Increase in arrivals from East Asia boosts Thai tourism numbers to over 14m
Thailand received more than 14 million foreign tourists this year, generating revenue of 587.83 billion baht, according to the Ministry of Tourism and Sports
Malaysia topped the list, sending 2,245,824 visitors, followed by China (1,653,913), South Korea (830,576), India (826,390) and Russia (825,777).
The past week (July 10 - 16) saw a week-on-week increase in the number of international tourists due to more arrivals from East Asian countries, especially China, South Korea, and Japan, and European countries, due to the start of the school holidays. In that week, Thailand received a total of 562,467 international tourists, with an average of 80,353 visitors per day.
Korean tourists showed the highest growth rate at 7.37%, followed by Vietnamese 5.39% growth. Chinese tourists increased by 3.04%, while Malaysian tourists decreased by 5.77%.
Overall, the Tourism and Sports Authority of Ministry estimates that the number of international tourists entering the country will exceed 15 million by the end of July, driven by continuous growth from the East Asian and European regions, as well as new tourism patterns that cater to specific tourist behaviours and preferences.
Furthermore, efforts to present new forms of tourism that respond to the behaviours and specific preferences of tourists have increased, along with the heightened confidence of consumers in the past 40 months.
However, the growth of tourists from China is still hindered by economic conditions, with economic recovery in that country lower than expected.
The visa-issuing process of considering and inspecting Chinese group tourists has also led to some Chinese tourists postponing their decision to travel.
Additionally, the global tourism situation remains under pressure due to the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, as well as concerns among business operators about the increasing trend in fuel prices, which could lead to higher travel costs and expenses.
During the past week, Chinese tourists were the highest number of foreign tourists entering Thailand with 94,691 people, followed by Malaysians (76,156), South Koreans (30,932), Indians (30,074), and Vietnamese (28,538).
Since January 1, a total of 14,151,990 foreign tourists visited Thailand, generating revenue of 587.83 billion baht, the ministry said.
