Tourism Thailand Tourism: Falling Behind or Ready to Evolve?

[snoop1130]

Picture courtesy of Andamanda Phuket

 

Thailand faces an uphill battle to restore its tourism industry to its pre-pandemic heights. Despite a 26% increase in visitors, reaching 35.5 million in 2024, the nation remains unable to surpass its 2019 peak of nearly 40 million tourists. For the first half of 2025, only 16.6 million arrivals have been recorded, suggesting that previous records may remain unbroken for some time.

 

Today, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) unveiled a new campaign, "Healing is a New Luxury," aiming for 36 million visitors and 1.63 trillion baht in revenue by 2026. Yet, this figure still falls short of the 1.9 trillion baht generated in 2019. An ambitious 2.8 trillion baht target for next year looms large, but reaching the 3 trillion baht milestone of the past remains elusive.

 

Although tourism saw a rebound in 2023 with the reopening of China's borders, enthusiasm has waned. The once-robust Chinese market, which comprised a quarter of Thailand’s foreign tourists, has dwindled significantly. A significant rise in Chinese visitors in January 2024 was followed by steep declines, with first-half arrivals in 2025 down 34% year-on-year.

 

Former TAT governor Yuthasak Supasorn warns that only 4-5 million Chinese tourists may visit this year, marking a 12-year low, excluding the COVID-19 period. The issue isn't solely China's slowing economy, as Vietnam and Japan have seen substantial increases in Chinese visitors, while Thailand grapples with safety concerns stemming from high-profile incidents like the kidnapping of Chinese actor Wang Xing and the collapse of a Bangkok building.

 

Thailand's safety ranking has tumbled to 102nd out of 117 countries in the World Economic Forum's Travel & Tourism Index. Concerns over policing and personal safety at night have grown, with Chinese travellers' confidence in Thai safety plummeting from 26% in 2024 to 19% in 2025.

 

The challenge extends beyond numbers. Malaysian tourists have surged to become Thailand’s top market in 2025, but they spend significantly less compared to Chinese visitors. A Chinese tourist spends an average of 42,428 baht over 7.35 days, whereas a Malaysian spends just 21,450 baht over 4.17 days.

 

Efforts to attract European travellers, who spend more on average, have helped locations like Phuket, but only temporarily. Occupancy rates in Phuket’s low season dropped to 59% in June, down from 72% the previous year, with room rates dipping to 2,394 baht.

 

Thailand's appeal as a budget destination is fading, with its cost competitiveness ranking slipping to 48th. The rise of "Qióngyóu," budget travel among Chinese millennials, has diverted price-sensitive tourists elsewhere.

 

Yuthasak argues for a strategic pivot: attracting fewer, high-spending tourists to maximise economic impact. The country’s historical resilience in crises is being tested amid this prolonged recovery effort.

 

To regain its stature, Thailand must focus on rebuilding trust, enhancing safety, and offering better value. Transforming from a budget haven to a quality destination could redefine its future. The clock is ticking, as regional rivals forge ahead.

 

Yuthasak underscores Thailand's potential: "We can't rest on past glories. It's time to evolve, or risk being left behind."

 

  Adapted by ASEAN Now from The Thaiger 2025-07-21

 

 

[Maxbkkcm]

Evolve definitely. They cater high spender now. You can see it in bkk. Wealthy traveler all over now. 

[chawbdurian]

F tourism

[TheAppletons]

1 hour ago, Maxbkkcm said:

Evolve definitely. They cater high spender now. You can see it in bkk. Wealthy traveler all over now. 

 

  Definitely.  There are even guys selling Rolex watches on the streets to the wealthy travelers.  

[daveAustin]

Whether it’s up or down all depends on how the TAT writes it. 

[falangUK]

According to TAT, it’s rising at an exponential rate.

[HappyExpat57]

Putting lipstick on a pig, you can't polish a turd, etc.

 

It's quite simple - if a product is desireable and at a reasonable price, it sells itself.

[blaze master]

9 hours ago, Maxbkkcm said:

Evolve definitely. They cater high spender now. You can see it in bkk. Wealthy traveler all over now. 

The world class infrastructure at all the hot spots tells a different story. 

[Purdey]

Perhaps Thailand hasn't realised other countries are attractive as tourists search for something "new". Businesses think they can increase profits indefinitely. But national economies can only do this by switching to a variety of new industries that meet new demand so that overall they can keep growing.

Thailand has got stuck on the idea that there is only one industry that can grow indefinitely - tourism. It appears they aren't interested in developing people to enter new industries.

