I have read a lot of 'Sense & Nonsense' about Thailand tourism.

I have done some research and here are the (quite accurate) figures:

Thailand tourism versus rest of the Top 10 World tourist destinations

Top 10+ #inhabitants----------------#tourists in 2004----------------------arrivals per 100 population

1. France - 60.5 Million --------------75.1 Million-------------------------124

2. Spain - 40 Million---------------53.6 M-------------------------------133

3. USA - 295 Million---------------46.1 M-------------------------------16

4. China - 1.3 Billion--------------41.8 M-------------------------------3

5. Italy - 58 Million---------------37.1 M------------------------------64

6. UK - 60.4 Million----------------27.7 M------------------------------46

7. HongKong - 6.9 Million-----------21.8 M------------------------------318

8. Mexico - 106.2 Million--------------20.6 M-------------------------------20

9. Germany - 82.4 Million--------------20.1 M-------------------------------24

10. Austria - 8.2 Million--------------19.4 M-------------------------------237

18. Thailand - 65.4 Million--------------11.7 M----------------------18

It is interesting that total tourism in Europe is over 400 Million people in 2004 ! and that the 3 countries: France , Italy and Spain have a total of 165.8 Million tourists in 2004 and that’s more than their inhabitants (158.5 Million).

Note

*Hong Kong tourists are mainly from China

* Interesting that in countries like France, Italy, Spain (and Portugal, but not on the list), Germany and Austria hundreds of thousands of (European) people have their own 2nd holiday home generating Billions of Euros for these countries.

* In SE Asia: Malaysia is #1 with 15.7 Million #2 Thailand 11.7 Million #3 Indonesia 5.3 Million and Phillippines # 4 with 2.3 Million tourists

April 2005

sources:

Cia world factbook:

http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/th.html

and (amongst others)

http://www.world-tourism.org/newsroom/Rele...5/May/asian.htm

Forecasts 2010 and 2020 world tourism

Sorry for the 'shabby' looking top 10...Mea Culpa!

LaoPo

Facinating. But what is your point?

Facinating. But what is your point?

Sense and Nonsense

That Thailand isn't that bad, qua Tourism, in comparison to some of the top 10 Holiday-countries.

LaoPo