tourism income of thailand

Reimagining travel: Thailand tourism after the COVID-19 pandemic

Thailand’s economy is reliant on international tourism, a once-flourishing sector that has been impacted by pandemic restrictions. But there have been continual government efforts to boost domestic travel, and measures to support returning international demand after Thailand began reopening to vaccinated international travelers from 63 countries on November 1, 2021. 1 Pasika Khernamnuoy and Katie Silver, “Thailand reopens to vaccinated tourists from over 60 nations,” BBC, November 1 2021, bbc.com. Even as the world addresses emerging variants of the virus, Thailand’s lessons can act as a guide for other tourism-dependent countries facing similar dilemmas as they prepare for the resurgence of international travel.

A heavy blow, adjustments needed to support recovery

In 2019, Thailand ranked eighth globally in international tourist arrivals, with China being a key source market. 2 United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO). Thailand recorded a high of 40 million visitors in 2019, with the top three spending categories for inbound visitors that year being in accommodation (28 percent), shopping (24 percent of spending), and food and beverages (21 percent). 3 “Summary of tourism income and expenses from foreign tourists entering Thailand in 2019,” Ministry of Tourism & Sports, October 28, 2020, mots.go.th. Furthermore, the Thai tourism sector created 36 million jobs between 2014 and 2019. 4 “Dashboard SME big data,” Office of Small and Medium Enterprises Promotion, accessed October 2021, sme.go.th.

Unfortunately, the pandemic and related restrictions have hit travel particularly hard, as international travel plunged. Passengers on international flights to Thailand dropped by 95 percent in September 2021, compared to the previous year. Hotels, in turn, only filled 9 percent of their rooms (Exhibit 1).

This decline in visitors had an outsize impact on tourism spending, as international travelers spent significantly more than their local counterparts (Exhibit 2). For instance, in 2019, international travelers made up 33 percent of overall travelers in Thailand yet accounted for almost 60 percent of all tourism spending—international tourists spent $1,543 per traveler on average, compared to $152 by domestic travelers. 5 “Tourism statistics 2019,” Ministry of Tourism & Sports, accessed October 2021, mots.go.th. This drop in expenditure undoubtedly caused a ripple effect on Thailand’s food and beverage retail industries, which include 1.2 million small and medium-size enterprises (SMEs). 6 “How to start business,” Office of Small and Medium Enterprises Promotion, accessed October 2021, sme.go.th.

Recovery appears to be on the horizon for Thailand. Assuming virus recurrence, slow long-term growth, muted world recovery, and minimal changes to global tourism strategies, Thailand’s tourism sector could only recover to pre-crisis levels by 2024.

Given that Thailand’s GDP relies significantly on foreign tourism income, the domestic tourism market alone is not sufficient to bring the nation’s tourism revenue back to 2019 figures; the sector’s recovery would depend on a resurgence in international travel (Exhibit 3). Globally, this recovery scenario would likely reshape the landscape of the world’s travel industry and create a strong imperative for both the public and private sectors to act to ensure the industry’s survival.

Efforts to stimulate tourism

Thailand has deployed various efforts to compensate for the loss of inbound tourism. Given that for most of the first quarter of 2020, Thailand saw less than 1,000 daily COVID-19 cases nationwide, with cases not rising above 4,000 until November 2020, domestic tourism was still a viable option for travelers. The Thai government’s attempt to boost domestic travel took the form of providing subsidies for hotel stays and flights for travelers. The government also rolled out measures to stimulate international travel to Thailand’s beach destinations and attract high-end travelers from international markets.

Travel together—stimulating domestic tourism

In August 2020, the Thai government launched the Rao Tiew Duay Gun (We Travel Together) program, where it set aside a budget of $640 million to help boost domestic tourism. 7 “Thailand approves domestic tourism package worth 22.4 billion baht,” Tourism Authority of Thailand Newsroom, June 17, 2020, tatnews.org.

The government subsidized a total of six million nights of hotel accommodation at 40 percent of normal room rates. The subsidy was capped at 3,000 baht ($100) per night for up to five nights. Subsidies for other services, including food, were capped at 600 baht ($20) per room per night. This subsidy was initially limited to facilities outside tourists’ home provinces, but that restriction was lifted in the second phase of the rollout in December 2020. In addition, domestic tourists traveling by air would qualify for a government refund of 40 percent of the ticket price. This was capped at 1,000 baht ($32) per seat, with a quota of 2 million seats.

