Bangkok Post – Over 4 million tourists visited this year so far

PUBLISHED : 13 Feb 2025 at 04:49

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Tourists visit Bangkok’s Chinatown (Yaowarat) last month. (Photo: Apichart Jinakul)

More than 4 million tourists have entered Thailand since the beginning of this year, with China ranking first.

Tourism and Sports Minister Sorawong Thienthong said on Wednesday that between Jan 1 and Feb 9, Thailand welcomed 4.8 million foreign tourists, generating over 234.9 billion baht in revenue.

Chinese tourists topped the list with 825,617 visitors, followed by Malaysia with 617,631, Russia with 330,628, South Korea with 263,572, and India with 232,828.

Between Feb 3 and 9, long-haul markets saw a 4.15% increase in arrivals, driven by a surge in Russian and French tourists. Arrivals from these two countries rose by 41.53%, boosted by market promotion efforts, additional flights, and school holidays.

However, short-haul markets slowed after the Chinese New Year celebrations, with South Korean arrivals declining due to domestic concerns such as aviation accidents, political issues, and currency fluctuations.

As a result, the total number of foreign arrivals during the first week of this month stood at 837,407 — an 11.57% decrease, or 109,551 fewer visitors compared to the previous week. Average daily arrivals were 119,630.

From Monday to this Sunday, foreign arrivals are expected to remain stable, supported by government promotional efforts, including the “Amazing Thailand Grand Tourism and Sports Year 2025” campaign and other tourism and sports-related events, he said.

The government is implementing safety measures to restore trust among Chinese tourists.

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