Thailand has welcomed over 23 million international tourists this year, marking a significant milestone in the nation’s tourism industry. Malaysian travelers have notably topped the list among the top five nationalities visiting the country, with a robust arrival count exceeding 3.8 million, according to reports by Bangkok-based newspaper The Nation.
Tourism and Sports Minister Sudawan Wangsuphakijkosol affirmed the statistics, stating, “Malaysian tourists to Thailand accounted for more than 3.8 million arrivals from January 1 to November 12 this year.” She further highlighted the prominent positions held by other nations on the list, citing China with 2.9 million arrivals, followed by South Korea (1.37 million), India (1.35 million), and Russia (1.17 million).
“The overall total of 23.2 million foreign tourist arrivals in Thailand also generated a revenue of 981.69 billion baht for the kingdom,” Sudawan added, underlining the substantial economic contribution made by the tourism sector.
Highlighting a recent surge in tourist arrivals, the minister revealed that the week of November 6 to 12 witnessed a notable increase, welcoming 611,121 foreigners into Thailand. Sudawan attributed this rise to public holidays in Malaysia and Singapore, particularly the festive period of Deepavali.
“The number of Malaysian tourist arrivals surged to 49,919, marking a 28.65% increase compared to the previous week,” Sudawan detailed, emphasizing the positive impact of regional festivities on tourism.
Before the onset of Covid-19 restrictions in 2020, Thailand had cemented its status as one of Asia’s premier travel destinations, attracting nearly 40 million visitors in 2019. The tourism sector had been a substantial contributor, accounting for approximately 20% of the kingdom’s GDP.