The program reached its total quota of six million hotel-room nights in February 2021, seven months after its launch. 8 “FPO reveals the money we travel together, 20,000 million,” Bangkok Business News , January 4, 2021, bangkokbiznews.com; “‘We travel together’ the parade has already reserved 6 million rights. But there are still 1.35 million rights left!” Bangkok Business News , February 8, 2021, bangkokbiznews.com. During that time, at least $1 billion had been added to the Thai economy. 9 “NESDB-TAT has not yet knocked on ‘we travel together, phase 3,’” Thai PBS News , March 16, 2021, news.thaipbs.or.th.

Many operators grasped this opportunity, shifted their focus to the domestic market, and attracted local travelers by promoting flights and hotels in collaboration with the We Travel Together campaign. Destinations that once served mainly international visitors welcomed more local travelers, which has helped their economies wade through this difficult period. Many luxury hotels offered deep discounts and attractive promotions to capture the medium- to high-spend domestic-tourist segment.

These efforts to stimulate domestic travel were temporarily paused as COVID-19 cases reached a new high in July 2021. Domestic air travel in and out of red zones, including Bangkok, was banned during July to September 2021 in response to the nation’s effort to control the spread of the Delta variant. 10 “Domestic flight bans in force,” Bangkok Post , July 21, 2021, bangkokpost.com. Phase three of the We Travel Together campaign was paused during the same period, but resumed in October 2021.

Bringing back international travelers with the ‘sandbox’ approach

Despite promotional efforts for domestic travel, Thailand’s total revenue from domestic travel still saw a significant dip. The country’s revenue from domestic travel dropped from $34.5 billion to $15.4 billion in 2020. An increase in domestic spending alone would not compensate for the impact of the pandemic on the Thai economy. The country has largely been dependent on international markets, which represented about $62 billion or 60 percent of total tourism spend in 2019. 11 “Tourism statistics 2019,” Ministry of Tourism & Sports, accessed October 2021, mots.go.th.

In response, Thailand launched the “Phuket Sandbox” in July 2021, an effort to recapture demand from international travelers. The initiative offered fully vaccinated travelers (between 14 days and one year before their travel date) exemption from quarantine, provided they remain in Phuket for at least 14 days before traveling to other parts of Thailand. 12 “General information—Phuket Sandbox,” Tourism Authority of Thailand Newsroom, October 1, 2021, tatnews.org. Additionally, travelers’ stay in Phuket was restricted to accommodation establishments that have been certified by the Safety & Health Administration of the Thai government. Visitors staying in Phuket for less than 14 days were permitted to leave Phuket only if their destination was outside of Thailand.

The model hoped to draw visitors during the year-end season in Asia, Europe, and America—all key origin markets for Thailand. Several other reopening plans followed, including the “Samui Plus” and “Andaman Sandbox” plans. 13 “Samui Plus plan to generate B180m,” Bangkok Post , July 18, 2021, bangkokpost.com; “‘Adaman Sandbox’ next on govt agenda,” Bangkok Post , July 21, 2021, bangkokpost.com. Together, the schemes created a network of reopened destinations, which hoped to position Thailand as an attractive destination for international and domestic travelers alike.

The economic uplift from the Phuket Sandbox were moderate. In the period from July 1 to August 31, Phuket welcomed about 26,400 visitors, who were estimated to have spent at least $48.8 million while staying on the resort island (Exhibit 4). 14 “Phuket Sandbox generates B1,634m in two months,” Bangkok Post , September 5, 2021, bangkokpost.com.

A nationwide rise in COVID-19 infection rates in the same period meant that the government had to reconsider social distancing and other measures to minimize risk to visitors.

In any case, Thailand has gathered its learnings from the “sandbox” approach and proceeded to reopen the country to receive international travelers. As of November 1, 2021, the Thai government commenced a phased reopening of the country, allowing fully vaccinated tourists from 63 low-risk countries to visit with one day of quarantine, provided they pass a COVID-19 test upon arrival. The government has also replaced the slow-paced Certificate of Entry (COE) system with the Thailand Pass System, in an effort to make the documentation process of travelers entering Thailand more efficient than the COE application. 15 “Thailand pass,” ThaiEmbassy.com, accessed on November 1, 2021, thaiembassy.com.

