National —
On October 7th, 2024, Ms. Thapanee Kiatphaibool, the Governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), provided an optimistic forecast for Q4 of 2024 (October–December), anticipating continued growth in international tourist arrivals despite recent flooding in Thailand.
Thapanee initially expected the floods to slow down tourist arrivals, especially from China. However, during China’s National Day holiday (October 1–7), more than 200,000 Chinese tourists visited Thailand, exceeding the original estimate of 130,000. Private sector data revealed a 200% surge in bookings during this period.
To meet the 2024 target of 36.7 million foreign tourists, Thailand will need to attract 20% more visitors in the remaining three months of the year compared to 2023, which saw 7.9 million tourists during this period.
The goal is set at 2.1 million tourists in October, 2.6 million in November, and 3.2 million in December. Looking ahead to 2025, TAT expects to welcome 38.29 million international tourists and 203.8 million domestic trips, aiming to generate a total of 3.24 trillion baht in tourism revenue.
Thapanee emphasized that achieving these goals will be supported by the recovery in flight numbers, including new routes and resumed services. Campaigns such as visa-free policies and other market incentives will further stimulate demand.
TAT is also managing risk factors like the strong baht, with contingency plans in place to mitigate the impact of currency fluctuations, natural disasters, and geopolitical conflicts, such as the ongoing conflicts in Israel and Russia. Thailand’s position as a neutral and safe destination is proving attractive to tourists from war-affected countries.
Thapanee highlighted the growing importance of flight recovery, particularly from key markets like Germany and Australia, which have resumed routes to popular southern destinations such as Phuket, Krabi, and Phang Nga.
In addition to flight recovery, Minister of Tourism and Sports, Sorawong Thienthong, is focused on attracting foreign investment into Thailand’s tourism industry. This includes supporting mega-events like Formula 1, entertainment complexes, and large-scale festivals. Provinces like Buriram, which hosts the annual MotoGP, have become attractive to investors, driving confidence in the region’s tourism development.
In December 2024, Thailand will host the Amazing Thailand Marathon Bangkok 2024, which is expected to draw 30,712 participants, including 6,000 foreign runners. This event alone is projected to generate at least 485 million baht in direct revenue.
Many international participants plan to stay in Thailand for extended periods, combining their participation with family vacations, which will further boost local tourism spending.
TAT is also preparing to open new tourism routes across the country, including a popular “Moo Deng” trail that has gained significant attention recently.
This article originally appeared on our sister website The Pattaya News.
