International visitors spent more money in Thailand than in any other Asian country in 2017, according to a UN World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) report.

The report said that Thailand recorded a total tourism expenditure of USD57 billion in 2017, ahead of Japan (USD34 billion), Hong Kong (USD33 billion), China (USD33 billion) and Taiwan (USD12 billion).

The figures are based on surveys tabulated from credit card spending data and the cash receipts in different countries around the world.

Tourism expenditure to increase next year

UNWTO also predicted that tourism expenditure will increase in the next year, thanks to strong Thai tourism promotion campaigns and growing foreign investment in world-class hotels in Thailand.

The survey also indicated that Thailand has everything for everyone, ranging from luxury villas on private islands to affordable street food, which is why tourists can always find good valuable experiences in Thailand.

The full report can be accessed here.

Moreover, Bangkok ranked number one on the list of the world’s most-visited cities, according to MasterCard’s annual Global Destination Cities Index 2018. It has been ranked #1 for three consecutive years.

The MasterCard index showed that Thailand is also the only country which has three cities ranked on the list of the world’s most-visited cities: Bangkok (1st), Phuket (12th), and Pattaya (18th).

 MasterCard’s annual Global Destination Cities Index 2018
Bangkok ranked number one on the list of the world’s most-visited cities, according to MasterCard’s annual Global Destination Cities Index 2018

This is the breakdown of the estimated expenditure by the top ten performing markets during January-September 2018.

RankCountryTourism Revenue (Million Baht)% Change
1China460,39516.06
2Russia80,10523.77
3Malaysia79,49214.55
4South Korea60,6405.51
5USA60,13712.63
6UK57,2665.88
7Japan53,0167.56
8India52,13335.16
9Australia48,784-2.42
10Germany42,31612.81

Remark: Preliminary figures
Source: Ministry of Tourism and Sports by https://www.tatnews.org

About the author

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

You May Also Like

Thailand expects up to 30 million international visitors this year

The Tourism Authority of Thailand estimates that the number of visitors will be between 28 and 30 million. This year, Thailand has already surpassed last year’s number of visitors, with 15 million so far.

Thailand postpones Tourism Fee Collection Until September

The fee will be 300 baht (about $9) per person and will apply to all foreign tourists entering Thailand by air, land, or sea

Thailand Grants Visa Exemption to Chinese and Kazakhstani visitors amidst Declining Tourism

As a result, Thailand’s decision to grant visa exemption to Chinese and Kazakhstani tourists starting from September 25th is seen as a strategic move to attract more visitors and counter the decline in Chinese tourist numbers.