Vietnam has emerged as the primary beneficiary of a major shift in Chinese travel patterns, drawing visitors who had originally planned trips to Thailand, according to Bloomberg.
The Southeast Asian nation recorded nearly 14 million foreign arrivals in the first eight months of 2025, with Chinese visitors—its largest source market—posting a 44 percent year-on-year increase through the end of August.
This surge signals a fundamental change in the preferences of the world’s largest travel market. More than 3.5 million Chinese arrivals have fueled Vietnam’s record-breaking tourism performance this year, while Thailand continues to grapple with challenges that have deterred mainland travellers, including safety concerns linked to scam centres and high-profile security incidents.
The redirection of Chinese tourism could translate into as much as $3.5 billion in lost revenue for Thailand, now flowing to Vietnam and other regional destinations, according to China Trading Desk, which tracks Chinese travel and credit card spending. Thailand has seen Chinese arrivals fall about 35 percent so far in 2025, with one-way airline seat capacity from China down more than 11 percent year-on-year to 5.1 million seats in the January–August period.
“For this new group of Chinese travellers, Vietnam offers something fresh,” said Subramania Bhatt, chief executive of China Trading Desk. “Many visitors feel Vietnam is more off the track, a bit more authentic.”
The shift is being driven by a new wave of independent Chinese tourists seeking unique experiences. More than 40 percent are now first-time international travellers, described as independent, educated, and increasingly willing to spend more on curated experiences rather than traditional budget tours.
Vietnam’s tourism-related retail sales surged about 51 percent year-on-year through August, according to market analysis firm BMI. Authorities have introduced targeted initiatives to attract Chinese visitors, such as paragliding and hot air balloon festivals in border provinces, while hotels across major destinations are hiring Mandarin-speaking staff to cater to rising demand.
Industry analysts forecast Vietnam will draw a record 22.6 million foreign arrivals in 2025, surpassing the pre-pandemic high of 18 million in 2019. By contrast, Thailand faces headwinds, with Kasikorn Research Centre projecting hotel revenues to contract by 4.5 percent this year.
“Chinese travellers who have never been to Thailand are still scared,” said Thienprasit Chaiyapatranun, president of the Thai Hotels Association, acknowledging the challenges facing Thailand’s tourism recovery.