The program also expanded the number of provinces open to international visitors to 17, including major tourism destinations such as Bangkok and Chiang Mai. Subject to readiness, additional major provinces are expected to reopen from December 2021 onwards. To ensure visitor safety, some COVID-19 measures remain in place, although most businesses have been allowed to reopen and nighttime curfews have been lifted in almost every province. The reopening has welcomed tourists globally, with top visitors coming from Thailand’s key source markets—the United States, Germany, and the United Kingdom (Exhibit 5).

Attracting ‘quality’ travelers, with an eye on new markets

Pre-COVID-19, China was one of the main contributors to Thailand’s tourism income, accounting for more than 27 percent of 2019 tourism receipts. 16 “Tourism statistics 2019,” Ministry of Tourism & Sports, accessed October 2021, mots.go.th. Given the current prudent approach of the Chinese government toward international travel, the road of return for Chinese visitors to Thailand will be a long one. China’s international-flight seat capacity and passenger numbers remain down by 95 percent  compared to pre-COVID-19 levels, and stringent public-health measures for international travel remain in place. Thailand, therefore, needs to reimagine its strategy and try to capture new sources of international travelers in markets where there are more rapid recoveries of international travel demand.

The situation may change rapidly, particularly in these volatile times; closely monitoring the revival of these top source markets, particularly around the country’s stance towards viral control measures, will help industry players plan their recovery efforts and capture untapped value.

Recognizing these shifting traveler trends, and the resilient nature of premium traveler groups, the Thai government is striving to attract “quality” travelers from these source countries. Measures include revisiting and relaxing certain regulations—such as yachting regulations and taxes on personal belongings and luxury goods—to improve and stimulate the premium travel experience.

Taking this a step further, the Thai government is preparing to launch a long-term residence program to attract foreigners to the country through new Long-Term Resident (LTR) visas (up to ten years), tax and investment incentives, foreigners’ residential property ownership relaxations, and more. The program will target four key personas: the wealthy global citizen, the wealthy retiree, the work-from-Thailand professional, and the high-skilled professional. The country’s ambition is to welcome over one million of these target personas and generate over 1 trillion baht in domestic spending in the next five years, beginning in 2022.

Emerging from the storm: Actions for travel and tourism

Thailand has put innovative measures in place to help its vitally important travel and tourism sector wade through the COVID-19 crisis. As new variants of the coronavirus emerge, health and safety should remain the foremost priority as countries contemplate their travel programs. Once it is safe to do so, there are actions that stakeholders can take to steer into and thrive within the next normal.

Adjust offerings and pricing strategy to meet market needs. Hotels, tour operators, restaurants, and transport providers could look to explore opportunities to offer services and products that meet new travel demands.

Bundle products, such as hotel and flights, offer upselling and cross-selling opportunities as well as a diversified revenue stream.

Travel companies could also devise and deploy targeted pricing strategies to drive long-term loyalty and stickiness for when international travel fully returns. Given the phased reopening of popular provinces in Thailand, and the inclusion of more visitors from select countries on a quarantine-exemption list, travel companies can leverage data on traveler behaviors to set the right prices and conduct targeted campaigns by country of origin and destination.

Explore opportunities within the mass-affluent traveler segment. Focusing on premium travel experiences may be a viable strategy in some markets, but it may have limited impact in Thailand. Given that the top three inbound visitor-spending categories in 2019 were shopping, accommodations, and food, targeting the high-end market would only benefit a small segment of travel companies and would not contribute to the country’s economic recovery across all relevant sectors.

By promoting more differentiated travel experiences and attractions such as ecotourism and cultural tourism, which are naturally location based and sought after by younger mass-affluent travelers, operators could contribute to greater aviation and transportation use in Thailand.

Form partnerships across the travel ecosystem. As a result of the government’s We Travel Together program, which subsidizes travel through a digital redemption mechanism (the Pao Tang app), the country has seen an estimated 30 to 40 million users join and use the platform. 17 Krung Thai Bank equity research, April 2021. This has created an opportunity for domestic consumer data to be collected and analyzed to provide more personalized tourism offerings that consumers are more likely to consider spending on.

Taking this a step further, tour operators, restaurants, and shopping malls might link up, creating a connected ecosystem where a traveler could be strategically engaged through multiple personalized services, products, and loyalty programs along their journeys.

Expand the network of destinations. There is an opportunity to offer travelers a wider variety of destinations in first- and second-tier cities, such as Nakhon Si Thammarat, Chiang Rai, Nakhon Nayok, Ratchaburi, and Loei. These locations have been able to sustain visitor numbers at a relatively low rate of decline, largely due to domestic travelers looking for new places to visit during international travel restrictions.

