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Thailand shifts tourism strategy to attract at least 33 million international visitors

According to the minister of tourism and sports, from 2026 onwards, Thailand will shift its development focus from prioritising quantity to attracting high-quality, high-spending tourists to create sustainable revenue streams.

Thailand aims to attract at least 33 million international visitors in 2027. (Photo: XINHUA/VNA)
Thailand aims to attract at least 33 million international visitors in 2027. (Photo: XINHUA/VNA)

​Bangkok (VNA) – The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) aims to attract at least 33 million international visitors in 2027, generating 2.8-2.9 trillion THB (85-88 billion USD) in revenue next year, as the country shifts its focus from increasing the number of visitors to improving the quality and spending of tourists, heard a TAT meeting on its 2027 action plan on July 14.

​For the domestic market, the agency aims for 203 million trips, while increasing the frequency of travel by Thai citizens from two to three trips per person per year to compensate for the declining population.

Minister of Tourism and Sports Surasak Phancharoenworakul said that 2027 will continue to be a challenging year for the tourism industry. However, if conditions improve, the government will adjust its revenue growth target upward by an additional 5-7%, bringing total revenue to 2.8-2.9 trillion THB, while maintaining the goal of welcoming around 33 million international visitors.

According to the minister, from 2026 onwards, Thailand will shift its development focus from prioritising quantity to attracting high-quality, high-spending tourists to create sustainable revenue streams. The government also views tourism as a key engine of the Thai economy and will implement a development strategy based on four pillars: elevating Thailand to a high-value destination, enhancing competitiveness, promoting digital transformation and innovation, and strengthening management capacity to adapt to market changes.

TAT will focus on exploring new potential markets such as Poland, Belarus, South Africa, Brazil, Mexico, and Colombia, given the impact of regional conflicts in some Middle Eastern markets. Promotional campaigns will concentrate on long-haul markets to attract first-time visitors to Thailand and encourage repeat visits.

Regarding the domestic market, TAT plans to launch a co-payment scheme called "Thai Tiao Thai Plus" (Thai Travel Thai Plus) with private-sector participation to expand incentives for tourists and encourage increased domestic travel.

In addition to market development measures, Surasak said the Thai government will also strengthen diplomatic efforts to support the tourism industry. This week, he will accompany Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul on an official visit to China to promote cooperation with businesses and airlines, and discuss measures to boost confidence and ensure the safety of tourists./.

VNA
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