National —
On January 6th, 2025, the South China Morning Post reported that Thailand’s eased visa rules for Chinese tourists significantly boosted foreign arrivals in 2024, with numbers rising 26% from the previous year.
The Thai Ministry of Tourism and Sports recorded 35.5 million international tourists in 2024, generating 1.67 trillion baht in revenue, a 34% increase from 2023. Although this fell short of the ministry’s target of 36.7 million, it closely aligned with the Bank of Thailand’s forecast of 36 million visitors.
Chinese tourists dominated, with 6.7 million arrivals, making up 60% of their pre-pandemic 2019 numbers. Visitors from Malaysia and India followed, while European, Indian, and Russian arrivals have now surpassed pre-COVID levels.
Thailand’s relaxed visa measures, first introduced under former Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, are credited with this resurgence.
For 2025, the Thai government aims for 40 million foreign tourists and 200 million domestic trips, which could contribute 2.8 trillion baht to the economy. The sector accounts for 12% of Thailand’s GDP and nearly one-fifth of employment.
Additional boosts are expected from the upcoming release of The White Lotus Season 3, filmed in Thai luxury resorts, and the recently passing same-sex marriage law, which is likely to attract more LGBTQ+ travelers.
This article originally appeared on our sister website The Pattaya News.
