Bangkok (VNA) – Thailand has recorded more than 23.45 million international tourist arrivals from January 1 to September 21, generating about 1.082 trillion THB (34 billion USD) in revenue, according to Nattareeya Thaweewong, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Tourism and Sports.
The momentum, however, has slowed ahead of the October high season. Over the past week, Thailand received 496,986 foreign visitors, down 68,333, or 12.09%, compared with the previous week.
Malaysia remained the top source market with 101,376 arrivals, followed by China (70,678), India (44,813), the Republic of Korea (RoK) (23,590), and Japan (23,271). Visitor flows from the RoK and China increased by 7.32% and 5.59% respectively from the week before. In contrast, arrivals from Malaysia, India, and Japan dropped by 29.29%, 17.29%, and 9.74%.
The ministry expects arrivals to pick up in the coming weeks, driven by a surge in Chinese travelers ahead of the October holiday period and government measures to facilitate tourism. Among the policies are the exemption from customs declaration form TM.6, as well as incentives and promotional campaigns for airlines to increase flight capacity.
Tourism remains a key driver of Thailand’s economy, contributing about 20% of GDP before the COVID-19 pandemic. The government has set an ambitious target of 40 million foreign arrivals in 2025, supported by streamlined entry procedures, enhanced connectivity, and marketing campaigns to diversify source markets.
Despite short-term fluctuations, analysts believe Thailand’s tourism sector is well-positioned to benefit from pent-up regional demand, particularly from China and other Asian economies. Seasonal factors, coupled with proactive government support, are expected to sustain momentum into the year-end peak season./.
