Travel Industry Growth, Breaking Records and Billion Dollar Revenue
Thailand continues to attract millions of tourists from all over the world, and this year promises to be even more successful. According to the permanent secretary of the Ministry of Tourism, the country's expectations have been met, as the number of tourist arrivals has already exceeded 11.9 million and continues to grow. It is expected that next week the number of visitors will exceed the 12 million mark.
To date, Thailand has already received an impressive 11.9 million international tourists, generating a revenue of 493.75 billion baht for the country. These figures testify to the continuous growth of the tourism industry in Thailand, which is one of the main sources of income for the country.
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In the last week alone from 12 to 19 June, Thailand welcomed 489,000 visiting tourists, representing an increase of 6.4% from the previous week. The largest number of visitors came from China with 73,750, followed by tourists from Malaysia (71,000), India (36,000), Singapore (27,000) and South Korea (25,000). This data confirms the attractiveness of Thailand for tourists from various countries, making it one of the most popular tourist destinations in Asia.
While the summer season is generally considered a period of low travel demand, Thailand expects visitor numbers to reach 2.17 million this month. This is because many Asian countries such as ASEAN, East and South Asia close their schools for the summer holidays, and many families choose Thailand as their holiday destination.
To further attract tourists from these countries, the Ministry of Tourism plans to organize special events. Unique programs and promotions targeted at tourists from nearby regions will be offered. In addition, a possible reduction in travel restrictions for tourists from this zone is being discussed in order to make entry into Thailand even more accessible and attractive.
Thailand continues to be a sought-after tourist destination and record visitor numbers and billions of dollars in revenue are expected to mark this successful year for tourism in the country. Natural beauty, rich cultural heritage and the hospitality of the local people make Thailand a unique travel and holiday destination.
Thailand is developing the tourism sector through health attractions and MICE events, which account for 20% of GDP
To stimulate and attract more international tourists, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is stepping up promotional campaigns in the wellness and MICE sectors.
TAT intends to introduce packages to attract tourists interested in wellness tourism, such as spa services, yoga retreats, medical tourism and other wellness attractions.
The Tourism Authority of Thailand is also planning to expand its capacity to organize MICE events (meetings, conferences and exhibitions), as this area has great potential for growth and generates significant income. Now MICE makes up about 20% of Thailand's GDP.
TAT is also working on a program to attract individual travelers, offering personalized tours and unique experiences for each traveler. These measures are expected to help diversify and expand Thailand's tourism offering and increase its appeal to international travelers.
Simplify entry rules for Chinese or face a 250 billion baht loss?
Hospitality industry leaders visited Tai Sang Tai's headquarters in Bangkok on Saturday and complained that the number of Chinese visitors is declining due to complicated visa procedures.
Adit Chairattananon, general secretary of the Association of Thai Travel Agencies, told the party that entry restrictions meant to crack down on illegal Chinese businesses operating in Thailand are discouraging Chinese citizens from visiting the country.
Under current regulations, Chinese travelers applying for entry into Thailand must copy every page of their passport, report all overseas travel in the last 10 years, and take selfies while holding the passport. Chinese tourists making more than four trips to Thailand a year also risk being denied visas. At the same time, any errors in the documents lead to a mandatory refusal to issue a visa.
Adit added that the number of visas issued to each travel agency is limited to 90 per day.
Tai Sang Party leader Tai Hunying Sudarat Keyuraphan said her party will send a letter to the Foreign Ministry asking for urgent changes to the entry rules for Chinese citizens. She noted that Thailand risks losing tourism revenue of up to 250 billion baht despite an increase in popularity among Chinese tourists after China reopened in January.
Author of the article: Ekaterina Antonova
