Month, a grand event set to coincide with the Mid-Autumn Festival and China’s National Day in October. This includes mega fam trips, sales promotions in collaboration with online travel platforms, shopping malls and restaurants, as well as leveraging celebrity marketing to attract Chinese tourists.

Furthermore, the five TAT offices operating in China will focus on activities and projects aimed at refining Thailand’s tourism image, generating positive sentiment, boosting travel confidence, expanding awareness in high-potential secondary cities, and stimulating demand among quality travellers.

These initiatives are expected to drive the Chinese tourist market towards its 2025 target of 9 million visitors, generating an estimated 550 billion baht in revenue.