With a boost in promotion and appropriate infrastructure investment, tourism will not only contribute to the survival of the industry in these cities, but it could also lead to enduring tourist appeal that extends beyond domestic traveler groups, especially with the gradual return of international visitors. For example, the Tourism Authority of Thailand is collaborating with airlines to offer direct flights to alternative second-tier tourism destinations.

Leverage digital to connect, attract, and retain travelers. Travel companies can digitalize the customer journey from check-in through payment, including the provision of maps and information. Traveler preferences can be tracked in real time to design better and more relevant offerings, while digital booking channels can target different customer segments. Digital marketing can also entice visitors to return and to share their experiences on social media.

For instance, the Tourism Council of Thailand is working with Singapore-based IsWhere to deploy a digital-marketing platform for tourism business operators to better connect and engage with a potentially sizeable number of domestic and international travelers; the platform’s prior partnership with a major tech company has enabled it to reach 600 million digital customers worldwide.

Reimagine support needed by industry players. In the short term, industry players would need stimulus, support, and guidance on health and safety policies from the government. In the medium term, small and medium-size players would benefit from the government’s support in adjusting to online travel services and digital marketing, such as a one-stop digital platform to connect industry players with international travelers.

As such, the Tourism Authority of Thailand announced its plan to establish a private digital firm to work on creating a digital infrastructure for tourism, utilize big data in the industry, and potentially introduce blockchain-based e-vouchers and nonfungible tokens to provide tourism operators with more options for reaching travelers online and offline.

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, tourism recovery in Thailand will be gradual and complex and requires varied strategies from both industry and government. As the world eagerly prepares for the eventual revival of international travel, Thailand and other countries can draw important lessons from its experience during this difficult interim period.

Steve Saxon is a partner in McKinsey’s Shenzhen office; Jan Sodprasert is a partner in the Bangkok office, where Voramon Sucharitakul is an associate partner.

The authors wish to thank Margaux Constantin , Kamila Dolinska, Steffen Köpke, Alan Laichareonsup, Jason Li, Georgie Songsantiphap, and Jackey Yu for their contributions to this article.

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Thailand Tourism Revenue

• Thailand's Tourism Revenue reached 62 USD bn in Dec 2019, compared with 58 USD bn in the previous year
• Thailand's Tourism Revenue data is updated yearly, available from Dec 1960 to Dec 2019
• The data reached an all-time high of 61,594 USD mn in Dec 2019 and a record low of 9 USD mn in Dec 1960

View Thailand's Tourism Revenue from 1960 to 2019 in the chart:

What was Thailand's Tourism Revenue in 2019?

Thailand's Tourism Revenue reached 62 USD bn in Dec 2019, compared with 58 USD bn in the previous year See the table below for more data.

Tourism Revenue by Country Comparison

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Thailand's economy on recovery path as tourism rises

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More than 9 million foreign tourists recorded in first quarter

Thailand welcomed 9,370,297 overseas visitors between January 1 and March 31, a 44% jump year on year, the Tourism and Sports Ministry reported on Monday.

These visitors have generated tourism income of around 454.65 billion baht for Thai entrepreneurs, it added.

China was the top source market for foreign tourists to Thailand, with 1,756,337 arrivals, followed by Malaysia (1,168,574), Russia (622,813), South Korea (558,873), India (472,952), Germany (315,033), Laos (308,097), the UK (290,486), the US (280,248) and Japan (271,427).

The ministry added that these statistics only include arrivals processed by the Immigration Office, and do not include those who entered Thailand by land through border passes.

The ministry said that the main factors contributing to this trend is the permanent visa waiver deal for Thai and Chinese citizens, and increasing flights to Thailand offered by several airlines.

Thailand and China have agreed to waive visa requirements for their citizens permanently from March 1, a policy that came into effect almost immediately after the earlier visa-free process expired.

The government’s visa-free policy was introduced in September last year, beginning with a 5-month visa exemption for visitors from China and Kazakhstan, followed by India and Taiwan in November.

The ministry has set a revenue target for 2024 of 3.5 trillion baht, 2.3 trillion baht of which would come from foreign arrivals of about 40 million people. Domestic tourists, meanwhile, will contribute 1.2 trillion baht from around 200-220 million person-trips.

