BANGKOK — According to the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), the last four months of this year look promising for foreign tourism in Thailand. 35.6 million tourists are expected, and the targeted revenue of 1.8 trillion baht ($53 billion) in 2024 is likely to be achieved. The floods in northern Thailand have so far only had a minimal impact on tourism.
Following the floods in several areas in northern Thailand, the international offices of the TAT have studied the impact on the number of foreign tourists. They have found that tourists from China and ASEAN countries have postponed their travel plans, although this is not directly due to the floods.
However, this is not directly due to the floods, but to the end of the summer school vacation, which usually lasts from the end of June to mid-August. In the meantime, European tourists are aware of the flooding in the north and the landslides on Phuket, but there are no travel bans or recommendations.
Thapanee Kiatphaibool, Governor of TAT, explained that the floods are occurring outside the main destinations for foreign visitors, such as Bangkok, Pattaya, Phuket, Hat Yai and Chiang Mai. She has instructed all TAT offices to prepare to provide up-to-date information and continue to promote tourism in all areas in line with various stimulus measures.
She also mentioned that the forecast for Thai tourism in the last four months of 2024 (September to December) shows that visitor numbers will exceed last year’s level. An estimated 12.22 million tourists are expected, an increase of 20 percent, generating revenue of 652.826 billion baht, an increase of 29 percent compared to the same period in 2023 and 97 percent of the target. The expected total revenue is 673.738 billion baht.
In 2024, Thailand is expected to welcome 35.9 million foreign tourists, an increase of 28 percent, and generate revenue of approximately 1.818 trillion baht, an increase of 32 percent from the previous year.
Tourists visiting Thailand towards the end of the year are expected to come mainly from major Asian markets, followed by Europe and South Asia, with the rest coming from other regions.
The current top ten countries with the most tourists visiting Thailand are China (2.03 million), Malaysia (1.83 million), India (707,000), South Korea (740,000), Russia (698,000), Laos (430,000), Singapore (428,000), Taiwan (370,000), Japan (346,000), and the United States (341,000).
Positive factors for tourism include the return of international seating capacity to 46 million seats, representing 82 percent of the 2019 levels and a 24 percent increase from 2023, which had around 37 million seats.
This matches the rising demand for travel and includes important festivals and events such as China’s National Day, Christmas and New Year, and travel following influencers and famous artists from Thailand and abroad, through content featuring filming locations, concerts, or fan meetings with Thai and international artists.
However, negative factors include aggressive market promotion by competitors in the Asia-Pacific region, such as Japan, South Korea and Vietnam, which use promotions to attract tourists who overlap with Thailand’s target group. Economic uncertainty and the risk of a major economic slowdown as well as international conflicts such as the Israeli-Palestinian war, Iranian-Israeli tensions and the Russian-Ukrainian war could lead to higher flight prices over a longer period of time.
As far as domestic tourism is concerned, the overall situation for the last four months of the year (September to December) shows growth, with 72.47 million visitors, an increase of 6 percent, reaching 92 percent of the target set. Total revenue amounted to 335.24 billion baht, an increase of 8 percent compared to the same period last year, reaching 83 percent of the target revenue in the last four months.
The outlook for domestic revenue in 2024 remains optimistic and is supported by the government’s stimulus measures, tourism promotion through events and the use of soft power such as food, film, fashion and Muay Thai to boost domestic tourism.
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