According to Transport Minister Saksayam Chidchob, more than 3.1 million foreign tourists visited Thailand in October, a 43.5% increase over September.
The recovery of tourism in Thailand has now entered a new phase with attendance figures that have become very close to those of the pre-Covid period.
3.1 million foreign tourists’ arrivals in October
According to Transport Minister Saksayam Chidchob, more than 3.1 million foreign tourists arrived in Thailand in October, an increase of 43.55 percent from September.
In 2019, Thailand welcomed 39 million tourists, or about 3.25 million tourists per month. The October figures are therefore close to the average level of pre-Covid attendance and are expected to increase further in November, December and January which are the high season months in Thailand.
Air arrivals accounted for 96.36% of all arrivals. Suvarnabhumi International Airport received 2.2 million (75%) passengers, with Don Mueang Airport receiving 400,000.
7 million tourists between 1 January and 26 October, 2022
Thailand welcomed over 7 million tourists between 1 January and 26 October, 2022, with the full year target for 2022 being between seven and 10 million visitor arrivals.
The total number of visitor arrivals for the 1 January-26 October, 2022, period was 7,349,843. The top five source markets were Malaysia with 1,246,242 arrivals, India with 661,751 arrivals, Lao PDR. with 538,789 arrivals, Cambodia with 373,811 arrivals, and Singapore with 365,593 arrivals. Tabulated by the TAT Intelligence Centre based on data from the Immigration Bureau, these totals do not include migrants, United Nations officials, and non-nationalities.
18 million foreign arrivals in 2023
According to the Tourism Authority of Thailand, tourism leaders anticipate 18 million foreign arrivals in 2023, with little hope that the Chinese market will return anytime soon (TAT).
Both the government and the private sector have high hopes for the tourism sector’s recovery to serve as an engine for growth in the overall national economy.
Immigration officials at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport are struggling to keep up with the influx of foreign tourists, as shown in pictures of the overcrowded airport taken on Sunday, October 20.
Thailand has fully reopened to international tourism and no longer requires tourists to show proof of vaccination or ATK test results, and longer stays are now available. From 1 October 2022 to 31 March 2023, the period of stay is increased to 45 days (from 30 days) for tourists from visa-exempt countries/territories, and to 30 days (from 15 days) for those eligible for a visa on arrival (VOA).