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Thailand’s tourism sector drives economic recovery

Executive Director and Asia-Pacific Chief Economist, S&P Global Market Intelligence

Thailand has shown a gradual economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic during 2022, helped by rising international tourism arrivals. Real GDP growth rose from 1.5% in 2021 to 2.6% in 2022, with growth momentum expected to improve further in 2023.

The latest S&P Global Thailand Manufacturing PMI survey results for February 2023 continued to signal expansionary conditions for manufacturing output and new orders. Due to the importance of international tourism for the Thai economy, the recovery of the tourism inflows is expected to be a key factor that will help to support improving economic growth momentum during 2023.

Thailand: Economic recovery from pandemic

Thailand recorded real GDP growth of 2.6% in 2022, representing a relatively modest pace of economic recovery from the recessionary conditions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Thailand's growth rate in 2022 was quite moderate in comparison with other large ASEAN economies such as Malaysia, Vietnam and Philippines, which posted very high growth rates as they rebounded from the pandemic.

A key driver for improving economic growth in 2022 was the recovery of private consumption, which grew by 6.3% compared with just 0.6% y/y growth in 2021. Private investment growth also improved from a pace of 3% in 2021 to 5.1% in 2022. However public investment contracted by 4.9% in 2022, while government consumption was flat.

Strong growth in private consumption and investment as well as rising energy import prices helped to boost import growth, which rose by 15.3% in 2022, while exports rose by just 5.5%, measured in USD terms. Consequently, the trade balance narrowed from USD 32.4 billion in 2021 to USD 10.8 billion in 2022.

Due to the important contribution of international tourism to Thailand's GDP, a key factor that constrained the rate of recovery of the Thai economy in 2022 was the slow pace of reopening of international tourism, although this gathered momentum in the second half of 2022.

Thailand's manufacturing sector has also shown some improvement in momentum, with the S&P Global Thailand Manufacturing PMI for February 2023 having shown strong expansion. The latest PMI data signalled further growth in output and new orders. The PMI rose for the third month running to 54.8 in February, from 54.5 in January indicating improving business conditions for the 14th consecutive month.

New orders for Thai manufactured goods expanded at the quickest pace in five months. The easing of COVID-19 disruptions supported the latest expansion. Foreign demand for Thai manufactured goods continued to shrink, however, amid challenging external conditions.

Meanwhile supply constraints persisted within the Thai manufacturing sector. Vendor performance deteriorated for the tenth straight month on the back of higher demand and transportation delays. Concurrently, input cost inflation rose in February, reflecting higher raw material costs and heightened shipping cost pressures.

Thailand's headline CPI inflation rate has eased to 5.0% y/y in January 2023, compared with 7.9% y/y in August 2022. The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the Bank of Thailand decided to raise the policy rate by 0.25% from 1.25% to 1.50% at their Monetary Policy meeting on 25 January 2023. This follows three 25bp rate hikes by the MPC in 2022, In 2022, the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) decided to increase the policy rate three times by 25 basis points each in August, September and November. As a result, the policy rate stood at 1.25 percent compared to 0.50 percent at the end of 2021The MPC assessed that headline inflation will decline, while medium-term inflation expectations remain anchored within the target range.

Recovery of international tourism sector

International tourism was a key part of Thailand's GDP prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, contributing an estimated 11.5% of GDP in 2019. However, foreign tourism visits collapsed after April 2020 as many international borders worldwide were closed, including Thailand's own restrictions on foreign visitors.

As COVID-19 border restrictions were gradually relaxed in Thailand and also in many of Thailand's largest tourism source countries during 2022, international tourism showed a significant improvement during the second half of the year. The number of international tourist arrivals reached 11.15 million in 2022, compared with just 430,000 in 2021. However, the total number of visits was still far below the 2019 peak of 39.8 million, indicating considerable scope for further rapid growth in the tourism sector during 2023.

Thailand economic outlook

Despite the upturn in private consumption and international tourism arrivals in 2022, the overall pace of economic expansion was relatively moderate, at just 2.6%. Easing of pandemic-related travel restrictions during 2022 has also allowed a gradual reopening of domestic and international tourism travel, which gathered momentum in the second half of 2022.

With more normal conditions expected for international tourism travel in 2023, this should provide a significant boost to the economy. Due to the importance of tourism inflows from mainland China prior to the pandemic, the reopening of mainland China's international borders will be an important factor contributing to the further recovery of Thailand's tourism market.

