POLICY BRIEF: "Connecting Thailand’s Community-based Tourism to Chinese Travellers: Local Voices, Emerging Trends, and Collaboration"

Publication date:
July 2025

Publication: 
Connecting Thailand’s Community-based Tourism to Chinese Travellers: Local Voices, Emerging Trends, and Collaboration

Download the policy brief here.

Visit Just Futures Mekong Fellowship Program.

Author: Xueying Mai

Community-Based Tourism (CBT) in Thailand presents a culturally rich, locally driven alternative to mass tourism, resonating with the post-pandemic shift among Chinese travellers toward meaningful and immersive experiences. However, limited awareness, accessibility, and cross-cultural barriers hinder CBT's integration into the Chinese outbound tourism market. This policy brief draws on fieldwork in two CBT communities in Thailand and interviews with Chinese tourism professionals to explore how to strengthen CBT's visibility and relevance with the Chinese market. Recommendations target both market alignment and community readiness, offering a roadmap for deeper engagement through tailored promotion, value-aligned networks, and capacity building.