These are the top markets for Thailand tourism in 2023.
Thailand's tourism sector has rebounded with positive sentiments, as it is projected to receive 25-30 million international tourists in 2023, injecting 1.5 trillion baht (US$43.5 billion) into the economy.
During 'The Future of Thai tourism after Covid-19: A new era begins' briefing at the Foreign Correspondents Club of Thailand in Bangkok earlier this week, Chattan Kunjara Na Ayudhya, deputy governor for marketing communications at the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), provided insights into the country's recent tourism performance.
Thailand’s top performing markets
Malaysia, Thailand’s southern neighbour, remains the top visitor source market with nearly 2.4 million visitors in the first seven months of 2023, of which overland tourists make up a significant chunk.
China, which was the top source market for Thailand with 11 million visitors in 2019, is currently ranked second with nearly 1.8 million visitors to date. The return of China visitors hasn’t been as quickly as anticipated, Chattan admitted, although the recovery momentum for the Chinese market has been picking up in latter months.
South Korea is in third spot with approximately 866,747 visitors to date and has “exceeded expectations”, on its way to surpassing previous records, according to the TAT executive.
India stands in fourth place with about 858,843 visitors to Thailand to date, and flight connections with the destination are gradually recovering.
Russia, in fifth place, remains a major market for Thailand, particularly during the winter months when arrivals soar. So far, over 840,128 Russian visitors have travelled to the country.
Despite seeing a downturn in arrival numbers from Japan, TAT does not plan to reduce resources or interest in Japan as a visitor source market. Instead, TAT aims to “address the imbalance” by maintaining a strong presence in the Japanese market.
Deeper, wider push into emerging markets
To increase Thailand's resilience in the face of unexpected crises, TAT has pursued a market diversification strategy. This includes exploring emerging markets in Europe, such as Poland, Czech Republic, Romania, and Bulgaria. Additionally, countries like Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan have been targeted through roadshows.
Saudi Arabia has emerged as a "superstar" market for Thailand, with arrivals increasing significantly from 30,000 a year previously to 100,000 in 2022, following the normalisation of bilateral relations between the two countries last year. The number is projected to grow even higher in 2023, and TAT is setting up a promotion office in Riyadh to further enhance this growth.
Amazing Thailand keeps giving
For 2024, Thailand is targeting 35 million international visitors and 1.92 trillion baht (US$56 billion) in tourism revenue. The domestic sector is projected to see around 200 million domestic trips and 1.08 trillion baht (US$31.5 billion).
Looking ahead, TAT aims to focus on creating valuable experiences for visitors, with a greater emphasis on growing visitor spend rather than just visitor numbers. To mitigate overtourism, certain popular destinations will have limitations put in place, and some islands may be closed for certain periods.
TAT will continue to maintain the "Amazing Thailand" brand, and the NTO will adopt a deeper segmentation strategy, targeting specific segments like Chinese couples, Indian weddings, business travellers, workationers, digital nomads, and health and beauty travellers.
