Thailand picks Blackpink’s Lisa as tourism ambassador – will Chinese visitors return?

South China Morning PostCenter-RightEN 1 min read 100% complete by Aidan JonesJanuary 30, 2026 at 03:00 AM

AI Summary

short article 1 min

Thailand is experiencing a significant decline in Chinese tourists, impacting its tourism-dependent businesses, particularly in Phuket. Chinese visitor numbers dropped nearly 30% last year due to safety concerns, regional conflicts, a strong baht, and China's promotion of domestic tourism. Businesses are adapting by training staff in new skills, including Chinese tour guides learning English, to attract tourists from other regions like the Middle East, Europe, and India. While the upcoming Lunar New Year offers hope for a temporary increase, the overall trend has led to business closures and operational cutbacks.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Beijing 40% Cambodia 40% Middle East 50% Europe 50% India 50% Lisa (Blackpink) 70% Chanchanat Boonlon ×270% Phuket ×480% China ×490% Thailand ×5100%

Keywords

thailand tourism 100% chinese tourists 90% phuket 80% tourism decline 70% visitor arrivals 60% tourism ambassador 50% lunar new year 50% skills training 40% blackpink's lisa 40%

Sentiment Analysis

Negative

Score: -0.30

Source Transparency

Source

South China Morning Post

Political Lean

Center-Right (0.50)

Far LeftCenterFar Right

Classification Confidence

90%

This article was automatically classified using rule-based analysis. The political bias score ranges from -1 (far left) to +1 (far right).

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thailand tourism chinese tourists phuket tourism decline visitor arrivals tourism ambassador lunar new year skills training blackpink's lisa

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