Thailand welcomes 26 million tourists, earns 1.214 trillion baht

Thailand welcomed over 26 million international tourists from January 1 to yesterday, October 1, generating an impressive 1.214 trillion baht in revenue. Sorawong Thienthong, the Minister of Tourism and Sports, confirmed these figures, underscoring the nation’s strong recovery as a premier global travel destination.

Among the top contributing countries, China led with 5,227,573 tourists, followed by Malaysia with 3,734,847, India with 1,530,712, South Korea with 1,378,474, and Russia with 1,156,753 visitors. Sorawong highlighted the significance of these numbers in reflecting Thailand’s resilient tourism sector.

“These numbers highlight Thailand’s ongoing recovery and strength as a top global travel destination.”

During the week of September 23 to October 1, long-haul markets experienced a notable recovery. A total of 142,604 tourists arrived from long-haul destinations, marking a 6.85% increase from the previous week. Countries like Germany and the United Kingdom showed particularly strong growth.

“Long-haul markets saw a significant recovery, with 142,604 tourists arriving, marking a 6.85% increase from the previous week.”

Conversely, there was a slight dip in short-haul arrivals, primarily from Malaysia, attributed to the end of school holidays. This resulted in a total of 592,069 international arrivals for the week, a decrease of 1.69%.

Looking forward, Sorawong expressed optimism for continued growth in tourist numbers. The Chinese National Day holidays are expected to bring a surge in visitors. Additionally, the government’s Ease of Travelling measures and initiatives to boost airline capacity by increasing the number of flights into Thailand are anticipated to further enhance the tourism economy in the final quarter of 2024.

These measures aim to solidify Thailand’s position as a leading tourist destination and ensure sustained growth in the sector, reported Pattaya News.

In related news, the anticipated influx of Chinese tourists to Thailand during the Chinese National Day holiday is expected to fall short due to adverse weather conditions and evolving travel behaviours, as shared by Sanphet Supabornsatien, an advisor to the Eastern Thai Hotels Association (THA).