Chinese New Year 2027 falls on Saturday 6 February, and Thailand's Chinese group market is going into it weaker than planned. The Association of Thai Travel Agents (ATTA) said in late October that group bookings are more than 30% below last year. Explera DMC Thailand explains what changed and what agents selling Thailand should do now.
Explera handles ground arrangements as a Thailand DMC for travel agents. Its Thai company, Explera DMC Co., Ltd., holds TAT licence 14/05119, the Tourism Business Licence issued by the Department of Tourism, and the group is IATA TIDS-registered (96215733) and a member of ASTA (900408341). Write to b2b@explera.co.th.
What happened in October?
On 16 October the Chinese Embassy in Bangkok issued a safety advisory. It described Chinese nationals who went missing or were held after being lured with job, business or investment offers, some of them taken towards the border with Myanmar, and it told travellers to use legal, licensed transport and to refuse any arrangement that takes them to border areas. Thai ministers answered within days: Tourism Minister Surasak Phancharoenworakul said genuine tourists were not the target, and Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow asked the embassy to keep its warnings proportionate.
What does ATTA expect for Chinese New Year 2027?
ATTA president Thanapol Cheewarattanaporn said cancellations have already pushed Chinese group bookings more than 30% below last year, and the association fears group tours over Lunar New Year 2027 could fall by as much as half. That is a forecast, not a count. ATTA asked the government to talk to the Chinese ambassador urgently, and Sihasak said on 27 October that he would. Our Golden Week 2026 results post has the arrivals picture before the advisory.
What should agents selling to Chinese clients do?
Take the advisory seriously and put it in the joining instructions in plain words. The cases it describes start with an offer of work or investment, not with a holiday, so the useful advice is specific: travel with a licensed operator, use booked transport with a named driver, and say no to anyone who offers a job, a deal or a free ride to the border. Groups booked through a registered agency and handled on the ground by a Thailand DMC already travel that way. Our China market page sets out how we work with agencies in China.
Does this change February for other markets?
Possibly, but do not plan on it. The week around 6 February is normally one of the busiest of the Chinese year in Bangkok, Pattaya and Chiang Mai, and a weaker group market could leave hotels with more space than usual. Independent Chinese travellers and other markets may fill it, and the government talks could change the picture before February. If your clients need that week, hold rooms now and review them in December, as our high-season buyer's market post suggests for the whole season. Our hotel bookings team can hold and release space for you, and the rest of what we do is on our Thailand DMC services page.
Next steps
Send us your Chinese New Year dates and group sizes through our contact page. The trade desk replies within 24 hours and will tell you what is still open.
Sources
- Nation Thailand: ATTA fears 50% fall in Chinese group tours to Thailand at Lunar New Year 2027
- Nation Thailand: Sihasak asks Chinese Embassy to keep travel warnings proportionate
- Khaosod English: China warns citizens of job scams, abductions in Thailand
Frequently asked questions
When is Chinese New Year 2027?
Saturday 6 February 2027, the start of the Year of the Goat. China's official holiday days are set by the State Council and are usually published late in the year before.
Is it safe for Chinese tour groups to travel to Thailand?
The embassy advisory concerns people lured by job, business or investment offers, some taken towards the Myanmar border. Thai ministers say ordinary tourists are not the target. Groups that travel with a licensed operator and booked transport, and refuse unsolicited offers, follow exactly what the advisory recommends.
How far have Chinese group bookings fallen?
ATTA says cancellations have left group bookings more than 30% below last year, and it fears a fall of up to 50% in group tours over Lunar New Year 2027. The second figure is a forecast.
Will hotels have more space in February 2027?
Some may, if the group market stays weak, but independent travellers and other markets can fill it. Hold the rooms your clients need now and review them in December rather than waiting for a late deal.