Helped by the continued recovery of the international tourism sector, some upturn in GDP growth to a pace of around 3.5% is expected in 2023.

Over the next decade Thailand's economy is forecast to continue to grow at a steady pace, with total GDP increasing from USD 500 billion in 2022 to USD 860 billion in 2032. A key driver will be rapid growth in private consumption spending, buoyed by rapidly rising urban household incomes.

The international tourism sector will continue to be a dynamic part of Thailand economy, buoyed by rapidly rising tourism arrivals the populous Asian emerging markets, notably mainland China, India and Indonesia.

By 2036, Thailand is forecast to become one of the Asia-Pacific region's one trillion-dollar economies, joining mainland China, Japan, India, South Korea, Australia, Taiwan, Philippines and Indonesia in this grouping of the largest economies in APAC. The substantial expansion in the size of Thailand's economy is also expected to drive rapidly rising per capita GDP, from USD 6,900 in 2022 to USD 11,900 by 2032. This will help to underpin the growth of Thailand's domestic consumer market, supporting the expansion of the manufacturing and service sector industries.

However, rising per capita GDP levels will also put pressures on Thailand's competitiveness in certain segments of its manufacturing export industry. Therefore, an important policy priority for nation will be to continue to transform manufacturing export industries towards higher value-added processing in advanced manufacturing industries.

One of the key economic and social challenges facing Thailand is its rapidly ageing population, which will result in a rising burden of health care and social welfare costs over the next two decades. This will be a drag on Thailand's long-term potential growth rate, making investment in technology and innovation increasingly important to mitigate the economic impact of demographic ageing.

Rajiv Biswas, Asia Pacific Chief Economist, S&P Global Market Intelligence

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Purchasing Managers' Index™ (PMI™) data are compiled by IHS Markit for more than 40 economies worldwide. The monthly data are derived from surveys of senior executives at private sector companies, and are available only via subscription. The PMI dataset features a headline number, which indicates the overall health of an economy, and sub-indices, which provide insights into other key economic drivers such as GDP, inflation, exports, capacity utilization, employment and inventories. The PMI data are used by financial and corporate professionals to better understand where economies and markets are headed, and to uncover opportunities.

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This article was published by S&P Global Market Intelligence and not by S&P Global Ratings, which is a separately managed division of S&P Global.

Week Ahead Economic Preview: Week of 15 April 2024

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Diverging trends in Consumer Goods sector remains as Automobiles & Auto Parts weigh on overall performance

Revenue from foreign Tourists visiting Thailand

• Income from Tourism

As we stated before somewhere else, Thailand loses about 1 % in GDP for every months the country is closed to international tourist arrivals. Since the country for all practical reasons has been closed since mid-March 2020, this fits relatively well.

How much money do visitors of different regions or countries spend in Thailand? Important parameters are the number of visitors per region or country, the days spent in Thailand, and the money spent per day of stay. These parameters vary somewhat widely between regions and less so within countries of one particular region.

We summarized the data per region. The reason is that there is little variation of length of stay, money spent per day, within each group. For example, the vast majority of visitors from Europe, whatever country they are coming from, spend between 2 and 3 weeks in Thailand. Because of its size and increasing importance, the data for China are given, together with a 'Rest of East Asia' group, comprising Japan, Korea, Hong Kong, and Taiwan.

Just to summarize some staggering numbers : Tourists spent 1,933,368.23 million Thai baht in Thailand in 2019 (easier to say close to 2 trillion Thai baht). The average exchange rate in 2019 was 31.035 Thai baht for 1 U.S. Dollar. So the revenue from tourism amounted to 62.30 billion U.S. Dollar. In 2018 income in Thai baht amounted to 1,876,136 million Thai baht, so in Thai baht there was an increase of 3.05 % in revenue. In 2017 income in Thai baht was 1.831 trillion, which at the time amounted to 53.591 billion U.S. Dollar (exchange rate 33.94 Thai baht for 1 U.S. Dollar). The Thai baht has been strengthening over the last few years, which actually means that there is higher income when things are measured in U.S. Dollar, but less so when expressing income in Thai baht.

From date in 2016 and 2017, we know that the average tourist stays about nine and a half days in Thailand. However, length of stay varies substantially between regions for the following reasons :

1) Visitors from farther away stay longer. This makes sense, taking a 12 hour flight and then just staying a few days, is not a very rewarding experience. Europeans, Australians, Americans stay two weeks or longer.

