TAT targets 12.2 million foreign visitors in late 2024

Thailand anticipates a surge in foreign arrivals, targeting 12.2 million visitors in the final four months of 2024. This influx is projected to elevate the annual total to nearly 36 million, generating 1.8 trillion baht in revenue, as reported by the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT).

According to TAT Governor Thapanee Kiatphaibool, the market’s growth is expected to benefit from the visa-free scheme, numerous festive events, and a recovery in international flights, currently at 82% of the 2019 level.

Foreign arrivals reached 23 million as of yesterday, September 1, with a steady stream of bookings from East Asia, particularly China, followed by Europe and South Asia, Thapanee noted.

Key risks include stiff competition from other Asian countries, global economic uncertainties, and geopolitical conflicts, she added. Domestically, the TAT forecasts 72.5 million local trips, contributing 335 billion baht in revenue over the next four months.

On August 30, TAT signed a letter of intent with Nanjing Tuniu International Travel Service, aiming to boost the Chinese market, specifically targeting independent tourists. The partnership involves data sharing and joint participation in travel events.

Director of TAT’s Shanghai office, Nonglux Yooyendee highlighted previous collaborations with Tuniu, including summer camp trips for Chinese students to Thailand. Tuniu is known for attracting Chinese travellers from Nanjing, the capital of Jiangsu province.

To counteract the effects of China’s sluggish economy on mass tourism, TAT is focusing on high-spending Chinese tourists, Nonglux stated.

“Tourists booking through this platform spend an average of 3,000 yuan or 14,400 baht per day in Thailand.”

Tuniu reported a 161% year-on-year rise in group tour bookings to Thailand in the first seven months of 2024. In 2023, group tours accounted for 79% of Tuniu’s bookings, with self-guided and customised tour packages making up 11% and 10%, respectively.

Nonglux mentioned that summer camp students booking through Tuniu are eager to explore Thailand’s local communities and museums. They are also interested in combining their trips with English studies at international schools in Chiang Mai, Phuket, and Bangkok.

To reach its goal of 8 million Chinese visitors this year, TAT needs an additional 3.25 million arrivals, Thapanee stated. Despite flooding in many provinces, Thapanee assured that tourism sentiment remains positive, with a steady inflow of tourists in the past week, reported Bangkok Post.