Initially, Thapanee anticipated the floods might slow tourist arrivals, particularly from China. However, during China’s National Day holiday (October 1–7), over 200,000 Chinese tourists visited Thailand, surpassing the original estimate of 130,000. Private sector data even showed a 200% increase in bookings during this period.
To achieve the 2024 goal of 36.7 million foreign tourists, Thailand must attract 20% more visitors in the last three months of the year compared to 2023, when 7.9 million tourists visited during this period. The targets for the final quarter include 2.1 million tourists in October, 2.6 million in November, and 3.2 million in December. Looking forward to 2025, TAT expects to welcome 38.29 million international tourists and 203.8 million domestic trips, aiming for a total of 3.24 trillion baht in tourism revenue.
Thapanee stressed that meeting these goals will be driven by the recovery of flight numbers, with new routes and resumed services playing a crucial role. Visa-free policies and other market incentives will further boost demand.
TAT is also addressing risk factors like the strong baht, with contingency plans to manage the effects of currency fluctuations, natural disasters, and geopolitical conflicts, including those in Israel and Russia. Thailand’s reputation as a neutral and safe destination is attracting tourists from conflict-affected regions.
Flight recovery from key markets like Germany and Australia is crucial, with resumed routes to popular southern destinations such as Phuket, Krabi, and Phang Nga. In December 2024, Thailand will also host the Amazing Thailand Marathon Bangkok 2024, expected to draw 30,712 participants, including 6,000 international runners, generating at least 485 million baht in direct revenue.
Many international participants are expected to extend their stays for family vacations, further boosting local tourism spending. Additionally, TAT is preparing to open new tourism routes across the country, including the recently popular “Moo Deng” trail, which has attracted considerable attention.