2) Asians also have much less holiday days per year than Europeans. Therefore they often can only allow themselves shorter trips abroad.

From older data we also know that per day tourists from different countries spend quite similar amounts of money. Only Europeans seem to be a bit more 'stingy' but this relates to their longer staying periods. They stay on average about twice as long, but that does not mean they will buy twice as many souvenirs, or shop for twice as many goods.

Average spending per tourist in 2019 was 48,580 Thai baht (156.5 U.S. Dollar). Interestingly there is a clear difference between spending by Asians and Europeans (and Americans). The average Asian person (including Chinese and Japanese visitors) spends about 2/3 of what a European spends while on holiday in Thailand. The latter as mentioned before stays longer in the country.

In conclusion, Asian visitors provide the largest amount of revenue for Thailand as visiting tourists. However, the contribution of European countries can certainly not be disregarded. China at present brought revenue of 543.707 billion Thai baht in 2019, clearly the most important country for the Thai tourism industry. However, Europeans are not that far behind at 461.478 billion Thai baht. They still bring in more money than the countries of Asean combined (323.780 billion thai baht)

Added note : Of course, Thai people also travel abroad. 6,794,327 Thais did so in 2015, spending a total of 5.839 billion U.S. Dollar (or 199.976 billion Thai baht).

How are these data gathered? We honestly do not know, but they have been reported for many years. We assume, this is one of the reasons, that when changing money etc. one is obliged to show identification. We can only assume that as good as feasible, all these data are tabulated somewhere, and the expenditure per tourist and per country of origin, registered. Hotels can also gather revenue data and report them (?). Nevertheless, it would be wise to consider the data gathered as an approximation. Even if there are some errors, comparison between subsequent years, remains quite valuable.

Amazingly, the Department of Tourism, can also provide data on how the money is spent (see below for 2016 data). Total expenditure per tourist here is 5,238 baht per day. Shopping (1278 baht), entertainment (526 baht), sightseeing (200 baht), hotels (1530 baht), food and drinks (1049 baht), transport (526 baht) make up the bulk of this expenditure.

Interestingly, the money spent for accomodation, per day per person, means that most visitors acquire accommodation in 2 and 3-star hotels, rather than in fancy resorts.

Data provided by , Ministry of Tourism and Sports , Thailand. In our experience you have to be able to peruse the data in the Thai language version, to get the latest updates. Even then it is a laborious endeavor.

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Thailand’s economy grows 4.5% YoY in Q3 2022; tourism accounts for 12% of GDP

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Building a Nation Upon Sustainable Tourism

Key insights.

• Tourism used to be the main source of income for Thailand, accounting for more than 16% of the GDP. However, in the past two years, the tourism industry has been directly affected by the pandemic, and it has lost up to forty million travellers.
• In Phuket, Chonburi, and Bangkok, up to 50% of the local income is derived from tourism (it is 89% in Phuket.) When everything stopped, the locals lost their income; they could not pay their children’s tuition, they lost life security, and their traditional way of life.
• “Sustainable tourism” is discussed again within the tourism industry, and currently in a more enthusiastic manner than ever before. The term is understood and redefined to reflect not only nature and the environment, but also economic stability.

From ‘Amazing Thailand’ to  ‘A Land Dispossessed’.

Thailand’s tourism industry is the face of the nation. With plentiful natural resources, Thailand ranks as a destination one should definitely visit once in life. Tourism income is so essential that it accounts for 16% of Thailand’s GDP, not to mention that 61% of the income is derived from international travellers. 

The current Thailand tourism policies are derived from the wrecks and ruins of the Thai economy during the 1997 Asian financial crisis. The Thai government floated the Thai baht, resulting in businesses closing down, and agricultural products turned worthless overnight. The national economy stagnated since the prior investments were mainly in the financial institutions, and as a result the wealth distribution never reached the lower income groups. In the following year, the government promoted the ‘Amazing Thailand’ campaign, creating the image of Thailand as a foremost tourist attraction in the world.

In the past 25 years, the country succeeded in attracting tourists from around the world as well as in gaining a growing number of domestic tourists. Still, the 3.01 trillion baht income from tourism before the pandemic hit did not result in better-built infrastructure in tourist attraction cities, nor did it reduce the inequality in the industry due to foreign investors owning a large number of assets, and the numbers we see are not what the locals actually earn.

