Thailand anticipates American tourism influx due to Songkran

The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is anticipating a robust tourism influx from North and South America this year, with a projection of at least 1.5 million tourists – a figure that mirrors the 2019 statistics. This surge is attributed to the confluence of the Songkran celebrations and the Easter holiday in April.

Deputy Governor for Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and the Americas at TAT, Siripakorn Cheawsamoot, noted the sturdy travel demand from the Americas. He revealed that the trend is likely to persist into April, coinciding with the Easter holiday, a time when travelling is popular in the US.

“The Songkran celebration this year begins early, from April 1, potentially enticing foreign tourists to extend their stay during the Easter holiday to participate in the water festival or other cultural activities.”

From the start of this year, Thailand has seen approximately 100,000 tourists each month from the US. In response to this trend, the TAT has suggested the government extend the eligibility period of stay beyond the current 30 days for US nationals, as long-haul tourists tend to have lengthier stays post-pandemic, thereby increasing expenditure in Thailand.

This affirmative perspective for the market is in line with flight bookings from Delta Air Lines and Korean Air. These airlines operate seven daily flights from South Korea to Bangkok, Phuket, and Chiang Mai during the hot season under a joint venture operation, aiming to connect passengers from the US.

Andrew Kim, Director of Sales for Korea and Southeast Asia at Delta Air Lines, anticipates an improvement in carrier performance within the next three months, driven by strong demand from both Thailand and the US.

Tourist influx

“Thailand has been attracting numerous leisure tourists as well as participants for meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions.”

The TAT predicts that this year will see arrivals of 1 million visitors from the US, 300,000 from Canada, and 200,000 from Latin America. Average spending in Thailand last year was recorded at 80,000 baht (US$ 2,200) for a 15-day trip.

Despite the Olympic Games slated for Paris from July 26 to August 11, Siripakorn expects that many long-haul tourists may choose to visit Thailand to avoid the congestion.

He also mentioned that long-haul flights during the hot season, running from late March through October, are witnessing a steady recovery, resuming to 85% of the levels recorded in 2019.

In association with Delta Air Lines and US-based non-profit organisation Tourism Cares, TAT conducted a travel familiarisation trip last week to encourage sustainable tourism in Thailand. TAT also plans to invite representatives from 15 airlines to assess the potential of provincial airports, such as Krabi Airport, Chiang Mai Airport and U-tapao Airport, from April 2 to April 5, reported Bangkok Post.

Additionally, TAT will host a tourism roadshow in the US in the third week of April, marking the soft opening of its new Chicago office.