Thailand has recorded 19 million foreign tourists in the period from January to September 17 this year, generating 795 billion baht ($22.26 billion) in revenue.
Key Takeaways
- Thailand’s tourism industry is showing signs of improvement, with 19 million foreign tourists visiting the country and generating significant revenue in the first nine months of the year.
- Thailand’s new government has approved a temporary visa exemption for Chinese tourists in a bid to revive the country’s struggling tourism industry.
- The government expects to see 28 million tourist arrivals this year and is particularly targeting an increase in Chinese tourists.
The Tourism and Sports Ministry believes that the tourism situation in Thailand is improving, and the government’s visa waiver for Chinese arrivals will further boost the sector. The new coalition government plans to waive visas for arrivals from China and Kazakhstan from September 25 until the end of February.
Tourism is a vital driver of Thailand’s economy, and the government aims to see 28 million arrivals this year, with a focus on attracting more Chinese tourists. Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin will be visiting China and India to attract more visitors.
Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin will visit China in October to discuss various matters, including strengthening bilateral relations and tourism cooperation.
More than a decade ago, China became a major source of tourists to Thailand, with almost 11 million visitors in 2019, accounting for 27.6% of all arrivals the year before the coronavirus pandemic devastated the tourist market.
Thailand’s new government has approved a temporary visa exemption for Chinese tourists in a bid to revive the country’s struggling tourism industry. The government has proposed the new measure due to concerns that the number of Chinese tourists may not reach the initial target of 5 million this year. This is believed to be due to the strict visa requirements in place. The proposed measure aims to address this issue and encourage more Chinese tourists to visit the country.
The Thai government hopes to attract 28 million international visitors and generate $39.2 billion in tourism revenue by 2023, with the tourism industry seen as a crucial driver for economic recovery.