Will Thailand’s festivals be enough to make Chinese tourists return?
The removal of visa requirements is expected to increase visitor arrivals from China to 8.2 million this year.
A highlight in Chiang Mai's annual calendar is the Yee Peng festival, or Sky Lantern Festival.
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CHIANGMAI: Thailand is banking on its culture to woo the Chinese tourism dollar.
This comes as a permanent visa waiver for Chinese tourists visiting for up to 30 days kicks in on Friday (Mar 1).
Among the experiences expected to attract visitors is the Yee Peng Festival in Chiangmai, where thousands of people set the night sky alight by releasing sky lanterns.
Typically held in November, the dazzling festival is meant to mark the transition from the gloomy days of the rainy season to the brighter days of the cool season towards the end of the year, unique to the northern provinces.
President of the Chiangmai Tourism Business Association Supamit Kitjapipat said that if Thailand can feature in the world records for releasing the most sky lanterns, that may be one way to draw visitors.
“This’ll be more interesting. I think this is an effective soft power that can attract tourists,” he told CNA.
The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) plans to promote the Yee Peng lanterns to Chinese tourists.
"TAT is also trying to spread the information about the tradition to the five branches of TAT in China including Taiwan and Hong Kong, to make Yee Peng more attractive,” said Mr Saksakul Suprakritanan, deputy director at the TAT’s Chiangmai Office.
THE FAMILIARITY OF LANTERNS
Given that lanterns are commonly used in Chinese celebrations as well, Thai authorities believe that the familiarity may appeal to Chinese tourists.
“Yee Peng lanterns also got an influence from China, from the shape to the function with decorations to showcase the beauty of the night. Some lanterns also can spin and project the 12 zodiac signs which can be used to fully explain how we have some Chinese influence,” said Mr Suprakritanan.
Tourists CNA spoke to said that the famed festival of lights is a sight to behold.
Chinese tourist Ye Ming said: “Local traditions can give us a refreshing feeling …The Tourism Authority of Thailand should promote this kind of festival more. Thailand is a major tourism destination so they should do more to attract more visitors.”
More tourists will also mean more money for small local businesses, which may in turn help to keep traditional craft alive.
"If the tradition is promoted correctly and becomes popular, it will contribute to job creation for the villagers, especially the handmade lantern makers. I think this can help the economy at the grassroots level, which is the foundation of the country,” said Associate Professor Sunthorn Khamyod from the liberal arts department at Maejo University.
ATTRACTING VISITORS
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, China was Thailand's biggest source of international visitors, accounting for more than one in four travellers. Out of 40 million foreign visitors in 2019, more than 11 million were from China.
However, last year, Thailand received just 3.5 million Chinese visitors, short of the 4.4 million it hoped for.
The removal of visa requirements is expected to increase visitor arrivals from China to 8.2 million this year.
It remains to be seen how effective the visa-free incentive will be.
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A temporary scheme that had allowed Chinese tourists the same waiver attracted fewer than 500,000 holiday makers within one-and-a-half months. It had been expected to attract 2.9 million tourists from China within five months from September last year to February.
At the time, analysts pointed to a sluggish China economy, the limited number of flights between the two countries and perceived safety concerns for the low figures.
A shooting in Thai capital Bangkok’s luxury Siam Paragon in October last year left a Chinese national dead.
Besides the gun attack, a widely watched movie that showed Chinese human trafficking victims lured and trapped in a foreign country to commit online fraud had also affected visitor numbers. Online scam operations and cases of human trafficking have been flagged as a problem in some parts of Southeast Asia.
Even as Thailand, which depends heavily on tourism for its economy, continues with its efforts to attract Chinese visitors, it may be some time before it reaps the rewards.
