March tourist arrival numbers worse than predicted

It’s no secret that the Covid-19 outbreak has been disastrous for Thailand’s tourism sector, long considered a vital lifeline of the nation’s already battered economy. Data released by the Ministry of Tourism and Sports today showed foreign tourist arrivals in Thailand slumped 76.4% in March compared to a year earlier. This follows a 42.8% drop the previous month, as the sector is ravaged by the outbreak and surpasses even the gravest predictions made last week. The national ban on inbound flights has only made things worse.

Spending fell even farther, with a total of 820,000 tourists in March spending only 39.5 billion baht, down 77.6% year on year.

Visitors from China, the country’s biggest source of tourists, plunged 94.2%.

Tourism is a key driver of Thai growth, with tourism receipts accounting for 16% of gross domestic product last year, the vast majority from foreign visitors.

SOURCE: Bangkok Post