Chinese flyers to Chiang Mai surge during Golden Week

CHIANG MAI — Visitors from China using Chiang Mai Airport jumped during the ‘Golden Week’ period, reinforcing the northern city as a popular vacation destination for the Chinese.

Airport acting managing director Gp Capt Sakan Udol said on Thursday an average of 1,744 Chinese travellers passed through the airport each day of the Golden Week from Oct 1-7, soaring 37% from the daily average of only 1,271 last month.

The figure was compiled by immigration authorities manning the main northern airport.

More travellers from South Korea and Taiwan also increased during the same period, he said without providing further detail.

Gp Capt Sakan said the increasing number underlined Chiang Mai as a favourite city for holidaymakers from China and expected the trend would continue during the high season, which begins later this year and will extend into early next year.

He credited direct air links between Chiang Mai and Chinese cities for bringing in more Chinese tourists to the northern city.

According to analysts, Thailand’s tourism outlook is brightening for the final three months of 2026, with foreign arrivals gaining momentum thanks to recovering short-haul demand and expanding flight connectivity, while the domestic market remains resilient.

Meanwhile, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is reassessing its high-season forecast, accounting for major flooding across several areas of Bangkok and the eastern region while it awaits household relief measures before offering the sector a lift.