Bangkok, 14 September 2026 – The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), in collaboration with public- and private-sector partners, today announced Nihao Month 2026, the third edition of the Amazing Thailand Mid-Autumn campaign. Beginning on 15 September, the expanded four-part programme combines digital sales conversion, on-ground visitor privileges, cultural exchange and KOL-led destination storytelling to stimulate Chinese travel around the Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day Golden Week, strengthen confidence in Thailand and sustain market momentum toward Chinese New Year in January–February 2027.
Ms. Thapanee Kiatphaibool, TAT Governor, said, “Nihao Month 2026 brings TAT’s China-market strategy into a more integrated phase. We are connecting travel demand before departure with privileges and quality experiences in Thailand, then extending that engagement through culture and creator-led storytelling. This approach gives Chinese travellers stronger reasons to choose Thailand, stay longer and return, while supporting higher-value travel and reinforcing Thailand as a top-of-mind destination for the Chinese market.”
Introduced in 2024, Nihao Month has evolved into a broader platform for the China market, integrating tourism promotion with cultural exchange and partnership development. Guided by the spirit of “Zhong Tai Yi Jia Qin”—China and Thailand are one family—the 2026 edition aims to strengthen people-to-people connections and promote two-way travel between the two countries. TAT is also reinforcing safety, service quality, and tourism standards, while advancing sustainable tourism cooperation between Thailand and China.
Nihao Month 2026 comprises four connected activities designed to influence travel decisions before departure, enhance the visitor experience in Thailand and extend destination storytelling after the journey.
Meituan Joint Promotion – TAT is partnering with Meituan, one of China’s leading lifestyle platforms covering travel, hotels, dining, food delivery and other consumer services, on an integrated sales and marketing campaign, running from 15 September to 31 October. With more than 80 million users per day engaging with dining and related lifestyle searches, Meituan will use consumer data and Location-Based Service technology to deliver relevant offers across hotels, restaurants, flights and travel activities, including nearby recommendations and real-time booking options once travellers arrive in Thailand. The campaign targets at least 10,000 purchasers while encouraging higher spending and longer stays among travellers from China’s major, new first-tier and secondary cities.
The partnership also strengthens Thailand’s gastronomy positioning through a dedicated Thailand Exclusive Landing Page featuring fine dining and the Black Pearl Restaurant Guide. Chinese food and travel KOLs will create first-hand content positioning Thailand as a premium culinary and travel destination. At the same time, the Thai Food Explorer Recruitment campaign on Meituan and Xiaohongshu will encourage user-generated content around Thai food and travel experiences. Together, the activities are designed to convert digital interest into bookings and spending while extending Thailand’s visibility among Chinese consumers.
Chinese Passport Privilege – Running in parallel from 15 September to 31 October, the programme brings together 20 partners across shopping and lifestyle destinations, spa and wellness, transport, travel applications, telecommunications and online payment platforms. Chinese visitors can access exclusive discounts, vouchers, complimentary products, connectivity packages and payment privileges by presenting a Chinese passport at participating locations. The programme extends engagement from arrival through departure, broadens visitor spending opportunities across sectors and strengthens cooperation between TAT and tourism partners. Selected offers will continue beyond the main campaign period.
Amazing Thailand Mid-Autumn Celebration 2026 – On 25 September, TAT will stage Amazing Thailand Mid-Autumn Celebration 2026 at One Bangkok, presenting the Mid-Autumn Festival as a shared cultural bridge between Thailand and China. The event will bring together around 30 Chinese KOLs and influencers, a celebrity guest and cultural workshops spanning lantern decoration, calligraphy and traditional fortune-stick activities. Through these experiences, TAT aims to deepen Thai–Chinese cultural connections, strengthen Thailand’s positioning as a cultural destination and translate destination awareness into travel demand.
Amazing Thailand Mid-Autumn KOLs FAM Trip – From 26–29 September, the 30 KOLs will continue on the Amazing Thailand Mid-Autumn KOLs FAM Trip, experiencing the “5 Must Do in Thailand” and Thailand’s 5F soft power across four themed routes: Krabi under “Green Rediscover”; Phetchaburi–Hua Hin under “Amber Gastronomy”; Chiang Rai under “Rainbow Retreat”; and Rayong–Ko Samet under “Blue Healing”. Through first-hand experiences and content creation, the programme will extend campaign reach, reinforce positive perceptions of Thailand, strengthen people-to-people connections and support TAT’s drive towards higher-value Chinese travel.
TAT expects Chinese travel to Thailand during the extended Mid-Autumn–Golden Week period from 25 September to 7 October to grow by 24 per cent, with around 250,000 arrivals generating approximately 11.5 billion Baht in tourism revenue, up 37 per cent year-on-year. During the official National Day Golden Week from 1–7 October alone, arrivals are forecast at around 137,000, up 21 per cent, with tourism revenue reaching about 4.2 billion Baht, up 35 per cent.
ForwardKeys data show bookings to Thailand for October up 16 per cent, while flight searches from China have risen 24 per cent, led by Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Hangzhou and Chongqing. The extended holiday period is also encouraging longer stays as travellers combine the Mid-Autumn and National Day breaks, while six new direct routes from China to Thailand launching across September and October will provide additional capacity.
