Tourists take photos at the Grand Palace scenic spot in Bangkok, Thailand, June 15, 2023. Thailand has approved a temporary visa waiver for visitors from China and Kazakhstan during the year-end high season in support of its vital tourism industry.(Photo: Xinhua)

Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin plans to visit China from October 8 to 10 to discuss a series of matters with his Chinese counterpart, including how to further strengthen bilateral relations, with tourism cooperation in the spotlight, the Bangkok Post reported on Sunday.

Srettha visited Chiang Mai, Thailand, on Saturday, where he said that Thailand is well-prepared to welcome Chinese tourists. He told police in Chiang Mai the importance of maintaining security for international tourists while fighting illegal activities that would disrupt tourism market.

"There is a deep friendship between China and Thailand, and travel between the two countries is very convenient. From the moment Chinese tourists enter Thailand, they will experience satisfactory service, whether in baggage claims or the journey from the airport to the destination," Srettha noted, according to a report by China Media Group on Sunday.

To welcome Chinese tourists, Thailand has launched supportive measures, including additional flights, hotel incentives, and promotional activities at tourist attractions and shopping venues. 

Srettha said that he expected closer travel exchanges between Thailand and China and significant development in the two countries' tourism sectors during the upcoming Chinese National Day and Mid-Autumn Festival holidays.

The visit showed that Thailand attaches great importance to developing tourism, a vital pillar of Thai economy, in order to revive its economy that faces downward pressure, Zhou Shixin, director of the Institute for Foreign Policy Studies at the Shanghai Institute for International Studies, told the Global Times on Sunday.

Zhou said that tourism could serve as a starting point to strengthen cooperation between China and Thailand.

"For the new Thai government, economic development is its top priority. Therefore, this visit may aim to strengthen cooperation with China in a broader range of economic and trade fields, such as digital economy, maritime economy and new-energy vehicles," Zhou said.

Thailand is committed to promoting tourism, and has taken measures to attract tourists from China and other countries and regions. On September 13, the Thai government announced that it would implement a visa-free program for Chinese sightseers, which will be in effect from September 25 until February 29 next year.

"One important factor to boost Thai economy is to revive tourism. Tourism plays a crucial role in the overall economy of Thailand," Zhou said.

Data from Chinese online travel agency Qunar.com showed that after the release of the visa-free policy, searches for flights to Thailand were up more than 70 percent week-on-week, with searches for Thai hotels up 100 percent.

According to ctrip.com, searches for outbound flights during the Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day holidays recovered to nearly regain the same level of 2019, and Thailand ranked first in the search destinations for outbound flights, followed by South Korea, the US, the UK and Australia.

Zhou noted that cooperation between China and Thailand under China-ASEAN Free Trade Agreement and the RCEP indicates deep economic complementarity.