Dramatic leap in tourism to Thailand rakes in 1.08 trillion baht

Exceeding expectations and the grim shadow of the previous year, the tourist influx to Thailand recorded a dramatic leap in the first half of 2023. From January to the end of July, over 15 million people travelled in Thailand, marking an increase in tourism to Thailand of 384% in comparison to the same period in the prior year, according to recent statements issued by Deputy Government Spokesperson, Traisuree Taisaranakul yesterday.

Impressively, these tourists, which comprised both native and international visitors, channelled 1.08 trillion baht into the economy. International tourists brought in nearly twice as much revenue as domestic ones, netting the country an estimated 638.16 million baht.

These staggering numbers bode well for the government’s aspirations of attaining the projected goal of welcoming a minimum of 25 million people onto its soil in 2023, a target that seemed naively lofty when it was first set. Now the country is well in motion to achieve this, as the tourist count as of 30th July stood at an impressive 15.32 million.

Looking at the demographics of foreigners coming into the kingdom, Malaysia holds the top spot on the list of visitors with a considerable 2,439,710 travellers. China takes the second spot with 1,839,660 people, followed by South Korea with 907,463 visitors, 885,772 people from India, and 854,946 Russian citizens rounding out the top five originating countries for travellers.

Aside from the obvious improvement in the Covid-19 situation in Thailand and throughout the world, officials give credit to the coordinated effort in hosting events specifically aimed at fuelling the tourism sector for the surge in travellers. These efforts originated from various agencies, both targeting local and foreign markets.

Agencies such as the Ministry of Tourism and Sports as well as the Tourist Authority of Thailand (TAT), alongside other provincial and local authorities, have been applauded for their significant efforts towards achieving this growth spurt, acknowledged Traisuree in her comments.