(Yicai) Jan. 20 -- Following actor Wang Xing's recent kidnapping in Thailand, Chinese tourists are changing their Lunar New Year travel plans, leading to flight cancellations.

Several holiday flights from China to Thailand have been canceled due to a significant increase in booking refund applications, multiple airlines told Yicai. This year, the Chinese New Year holiday will run from Jan. 28 to Feb. 4.

Travelers' change of heart stems from the high-profile case of Wang Xing's kidnapping early this month. Wang was rescued by police after human traffickers lured him to Thailand with an alleged film production opportunity but instead took him across the border to Myanmar, intending to force him to work at a cyber-fraud center.

Thailand has traditionally been the top holiday destination during Chinese New Year. Before news of the kidnapping broke, Bangkok was the preferred destination for outbound Chinese tourists, with Phuket also ranking in the top 10, according to Umetrip, a mobile platform for real-time flight information.

Event organizers are particularly sensitive to safety issues. Last week, Hong Kong singer Eason Chan canceled his Bangkok concert scheduled for Feb. 22, citing safety concerns for the crew and fans, leading to numerous hotel booking cancellations in the capital city.

Safety concerns could result in a 10 to 20 percent decline in Chinese tourists visiting Thailand during the Lunar New Year, potentially costing the country's tourism sector around THB5 billion (USD145.7 million), according to the Thai Travel Agents Association.

Around 30 to 40 percent of hotel bookings made by Chinese group tourists in Pattaya have been canceled, according to the Association of Chonburi Tourism Federation. Group tourists account for about 20 percent of all Chinese visitors to the beach destination.

Last year, Thailand welcomed 6.7 million Chinese tourists. Transport Minister Suriya Jungrungreangkit said last week that Thailand anticipates around 770,000 Chinese tourists to enter the Southeast Asian nation during the Spring Festival holiday.

In addition to personal safety assurances from the Thai Prime Minister and senior officials, Thailand should take proactive steps to strengthen security at key tourist sites and along the Thai-Myanmar border to gradually restore Chinese tourists' confidence, Zhou Shixin, director at the Shanghai Institute for International Studies, told Yicai.

Editor: Emmi Laine