Thailand tourism predicted at 80% of pre-Covid in 2023

Tourism Authority of Thailand Governor Yuthasak Supasorn just predicted that next year, revenue from tourism will hit 80% of the level it was before the Covid-19 pandemic. He made the bold prediction at the 22nd World Travel and Tourism Council Global Summit, being held in the Saudi Arabian capital of Riyadh.

At that summit, the TAT was invited to take part and present its path to successfully bringing back tourism as it nears the goal of 10 million international visitors by the end of this year. The governor served as a speaker on the panel “The Recovery of Travel in Asia and the Pacific.”

The National News Bureau of Thailand reports that Yuthasak highlighted Thailand’s more eco-friendly, sustainable, and inclusive tourism coming out of the pandemic. After borders were closed and then slowly reopened with various quarantines, lockdowns, and restrictions, Thailand has now fully reopened without restriction and seeing a boom in international travellers.

The TAT plans to continuously collaborate with the tourism industry and other sectors and concentrate on innovations to make tourism stronger and healthier going forwards. The Bio-Circular-Green Economy Model which has been a sustainability focus for the government is implemented in tourism campaigns as well. The TAT governor also touted the “Visit Thailand Year 2022-2023: Amazing New Chapters” marketing programme that promotes the country’s popular tourist attractions as well as introduces new ones.

With a goal of an 80% recovery of the tourism industry for 2023, which would be about 32 million visitors, Thailand surpassed the nine million visitor mark this year already. Some 9.4 million people entered the country from the beginning of the year to the end of November.

Now, between all airports and land borders, 50,000 to 60,000 people enter the kingdom per day. Malaysia continues to be the number one source of international tourists, with 1.5 million travellers crossing the Thai border this year. But, with the recent resumption of many flights from Russia, the number of European visitors and other long-distance travellers is increasing. The TAT governor attributed this in part to Thailand being a great warm-weather escape from the cold winters in Europe.