VI
EN
Thailand's tourism industry is witnessing extremely positive signs after the difficult period caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. This strong recovery brings many positive prospects for the Thai economy and reaffirms the country's position as a leading tourist destination in the world.
Attracting a large number of international tourists.
From January 1st to July 25th, Thailand welcomed over 20 million international tourists, a 34% increase compared to the same period last year.
In a social media post, Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin thanked all parties and sectors for promoting various measures, including visa exemptions, increased flights, the establishment of an aviation hub, and improvements to tourist attractions, which led to a surge in visitor numbers. He also stated that the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is developing plans and preparing activities to attract tourists from various countries. The Thai tourism industry is also focusing on enhancing the visitor experience through innovative services and attentive, dedicated customer care.
Tourists will experience excellent services when traveling to Thailand.
According to data from the Thai Ministry of Tourism and Sports, from January 1st to July 25th, Thailand welcomed 20,001,405 international tourists. Of these, mainland China accounted for the largest number with 3,994,343 visitors, followed by Malaysia, India, South Korea, Russia, Laos, Taiwan (China), Vietnam, the United States, and many other countries.
In addition, the number of tourists from Taiwan (China) and India has reached historical highs thanks to the country's visa-free program. Most recently, Thailand has expanded its visa-free program to 93 countries and territories, allowing visa-free stays of up to 60 days.
Mr. Siripakorn Cheawsamoot, Deputy Director-General of TAT for Europe, Africa, the Middle East and the Americas, said the long-haul tourism market has positive prospects. TAT is working to attract European tourists to Thailand in the second half of this year. In addition, the agency has also worked with travel companies in neighboring southern Malaysia to promote a tour that allows Malaysian tourists to enjoy a scenic journey from Kuala Lumpur to Hat Yai on the “Sawasdee Special Train”.
Revenue from the tourism industry is growing.
Thanks to the surge in tourist numbers, revenue from tourism-related activities such as hotels, restaurants, and transportation services has grown, contributing to the growth of the Thai economy. The target for Thailand's tourism industry this year is to achieve a revenue of 3 trillion baht (equivalent to 86 billion USD), with 2 trillion baht coming from international markets and 1 trillion baht from the domestic market. Thailand is striving to restore all air travel to normal in 2024.
Thailand's tourism industry aims for revenue of $86 billion.
With current positive signs, Thailand's tourism industry is projected to continue its strong growth in the coming years. However, to maintain this success, Thailand needs to continue investing in tourism product development, improving service quality, protecting the environment, and ensuring the sustainable development of the tourism sector.