[bkk6060]

There are good things here. But

 

Low education and English

Poor infrastructure

Terrible uneducated drivers

50 year old low speed trains and routes

Lack of safety oversite on tourist related activities.

Scams

 

 

[DonniePeverley]

The problem is TAT and the immigration stance are not one body.

 

TAT wants quality tourists, more hotel bookings, and preservation of the tourist sites.

 

Meanwhile the government opens up the borders to the world, including Indians. Cue mass cheap tourism. 

[MarkBR]

13 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Picture courtesy of Andamanda Phuket

 

Thailand faces an uphill battle to restore its tourism industry to its pre-pandemic heights. Despite a 26% increase in visitors, reaching 35.5 million in 2024, the nation remains unable to surpass its 2019 peak of nearly 40 million tourists. For the first half of 2025, only 16.6 million arrivals have been recorded, suggesting that previous records may remain unbroken for some time.

 

Today, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) unveiled a new campaign, "Healing is a New Luxury," aiming for 36 million visitors and 1.63 trillion baht in revenue by 2026. Yet, this figure still falls short of the 1.9 trillion baht generated in 2019. An ambitious 2.8 trillion baht target for next year looms large, but reaching the 3 trillion baht milestone of the past remains elusive.

 

Although tourism saw a rebound in 2023 with the reopening of China's borders, enthusiasm has waned. The once-robust Chinese market, which comprised a quarter of Thailand’s foreign tourists, has dwindled significantly. A significant rise in Chinese visitors in January 2024 was followed by steep declines, with first-half arrivals in 2025 down 34% year-on-year.

 

Former TAT governor Yuthasak Supasorn warns that only 4-5 million Chinese tourists may visit this year, marking a 12-year low, excluding the COVID-19 period. The issue isn't solely China's slowing economy, as Vietnam and Japan have seen substantial increases in Chinese visitors, while Thailand grapples with safety concerns stemming from high-profile incidents like the kidnapping of Chinese actor Wang Xing and the collapse of a Bangkok building.

 

Thailand's safety ranking has tumbled to 102nd out of 117 countries in the World Economic Forum's Travel & Tourism Index. Concerns over policing and personal safety at night have grown, with Chinese travellers' confidence in Thai safety plummeting from 26% in 2024 to 19% in 2025.

 

The challenge extends beyond numbers. Malaysian tourists have surged to become Thailand’s top market in 2025, but they spend significantly less compared to Chinese visitors. A Chinese tourist spends an average of 42,428 baht over 7.35 days, whereas a Malaysian spends just 21,450 baht over 4.17 days.

 

Efforts to attract European travellers, who spend more on average, have helped locations like Phuket, but only temporarily. Occupancy rates in Phuket’s low season dropped to 59% in June, down from 72% the previous year, with room rates dipping to 2,394 baht.

 

Thailand's appeal as a budget destination is fading, with its cost competitiveness ranking slipping to 48th. The rise of "Qióngyóu," budget travel among Chinese millennials, has diverted price-sensitive tourists elsewhere.

 

Yuthasak argues for a strategic pivot: attracting fewer, high-spending tourists to maximise economic impact. The country’s historical resilience in crises is being tested amid this prolonged recovery effort.

 

To regain its stature, Thailand must focus on rebuilding trust, enhancing safety, and offering better value. Transforming from a budget haven to a quality destination could redefine its future. The clock is ticking, as regional rivals forge ahead.

 

Yuthasak underscores Thailand's potential: "We can't rest on past glories. It's time to evolve, or risk being left behind."

 

  Adapted by ASEAN Now from The Thaiger 2025-07-21

 

 

They are obsessed with the imaginary quality high-spending tourist, when they should pursue a portfolio strategy whereby they offer a range of tourism types in an optimal mix and then make it possible for tourists to easily get past the bureaucracy. This should include short-term (low & medium & high spenders) & longer term tourists.   Then look at why places like Vietnam are doing better in certain areas, and emulate them, and moreover make Thailands policies better.

They have no choice, everyone in ASEAN is pursuing the imaginary high spending (& imaginary high quality) tourist.  Thailand has to be better.

[MarkBR]

4 hours ago, falangUK said:

According to TAT, it’s rising at an exponential rate.

Indeed, soon every human being will be a tourist in Thailand

[mikebell]

A perfect time to introduce TDAC.  Keep It Simple Stupid - Vietnam's recipe for success.

[MarkBR]

54 minutes ago, mikebell said:

A perfect time to introduce TDAC.  Keep It Simple Stupid - Vietnam's recipe for success.

