Tourism/TAT

Chatrudee Theparat

Tourism Authority of Thailand ( TAT ) expected the number of foreign visitors to Thailand to reach 40 million for the first time in 2025, thanks to activities both tourism and sports launched by the government.

Tourism and Sports Minister Sorawong Thienthong has vowed to help boost its foreign tourist numbers with policies to promote. Initially, the TAT had expected the total number of foreign visitors to Thailand at 39.5 million in 2025.

In addition, it expected its tourism revenue will rise 7.5% next year from 2024, thanks to collaborative efforts from related ministries.

Thapanee Kiatphaibool

Thapanee Kiatphaibool, TAT's governor, said that tourism trend in 2025 is likely to have a better direction than this year, which is an outcome from the government's policy to stimulate the economy and tourism industry to help generate more income.

The government announced a big campaign Amazing Thailand Grand Tourism & Sports Year 2025 where all ministries will join hands to promote tourism, while Thailand will host two sports of the SEA Games, held between December 9-20 2025 and Volleyball competition FIVB Women's World Championships 2025 during August 22 - September 7, 2025.

In 2025, TAT forecasted the number of foreign tourists from short haul markets will be 29 million and 11 million of tourists from long haul markets. A proportion of short-haul markets are projected to make up 77.5% of the total and a proportion from long-haul markets at 22.5%. Total revenue from both domestic and international markets is forecasted to increase by 7.5% from 2024.

Ms Thapani said activities to promote tourism next year will be carried out by an implementation under the big campaign “Amazing Thailand Grand Tourism & Sports Year 2025” , which will work in collaboration among various ministries such as the Culture Ministry, the Board of Investment, film shooting related agencies, hotels and airlines

Activities of five grand events throughout the year

In this year 2025 there will be cooperation between various ministries to perform all actions 5 Grand to provide activities throughout the year both in tourism and sports. They include:

1. Grand Festivity, the government will organize large events throughout the year as a main selling point to attract tourists to travel and facilitate travelling through all channels as much as possible.

2. Grand Moment offering a travel route that offers new and special experiences as “VERY VIP”

3.Grand Privilege includes shopping, tour packages, airplane tickets with convenient and seamless payment channels

4. Grand Invitation: the government will invite world-class people to visit Thailand throughout the year. They include singers and world-class musicians, legendary athletes, nobel prize-winning writers to travel and share their experiences.

5. Grand celebration during each holiday.

Ms Thapanee said that negotiations are under process to increase the number of airlines from India and China in order to support more charter flights to Thailand. However, the public should not worry that Thai people will travel to China in large numbers because the negotiations will help to increase regular flights between each other.

“There will be new airlines from China to Thailand and bring more Chinese visitors to Thailand later. There will be an opportunity to adjust regular flight routes.”

Ms Thapanee said that the number of foreign tourists this year is expected to reach 35 million people and generate income 2.8-2.9 trillion baht for both domestic and foreign tourists.

The visitors from China topped the rank, followed by Malaysia and the third from India, the fourth from South Korea. The number of Indian tourists is expected to reach 2 million people in the middle of this month while South Korea visitors are expected to reach 1.8 million people and 1 million from Taiwan.

As of December 2, 2024, the statistics showed an accumulated number of tourists during January 1 – Dec 1, 2024 in total 32 million and generating an income of 1.5 trillion baht. The highest number of tourists in the top 5 were 6.2 million from China; 4.5 million from Malaysia; 1.9 million from India; 1.6 million from South Korea and 1.5 million from Russia.