Chinese tourists enjoy the sand and surf on Koh Lan (Source: www.bangkokpost.com) Bangkok (VNA) - Thailand remained the top destination for Chinesetravelling abroad in the first half of the year, reported the Tourism Authorityof Thailand (TAT).
Inthe January-June period, 19.4 million foreignerstravelled to Thailand, up 12 percent from the same period last year. Of thetotal, China topped the list with 5.9 million visitors, up 26 percentyear-on-year.
TATforecast that Thailand would welcome 37.5 million foreign visitors this year,including 10 million Chinese tourists.
Thetourism sector is likely to maintain an 11 percent contribution to theSoutheast Asian country’s gross domestic product (GDP) in 2018.
Accordingto TAT, Thailand is projected to serve 40 million international holidaymakersin 2019 and earn 3.4 trillion baht (105 billion USD) from tourism revenue, up10 percent year on year.
Ofthe total revenue, international and domestic tourists will contribute 2.28trillion baht and 1.12 trillion baht, respectively.
DeputyPrime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak recently asked the Board of Investment (BoI)to work out measures to attract more foreign direct investment (FDI) into thetourism and related sectors.-VNA
