Thailand records 11.4 million foreign tourists so far

The tourist numbers surpassed the 11.15 million in the whole of 2022.

The Tourism Authority of Thailand expects to see 30 million arrivals this year as China has reopened the border. Still, the figure is well below the pre-Covid level of nearly 40 million.

Thailand’s tourism revenue in the first five months of 2023 rose to 959 billion baht, with foreign visitors contributing nearly two-thirds, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) said on Wednesday (June 7).

Tourism revenue for 2023 is on track to reach 2.38 trillion baht, or about 80% of the 3 trillion baht recorded in 2019, before Covid-19 crippled the tourism industry for nearly three years, it added.

Up to June this year, Thai tourists contributed 360 billion baht from nearly 100 million domestic trips, while foreign tourists brought income of 599 million baht from 10.56 million trips, said TAT governor Yuthasak Supasorn.

In May alone, 1.97 million foreigners entered Thailand, led by visits from Malaysia, followed by China, India, South Korea, and Laos.

The national hotel occupancy rate in the first five months was 70%.