Bangkok (VNA) – The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has affirmed its goal of welcoming 33 million international tourists in 2026 despite the impact of geopolitical tensions in the Middle East and the slowdown in global economic growth.
Instability in the Middle East has driven up oil prices, increasing the cost of goods and putting pressure on global economic activity, thereby affecting the tourism industry, TAT Governor Thapanee Kiatphaibool told the press on June 11.
TAT forecasts that Thailand will welcome 33 million international tourists in 2026, generating about 1.55 trillion THB (47.5 billion USD) in revenue, along with 200.4 million domestic trips, expected to generate about 1.1 trillion THB.
Data from TAT showed that in the first five months of 2026, Thailand received 14.03 million foreign arrivals, down 2.3% year-on-year. Revenue from international visitors totalled 679.3 billion THB.
The Middle East recorded the sharpest decline, with visitor numbers falling 24.9%, while arrivals from Africa dropped 4%. In contrast, European and American markets generally remained stable. Increases were seen in markets such as Sweden (14.3%), Norway (10.9%), Poland (16.9%), and Kazakhstan (8.3%).
Among nearby markets, arrivals from China recovered strongly, rising 18.4% to 2.3 million. The Indian market continued to expand, with visitor numbers increasing 8% to around 1 million. Meanwhile, arrivals from ASEAN countries fell 14%.
Under its 2026 market development strategy, TAT aims to attract 21 million visitors from short-haul markets and 10 million from long-haul markets. The agency will focus on restoring air transport capacity, opening new international routes, and strengthening cooperation with airlines.
For long-haul markets, TAT is pursuing a strategy to attract high-spending tourists under a "quality volume” approach, prioritising higher revenue and added value rather than focusing solely on visitor numbers./.
