A selection of bitesize stories and positive developments making the news in the Land of Smiles recently:
Foreign arrivals surge by 18.6 to start 2025
Foreign visitors to Thailand surged 18.63% to over 2 million in the post-New Year period, compared with the same time last year, the Tourism and Sports Ministry announced on Tuesday. Tourist arrivals between 1–19 January totalled 2,139,901, generating around 107.37 billion baht in revenue for Thai businesses.
(source: Nation Thailand)
Same-sex marriage opens up ‘rainbow tourism’ in Thailand
Hundreds of same-sex couples are tying the knot across Thailand, as the country becomes the first in Southeast Asia to recognise marriage equality. The landmark bill marks a momentous win for the LGBTQ+ community, which has fought for more than a decade for the same marriage rights as heterosexual couples. According to Bloomberg, with first-mover advantage in Southeast Asia, Thailand could reap a windfall from its push for equal marital rights.
Thailand aims for record-breaking tourism traffic in 2025
The Thai government recently set an ambitious target to welcome 40 million visitors in 2025, in a bid by the tourism industry to regain momentum lost during the COVID-19 pandemic. The plan aims to attract more visitors to lesser-known destinations, expand flight capacity and do more to promote Thai culture. Gary Bowerman, a tourism analyst based in Kuala Lumpur, said the target would not just benefit Thailand economically. “For Thailand, it would be a psychological milestone to surpass 40 million visitors as it would almost certainly have done so in 2020, if not for COVID,” he told DW.
(source: DW)
Four million visitors expected for Chinese New Year
This year’s Chinese New Year festivities are poised to attract 770,000 tourists from China alone, marking a jaw-dropping 22.6% increase compared to 2024. Overall, Thailand expects a 10.4% rise in foreign arrivals during the festive season, cementing its status as Asia’s tourism titan. Major airports, including Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang, are the epicentres of this influx, handling over 4.03 million passengers during the Lunar New Year week. This staggering number translates to an average of 403,182 passengers daily, with 2,460 flights taking off and landing each day—a 16.7% increase in air traffic from the previous year.
(source: Travel and Tour World)
To get all the latest news and developments from Thailand, don’t forget to follow Panorama Destination across our social media channels:
