The Economic, Tourism, and Sports Division of the Ministry of Tourism and Sports in Thailand has disclosed impressive figures for foreign tourism, highlighting the nation’s resilience and attractiveness as a travel destination. Accumulated data spanning from January 1 to September 17, 2023, reveals that Thailand has welcomed a remarkable 19 million foreign tourists during this period. These travelers have contributed over 1.3 trillion baht in tourism income, benefiting both Thai citizens and international visitors.
Leading the list of top 5 tourist nationalities are Malaysians, with an impressive 3,076,274 individuals, followed closely by Chinese tourists at 2,341,080. South Korea, India, and Russia round out the top 5, with 1,125,639, 1,097,395, and 961,348 tourists, respectively.
In the most recent week, spanning from September 11 to September 17, 2023, Thailand witnessed a total of 470,708 foreign tourists entering the country, averaging approximately 67,244 arrivals per day. This figure represents an increase of 16,503 visitors compared to the previous week, marking a 3.63% week-on-week (WoW) growth. These visitors collectively injected 795,114 million baht into the economy through their spending.
The leading nationalities among this week’s foreign tourists were once again Malaysians, followed by Chinese, Indian, South Korean, and Japanese travelers.
Notably, Japanese tourists demonstrated the most significant increase from the previous week, surging by an impressive 27.97% (WoW), likely driven by the Silver Week holiday. Meanwhile, Malaysian and Chinese tourists increased by 20.56% (WoW) and 6.02% (WoW), respectively. In contrast, Indian and South Korean tourist numbers saw modest declines of 6.39% (WoW) and 3% (WoW), respectively.
The Economic, Tourism, and Sports Division anticipates a continued recovery in the coming week, fueled by ongoing holidays in key markets such as Malaysia and Japan. Projections indicate that around 490,000 foreign tourists are expected to visit Thailand, with a predominant focus on travelers from nearby markets encompassing East Asia, South Asia, and ASEAN countries.
Thailand’s tourism sector is poised for improvement, driven in part by the recent announcement of visa exemptions for Chinese and Kazakhstani tourists. Additionally, the Silver Week holiday period in the Japanese market is expected to have a positive impact. However, the country continues to face challenges, including travel restrictions from numerous markets and limited flight availability. As a result, airfare into Thailand remains relatively high compared to competing destinations.