Thailand’s tourism revival continues to outstrip expectations, with inbound arrivals expected to reach 10 million by the end of May. The Kingdom is currently welcoming an average of 2 million travellers from abroad each month, and is well on its way to surpassing the targets set at the beginning of the year.
A total of 9.47 million foreign travellers have already entered Thailand in 2023, generating around 391 billion baht (US$ 1 billion) in tourism revenue, according to government spokeswoman Traisuree Taisaranakul. Almost half of these visitors have come from Asian nations like India, Malaysia, South Korea, and Laos (together accounting for 47.5% of all international arrivals so far).
TAT Governor Yuthasak Supasorn recently confirmed that Thailand regularly recorded more than 50,000 daily arrivals in May, and suggested the current boom may well continue into the low season. TAT also have high hopes for the incoming administration – officials are optimistic the nation’s new prime minister will promote inclusive growth for the tourism sector, while also boosting the Kingdom’s international competitiveness with a number of new policies and plans.
This includes attracting high-quality tourists and offering incentives that could increase the length of stay for many travellers. TAT is currently targeting 5 million Chinese tourists in 2023 – a figure that’s expected to receive a major boost from changes to visa regulations in the next few months, along with the upcoming high season for MICE. Many observers believe that, with the right support from operators and airlines, the figure could reach 7 million by year end.
Aeronautical Radio of Thailand (Aerothai) has confirmed there have already been 12,085 flights from China to Thailand between October 2022 and April 2023 (an increase of 98% compared to the same period in the previous year). More than 28,000 more flights are scheduled to arrive from China between June and September of this year.
With tourism continuing to bounce back, and many more arrivals from China just around the corner, Thailand is enjoying a year to remember.
