Bangkok, 30 August 2024 – The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) and Nanjing Tuniu International Travel Service Co., Ltd (Tuniu), one of China’s leading online travel service providers, have signed a ‘Letter of Intent’ (LOI) to strengthen relationship and enhance cooperation.
Ms. Thapanee Kiatphaibool, TAT Governor, signed the agreement with Mr. Yu Dunde, Founder and CEO of Tuniu Corporation, at the TAT Head Office in Bangkok, in the presence of Mrs. Chang Yumeng, Counsellor for Cultural Affairs of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China to Thailand.
Ms. Thapanee Kiatphaibool, TAT Governor, said “Today’s signing ceremony marks a significant step forward for TAT and Tuniu in strengthening partnership. Now especially is the opportune time to enhance tourism cooperation to boost awareness for the upcoming 50th Anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Thailand and China in 2025.”
China is one of Thailand’s most important visitor markets. TAT has set this year’s goal to achieve 7.3 million Chinese visitors, having already recorded over 4.5 million year-to-date. Favourable factors have included the Thailand-China mutual visa exemption, the “Nihao Month” 50-Year Thailand-China Celebration, various strategic marketing campaigns, and partnerships with major Chinese tourism partners including Tuniu.
“TAT has been proactively encouraging Chinese tourists to visit Thailand through a series of strategies, and this agreement with Tuniu will strengthen our efforts to bolster the capacity of Thai tourism sector in gaining access to new markets through digital innovation, while enhancing the convenience of travelling for tourists from China. Ultimately, this would contribute to our direction in driving the sustainable growth of Thailand’s digital economy,” Ms. Thapanee added.
The LOI indicates greater collaboration between TAT and Tuniu in data sharing, promotion, and communication. The cooperation on data sharing covers the exchange of tourism information, both quantitative data and qualitative insights, and mutual participation in travel shows and related events.
The collaborative framework for promotion includes joint activities and marketing campaigns to enhance Thailand’s visibility among Chinese tourists with high spending power and long-stay preferences. This aims to reinforce the country’s well-established position as the preferred destination with safety measures in place for tourists.
In terms of communication, the LOI seeks to ensure seamless coordination, timely exchange of information, and routine updates to enhance cooperation and enable swift response to emerging opportunities or challenges.
Mr. Yu Dunde, Founder and CEO of Tuniu Corporation, said “Tuniu shares the same objectives as TAT, that is to deliver a quality travel experience to Chinese tourists, fostering economic growth, and nurturing a sustainable and mutually beneficial partnership. We are honoured to establish this agreement with TAT and look forward to working together on many more activities and initiatives to offer Chinese tourists the best of Thailand’s leisure travel products and services.”
TAT and Tuniu have been cooperating on several activities this year. Already concluded were an awareness campaign on Thailand’s health and wellness tourism and a joint promotion on “Summer Camp and Family Tour”, and currently running is a joint promotion on Thailand’s tour packages.
The activities combined Thailand’s wealth of tourism offerings with Tuniu’s comprehensive online platforms and assets, including website, application and high-end customer database. The power of influencer marketing has been leveraged through content shared by Key Opinion Consumers (KOCs) and Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs) via China’s leading online channels, including Xiaohongshu, WeChat, TikTok, Weibo, and so on.
About Tuniu
Tuniu is a leading online leisure travel company in China that offers integrated travel services with a large selection of packaged tours, including organised and self-guided tours, as well as travel-related services for leisure travellers through its website tuniu.com and mobile platform. Tuniu provides one-stop leisure travel solutions and a compelling customer experience through its online platform and offline service network, including a dedicated team of professional customer service representatives, 24/7 call centres, extensive networks of offline retail stores and self-operated local tour operators.
The Company aims to become the destination for Chinese consumers seeking leisure travel products and services. Tuniu aims to expand its online leisure travel market share further by expanding product offerings, increasing its customer base, enhancing customer loyalty, and strengthening supply chain management. The Company also intends to continue to pursue mobile strategies, invest in technology infrastructure, and pursue strategic alliances and acquisitions.
