Thailand’s Tourism Authority has partnered with Baidu to improve its image among Chinese tourists following safety concerns.

The agreement, signed on Feb. 27 in Bangkok, will use digital marketing and AI-driven insights to address issues like the recent disappearance of Chinese actor Wang Xing near the Thai-Myanmar border.

Though authorities said he traveled voluntarily, the incident led to a drop in Lunar New Year bookings from Chinese visitors.

The partnership aims to attract more high-quality Chinese tourists throughout 2025.

In 2024, Thailand welcomed 6.73 million Chinese visitors out of 35.54 million international arrivals. The government hopes to restore pre-pandemic levels of 40 million foreign tourists by the end of 2025.

Tourism is vital to Thailand’s economy, contributing 12% to GDP and 20% to total employment.

Recent Baidu developments