If TDAC actualy was assessing who was a criminal, to stop them ever being allowed to travel& enter Thailand, then they could get rid of visas entirely.  Just track people using TDAC & TM30s, and their phonesplus ATM withdrawals.   Visas would be pretty much redundant.  Save a fortune which could be redirected to doing useful stuff (increasing public goods for Thai citizens) as well as reduce bureaucracy for tourists.

[Liverpool Lou]

8 hours ago, Purdey said:

Thailand has got stuck on the idea that there is only one industry that can grow indefinitely - tourism.

Nonsense considering that less than 25% of Thailand's economy has ever depended on tourism.

[hotchilli]

19 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Thailand faces an uphill battle to restore its tourism industry to its pre-pandemic heights. Despite a 26% increase in visitors, reaching 35.5 million in 2024, the nation remains unable to surpass its 2019 peak of nearly 40 million tourists. For the first half of 2025, only 16.6 million arrivals have been recorded, suggesting that previous records may remain unbroken for some time.

Nothing new to offer, people came, saw, tasted, experienced and left.

[hotchilli]

17 hours ago, TheAppletons said:

 

  Definitely.  There are even guys selling Rolex watches on the streets to the wealthy travelers.  

Shops selling designer bags for the well-heeled ladies.

[newbee2022]

I personally don't need hordes of tourists.

However, small businesses might see it different

[Coxy]

Thailands hot spots have become old and tired looking.  Tourists are keen to try someplace new in Asia.  The negative press the country is getting does not help

[Sydebolle]

Blowing their own trumpets again and again and again - what a farçe. Those in charge today have not the slightest clue of what it was 40 years ago; then Thailand was a prime destination, top tourists spending four and five times as much as now. 

The whole industry has to eat dirt and sand before they realize that they cannot handle quantities and should go back to focus on quality.

[ronster]

They want 5 people spending a hundred thousand bht a day instead of 100 people spending 10000bht a day 🙄

[madmitch]

19 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Thailand's safety ranking has tumbled to 102nd out of 117 countries in the World Economic Forum's Travel & Tourism Index. C

Yet last week there was an article claiming Thailand as the safest country in the world!

 

 

[Franky0815]

Unlike other countries that rely on tourism, Thailand still hasn't understood that tourism isn't a fixed entity. Anyone who can travel to Thailand from overseas with their family during peak season can vacation anywhere in the world. This is currently proving true. For some, once in Thailand, always in Thailand. For many others, however, this isn't the case. Three or four times in Thailand, and then a new vacation destination is visited. That's just the way it is with tourism. Thailand can wish for a lot, but 2019 is not 2025! Welcome to reality...

[TheFishman1]

Poor English skills dual pricing scams by Police  taxis I updated train system overpriced on Food and you wonder why TIT

[TheTightArseTraveller]

There are a few issues I see but the 'feel' of the place is a big one.

Many of the tourist spots now seem to have three, and only three, country of origin visitors- Russia, India and China.

Clearly tourism dollars are not racist, but when you walk down Walking Street, or Banglar Road etc.. You could be forgiven for thinking you were in India.

This is not an attack on the Indians, but when the mix is SO high, other nationalities notice.

The Russians in these places also create a very menacing feel.  

The Chinese are fine, but again, I do feel that these areas would benefit from a more even spread of tourists.

 

I also think the legalisation of hooch was absolutely a tourism killer.  SO obvious mums and dads dont want their kids walking past a dispensary every three shops and breathing that craaap in everywhere they go.

.

  

The Thais are very happy to be Nationalistic and racist when required, but unfortunately, as per usual, the dollar has ruled here in a very short sighted way.

[TheTightArseTraveller]

24 minutes ago, newbee2022 said:

I personally don't need hordes of tourists.

However, small businesses might see it different

Sweet, we will call the Thai government and let them know all is well.... LOL

[newbee2022]

2 minutes ago, TheTightArseTraveller said:

Sweet, we will call the Thai government and let them know all is well.... LOL

Yes, do it. You got the phone number obviously. Can I have it?

[shackleton]

Thailand has been receiving a lot of bad press lately drugs  cannabis ect

Plus fighting in Pattaya Phuket and so on 😱

Tourists see this negativity and will  go else where Vietnam Laos ect 

To spend their hard earned cash and enjoy themselves 🥳

[hotchilli]

20 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Yuthasak argues for a strategic pivot: attracting fewer, high-spending tourists to maximise economic impact.

Pattaya, Phuket, Samui; Som Tam, mango & sticky rice ain't going to achieve that.

Visiting Thailand is like playing an old vinyl 38 record... boring and well out of date