The tourism industry in Thailand had a strong start in 2024, with nearly 4 million foreign arrivals in January.
China, Malaysia, Russia, India, and Laos were the top countries of origin for visitors. Factors contributing to the increase in travel to Thailand included the lifting of outbreak restrictions in China and the Thai Government’s free visa policy. Thailand has also been working to build positive relations with ASEAN members to promote mutual tourism, including the “One Destination” project involving six countries.
Trip.com Group’s data shows that Thailand is expected to experience a 44.3% increase in total trip expenditure for inbound bookings during this year’s Chinese New Year compared to the same period last year.
Starting in September of last year, the Thai government began allowing visitors from China and Kazakhstan to enter the country without needing a visa. This was later extended to visitors from India and Taiwan in November.
Thailand and China have agreed to permanently waive visa requirements for their citizens starting from March 1, following the expiration of the free visa policy.
