15-6-2024 (BANGKOK) Thailand is setting its sights on welcoming 21.7 million foreign tourists between June and December, following a successful start to the year with over 15 million arrivals in the first five months, according to Tourism and Sports Minister Sermsak Pongpanich. This ambitious target is part of the country’s broader strategy to invigorate its economy through tourism.
Earlier this week, the Thai government revised its 2024 inbound tourist target upwards to 36.7 million, an increase of 1 million from previous projections. This adjustment aims to bolster Thailand’s gross domestic product (GDP) growth to 3 percent, alongside accelerated government spending and public investment.
The government is implementing urgent policies to enhance the appeal of secondary tourism provinces and promote year-round travel destinations. These efforts aim to achieve a tourism revenue target of 3.5 trillion baht (approximately 95.42 billion USD) this year, even during the typically slower months from June to September, Sermsak revealed at a recent news conference.
Data from the Ministry of Tourism and Sports indicates that as of last week, over 15.54 million foreign tourists had arrived in Thailand, marking a 37 percent increase compared to the same period last year. Chinese tourists constitute the largest group of visitors, with more than 3 million arrivals, followed by tourists from Malaysia and India.
In 2019, prior to the pandemic, Thailand welcomed a record 39.9 million foreign visitors, generating 1.91 trillion baht (about 52 billion USD) in revenue. Tourism remains a crucial driver of Thailand’s economic growth, contributing approximately 12 percent to the nation’s GDP.
