Thailand’s government has set an ambitious goal to attract 40 million visitors by 2025 as the tourism industry seeks to recover from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. The strategy focuses on promoting lesser-known destinations, increasing flight capacity, and enhancing the visibility of Thai culture.
Gary Bowerman, a tourism analyst based in Kuala Lumpur, noted that achieving this target would offer significant economic benefits as well as a psychological boost for Thailand. “Surpassing 40 million visitors would symbolize a return to form, especially since Thailand was on track to reach this milestone in 2020 without the pandemic,” he told DW. He also mentioned that if tourist arrivals had continued to grow after 2020, Thailand would likely be nearing its maximum capacity for visitors now.
Before the pandemic, Thailand welcomed a record 39 million visitors in 2019. This year, the country has already attracted 26 million tourists and anticipates reaching 36 million by year’s end. With nearly 20% of the Thai workforce employed in tourism, the sector is crucial to the economy.
However, Bowerman emphasized that simply increasing visitor numbers isn’t enough. “While growing arrivals is important for governments, the economy benefits more from higher spending per visitor and longer stays,” he explained. He suggested that Thailand should prioritize maximizing economic returns from tourism rather than focusing solely on visitor counts, which overlook factors like length of stay and spending patterns.
Chinese tourists are among the largest groups visiting Thailand, with over 5.2 million arriving between January and September, and projections estimating 8 million by the end of 2024. Despite this, Bowerman noted that Chinese airlines are not increasing flights to Thailand significantly in 2024 due to shifting outbound travel trends.
As the country prepares for more tourists, operators are also addressing the issue of overtourism in popular areas. Adith Chairattananon from the Federation of Thai Tourism Associations recently presented a white paper to the government, highlighting the need for solutions to manage potential overtourism with an influx of 40 million visitors. “Destinations like Phuket, Samui, and Pattaya could face serious overtourism challenges,” Adith stated, according to the Bangkok Post. One proposed solution includes introducing a 300-baht (approximately €8.20, $8.90) tourism tax to fund infrastructure improvements to accommodate the expected demand.
