TAT launches 'Thailand Safe Travel Stamp' to restore Chinese tourists’ confidence
TAT rolls out Thailand Safe Travel Stamp to restore Chinese tourist confidence after sharp drop in arrivals and fallout from high-profile safety concerns.
The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is rolling out a rapid-response campaign to rebuild Chinese tourists’ confidence after a noticeable drop in arrivals. A new certification initiative—Thailand Safe Travel Stamp—aims to brand tourism operators as safe and trustworthy ahead of the upcoming Golden Week holiday.
New safety stamp to be issued by August
According to Erblarp Sripirom, director of the Tourism Products Division at TAT, the stamp will be granted to qualified hotels, restaurants, shopping malls, and tourism operators by August.
The stamp serves as a follow-up to the Sawasdee Nihao campaign (May 28–June 1), which had minimal success in reversing the slump in Chinese arrivals. That campaign brought 400 tourism agencies and 200 key opinion leaders from China to Thailand, aiming to demonstrate that the country remains a safe destination.
Chinese arrivals decline despite earlier campaigns
Several high-profile incidents have undermined Chinese tourists’ confidence, contributing to a year-on-year decline. From January 1 to June 22, 2.17 million Chinese tourists visited Thailand—a 4.24% drop from the same period last year. Chinese visitors were once the top source of inbound tourism, but they now trail behind Malaysians, who numbered 2.19 million during the same period.
TAT has set a target of 6.9 million Chinese tourists for 2025, which means it must attract an additional 4.73 million in the remaining half of the year.
Wang Xing incident sparks alarm in China
Erblarp acknowledged that certain events earlier this year severely damaged Thailand’s reputation among Chinese travellers. One key incident was the disappearance of Chinese actor Wang Xing, who was lured to Thailand under the guise of an audition and then trafficked to a scam centre in Myanmar. The rescue was widely reported in Chinese media and sparked fears of kidnapping and cross-border crime.
The scandal, particularly on Chinese social media, triggered mass cancellations—especially during the Lunar New Year holiday.
Certification criteria focus on safety and communication
The Thailand Safe Travel Stamp will be awarded based on four key criteria:
- Safety and security of the premises
- Secure payment methods
- Staff’s ability to communicate with foreign tourists
- Ease of access and transportation
Eligible operators must be legally registered businesses that comply with Thai tax laws and meet the Safety and Health Administration (SHA) standards introduced during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Over 50,000 venues already SHA-certified
Thailand currently has 50,779 SHA-certified venues across 10 business categories:
- 22,092 restaurants and food outlets
- 7,329 hotels and homestays
- 1,547 recreational and tourist attractions
- 7,094 transport service providers
- 2,074 tourism operators
- 1,341 health and beauty services
- 627 shopping malls and department stores
- 275 sports activity venues
- 473 theatres and meeting spaces
- 7,926 souvenir shops
October promotion planned for certified venues
A committee will be formed in July to finalise the screening process for certified venues. The stamps will be distributed in August, followed by promotional campaigns targeting Chinese outbound travellers in October.
Industry welcomes fast-track initiative
Thienprasit Chaiyapatranun, president of the Thai Hotels Association, praised the initiative as timely and essential. He attended a meeting with TAT governor Thapanee Kiatphaibool on June 25 and expressed support for what he called a “very good project” to regain the trust of free independent travellers (FITs).
