The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) said the upcoming final quarter of this year looks promising for international tourism in Thailand.
The country anticipates welcoming 35.6 million tourists, with projected tourism revenues reaching 1.8 trillion baht ($53 billion) in 2024. Despite recent floods in northern Thailand, the impact on the tourism sector has been minimal.
TAT’s international offices have analyzed the situation following the flooding in various northern areas to assess its effect on international tourism numbers.
This analysis reveals that while tourists from China and ASEAN countries have delayed their trips, the postponement is attributed not to the floods but to the conclusion of the summer school holidays, which typically run from late June to mid-August.
European tourists are informed about the floods in the north and landslides on Phuket; however, there are currently no travel bans or advisories issued.
Thapanee Kiatphaibool, Governor of TAT, noted that the flooding does not affect key foreign tourist destinations including Bangkok, Pattaya, Phuket, Hat Yai, and Chiang Mai.
She emphasized that all TAT offices are tasked with keeping information current and actively promoting tourism across Thailand, supported by various incentive measures.
The Governor also highlighted that tourism forecasts for the last four months of 2024 (September to December) are optimistic, predicting visitor numbers that surpass the previous year.
An estimated 12.22 million tourists are expected during this period, marking a 20 percent increase and contributing to a revenue boost of 29 percent from the same period in 2023, achieving 97 percent of the targeted revenue with a total of 673.738 billion baht.
For the entire year of 2024, Thailand aims to host 35.9 million international tourists, reflecting a 28 percent increase, with expected revenues rising to approximately 1.818 trillion baht, a 32 percent increase over the previous year.
Tourist arrivals at the year’s end are predominantly expected from major Asian markets, followed by Europe and South Asia, with other regions also contributing.
The top ten countries contributing to tourist numbers in Thailand include 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).
Contributing positively to tourism are the restored international flight capacities to 46 million seats, which is 82 percent of the levels seen in 2019, and a 24 percent increase from 2023, which had about 37 million seats.
This increased capacity aligns with the heightened demand for travel, encompassing key celebrations and events such as China’s National Day, Christmas, New Year’s, and popular culture-driven tourism following influencers and celebrities from both Thailand and abroad.
Conversely, challenges such as aggressive marketing tactics by competitors in the Asia-Pacific region, including Japan, South Korea, and Vietnam, aim to attract tourists from Thailand’s target demographics.
Furthermore, economic uncertainties and risks of a significant slowdown, coupled with international conflicts like the Israeli-Palestinian war, tensions between Iran and Israel, and the ongoing Russian-Ukrainian conflict, could potentially drive up flight costs over an extended period.
For domestic tourism, the forecast for the last quarter of the year shows positive growth, with an expected 72.47 million domestic visits, a 6 percent increase, reaching 92 percent of the set target.
Domestic tourism revenues are anticipated to rise to 335.24 billion baht, an 8 percent increase from the previous year, achieving 83 percent of the target revenue for the period.
The outlook for domestic tourism revenue in 2024 remains positive, bolstered by government stimulus initiatives and promotional efforts focusing on Thailand’s cultural assets, including its cuisine, cinema, fashion, and Muay Thai.
