34% visitor boost picked for year
Tourists pose for pictures at the Tha Tien pier by the Chao Phraya River opposite the Temple of Dawn (Wat Arun) in June. (Photo: Apichart Jinakul)
Thailand welcomed 20 million foreign tourists during the first seven months of this year, about half the total for the same period before the spread of Covid-19.
In an X post during the week, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin said that from Jan 1 to July 25 this year, more than 20 million international visitors came to the country, a 34% increase on last year’s number.
He thanked all parties and sectors for pushing various measures, including visa-free travel, more flights, the creation of an aviation hub and improvements in tourist attractions, which led to the surge in numbers.
In addition, the number of tourists from Taiwan and India has reached a historic high, which was likely a result of the visa-free scheme. The scheme permits visitors from 93 countries to stay in the kingdom without needing to apply for a visa for up to 60 days. It began late last year and has now been extended until Nov 11 and is one of the government’s flagship policies for boosting the sector.
Mr Srettha attributed this year’s growth in tourism to the cooperation between all parties concerned. “Now, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is preparing activities to attract tourists from different countries every month. I would like the tourism sector to get ready as Thailand’s big door has opened today,” he said.
However, according to the Tourism and Sports Ministry, the predicted 35 million visitors generating 3 trillion baht in revenue this year still remains short of Thailand’s record in 2019, when the country earned 1.91 trillion baht and welcomed 40 million tourists in total.
Data from the ministry showed that between Jan 1 and July 25 this year, Thailand welcomed 20,001,405 visitors. Most came from mainland China (3,994,343 visitors), followed by Malaysia (2,784,598), India (1,170,419), South Korea (1,053,077), Russia (987,861), Laos (714,564), Taiwan (610,270), Vietnam (597,695) and the United States (575,268).
When it comes to long-haul arrivals, Russia ranked first, followed by the US, Germany (481,733), France (420,446) and the United Kingdom (539,884).
Siripakorn Cheawsamoot, TAT deputy governor for Europe, Africa, the Middle East and the Americas, said the long-haul market has a positive outlook. The TAT expects the number of long-haul visitors and revenue generated by the market to exceed 2019’s totals.
He said the TAT is working to attract European tourists to Thailand during the second half of this year, with the 2024 Summer Olympics, or Paris 2024, providing a good opportunity to persuade French people to visit the country.
Mr Siripakorn said the TAT’s office in Paris worked with Carrefour Voyages, a tour company in France, to promote package trips to Thailand between May 20 and June 16. The packages had ranged from €1,469 to €1,849 in price. Meanwhile, the TAT has also worked with tour companies in Malaysia to promote a tour that allows Malaysian visitors to enjoy a scenic journey from Kuala Lumpur to Hat Yai aboard the “Special Charter Sawasdee Train.” That trip, with Malaysians arriving on the promotional trains, is taking place today and tomorrow.
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