Phuket / Beijing – Chinese travelers retain great confidence in Thailand as a popular travel destination according to statistics recently released by a leading travel website in China, which shows the famous Thai beach resort of Phuket as the most searched for location for this year’s Chinese Moon Festival travel period on 6-8 September.

The Chinese International Travel Monitor (CITM) by www.hotel.com has reported an increase of 27% in online searches for the holiday destination for this year’s Moon Festival holiday when compared to the same period last year.

Of the top 10 most searched for destinations, nine are in Asia. Phuket, Thailand comes in first place, followed by Seoul, South Korea, and Taipei, Taiwan. The Thai capital of Bangkok also makes the list, ranking at seventh place.

The report also revealed that the most popular activities among Chinese tourists visiting Thailand are sightseeing and visiting famous tourist attractions (73%), eating famous local dishes (64%) and shopping (56%). In terms of spending behaviour, travelers from China spend the most on shopping, constituting 53% of the total travel budget, followed by spending on visiting famous tourist attractions at 18% and dining at 14%.

The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) welcomed the good news, saying the fact that so many Chinese travelers are seeking information about Thailand as a holiday venue during the important Moon Festival holiday proves that the kingdom remains an appealing destination for travelers from China.

Mr. Thawatchai Arunyik, Governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand said, “This great news also comes at an opportune time when Thailand is now offering a tourist visa fee waiver for holders of Chinese and Chinese Taipei (Taiwan) passports for three months from 9 August to 8 November, 2014. Chinese travelers planning to visit Thailand during this three-month period can make use of this wonderful scheme to come to enjoy a wide variety of tourist attractions, famous Thai food and shopping opportunities, especially in Phuket.”

Phuket is Thailand’s largest island located approximately 852 kilometres south of Bangkok. It has been a popular attraction, especially among foreign tourists from all over the world due to the natural beauty of beaches, islands, cultural attractions as well as fully-equipped modern tourism facilities that meet all needs.  Some of its beautiful beaches have been recognised internationally; namely, Patong, Kata, Karon and Nai Han.

The island has seen continuous development in tourism facilities that can meet the needs of all types of holidaymakers. International travelers can find Phuket a perfect destination for various activities; namely, honeymoon, diving, yachting, golfing, and even cultural tours, sports and shopping.

Phuket is conveniently accessible as several domestic and international airlines have scheduled daily direct flights.