Bangkok maintains top spot as tourist hotspot

Thailand’s vibrant capital of Bangkok retained its crown as the top tourist hotspot for the month of March, with the Ministry of Tourism and Sports‘ data revealing an impressive 4,459,579 visitors. The city, known for its bustling markets, opulent shrines, and vibrant street life, saw international tourists making up 49.60% of the visitors, leading to a hotel occupancy rate of 76.32%.

Following Bangkok, Chon Buri, the province that houses the renowned resort city of Pattaya, secured the second spot with 1,892,712 visitors, of which 49.88% were international tourists. With its beautiful beaches, vibrant nightlife, and endless attractions, Pattaya no doubt contributed significantly to the region’s high visitor count and a hotel occupancy rate of 76.69%.

In third place, the captivating Kanchanaburi, known for its WWII history and stunning natural beauty, welcomed 1,185,695 visitors. However, this province was popular predominantly amongst Thai locals with foreigners constituting a mere 3.04% of the visitors. Here, the hotel occupancy rate stood at 65.19%.

Claiming the fourth spot was Phuket, the rain forested, mountainous island in the Andaman Sea, which attracted 1,171,189 visitors, with a striking 78.75% being international tourists. This global appeal resulted in an impressive hotel occupancy rate of 86.37%.

Finishing the top five was Prachuap Khiri Khan, with 979,818 visitors. This province, known for its long, sandy beaches and beautiful national parks, saw a 6.08% international tourist influx and a hotel occupancy rate of 72.83%.

On the other end of the spectrum, Amnat Charoen was the least visited province, with only 23,207 visitors. It was closely followed by Nong Bua Lamphu, Mahasarakham, Pattani, and Yasothon.

When it comes to the overall picture, Thailand saw some 29,151,310 visitors in March this year, marking a 12.15% growth compared to the same period the previous year. The international tourists amongst these visitors contributed a significant US$583.902 billion to the nation’s revenue.

Shifting the focus to the nationalities visiting Thailand, the first quarter of 2024 saw Chinese nationals leading the pack with 2,351,909 visitors, followed by Malaysians (1,569,856), Russians (767,210), South Koreans (679,481), and Indians (643,587), reported Pattaya News.

The Ministry of Tourism and Sports highlighted this as a significant shift, as Chinese tourists had surpassed Malaysians as the top visitors. In contrast, the previous year’s top five comprised Malaysians (4,563,020), Chinese (3,519,735), South Koreans (1,658,688), Indians (1,626,720), and Russians (1,481,878).

“The top five nationalities visiting Thailand in the first four months of 2024 were Chinese (2,351,909), Malaysian (1,569,856), Russian (767,210), South Korean (679,481), and Indian (643,587).”

This shift in tourist demographics underscores the ever-evolving dynamics of global tourism and the continued appeal of Thailand as a diverse and welcoming destination for travellers from all corners of the world.