“Take the Tourists Back, Bring Back Our Lives”: the Pre-Pandemic Tension in Popular Cities

A stable economy does not also mean individual financial stability. Tourist cities tend to have a high cost of living especially when compared to cities whose main incomes are from agriculture. Without a government-built system to distribute income to the communities, the “invisible hand” will always haul all assets away from the locals, and leave so many behind.

Just before the pandemic, a lot of popular cities around the world started to realize that mass tourism aiming only to gain extremely high revenue, comes with a high price. It uproots traditions and exiles the locals from their own homes. Mass tourism widens inequality, and sometimes the tourists unintentionally destroy the traditions they come to see.

In 2017, the Barcelona City Council surveyed the locals’ state of mind by asking, “what causes the most stress for you in the city?” It turned out 19% of the respondents answered “problems caused by tourists.” This created more stress for the city dwellers than unemployment, pollution, and corruption. The dissatisfaction started  in 2014 when some citizens created the  ‘Barcelona Says Enough’ campaign to call for a limitation of the number of travellers, and to express their discontent against the current unfriendly-for-locals and unsustainable tourism model.  

Much of the same took place in Spain’s capital Madrid , as in pre-Covid19 times it was full of tourists who came to see the city’s attractions. Hotels sprang up all across the city, and homes and vacant rooms were used to accommodate tourists. The city dwellers themselves migrated to the outskirts and commuted to work in the city. They could no longer afford the high housing prices. A large amount of revenue from tourism comes at a price; namely, stress and struggles for the citizens. The issue is something the government must find a solution for to strike a balance between tourism and the well-being of the locals.

Looking back at Thailand, most of our tourist cities face the same problem. Tourism disrupts the way of life and leads to the high cost of living in tourist spots. The sad reality is that  local policy-making is detached from the communities, focusing only on the satisfaction of the tourists. Those who call for change also become a target since change might disrupt the income of the stakeholders.

When no one can guarantee the quality of life nor financial equality, the demand for change is nearly impossible to answer. But this is not an entirely new issue; numerous countries have been through the same incident before as they adapt and try to change their attitude towards tourists from “money-giver” to “those who come to see our culture.”

Forests in a City, the Sustainability Before Time

“You cannot chew gum there.” 

 “Their streets are so clean.” 

“You know, there are trees all around.” 

These are narratives about Singapore we have always heard. Strict rules become a fascination for tourists to visit once in their life. The small island nation (bigger than Phuket by 200 sq.m.) just gained independence in 1965. Nevertheless they managed to develop to the point they became leaders in various areas. Singapore ranks first as a crime-free city and despite the small number of travellers, they rank second as an Asian tourist attraction destination, the first ranked being Japan. Their success recipe does not depend on building an exciting and glamorous city, but on investing in the citizens’ quality of life.

Clean streets, wide sidewalks, accessible trains. Singapore has all there is to accommodate and provide seamless services to tourists. This responds well to the Free Independent Traveler (FIT) trend. The basic infrastructure is not built for tourists; it is for the quality of life of the dwellers. Unsurprisingly, conversations about Singapore often start with how great their city planning and services are, followed by travelling experiences.

Is this the definition of sustainable tourism? People often understand the term to be related to the environment such as travelling to natural sights, not using plastic-made products or supporting community enterprises. These are just a few constituents especially when we consider Singapore as a model. Sustainable tourism is a shared experience between the tourist and the locals in terms of the economy, society and environment without anyone being left behind. This includes public transport as a factor, since an efficient public transport translates to a friendly experience for both the citizens and travellers. Singapore does not build its tourism industry by detaching it from people’s daily lives, which helps make sure that the local quality of life is maintained.

At the end of last year, Singapore launched the ‘Singapore Reimagine’ campaign as its national agenda towards sustainable tourism so as to ensure safety and connect everything seamlessly to attract travellers in this post- pandemic situation.

The Mass Exodus and Changed Tourism Trends. Where Is Thailand on the World Stage?

Just last year, 2 million workers migrated back to their hometowns. In and amongst those numbers are fresh graduates affected by the pandemic who went to work from home, and also the unemployed. There are certain questions these workers ask themselves: If the pandemic is gone, do I need to get back to the city? If not, how do we live on? The tourism industry stopped almost completely in the past two years. This has changed people’s ways of life; they are trying everything they can to learn new skills for the new jobs they have never done before.

The tourism industry in other countries is facing the same difficulty. Some have come up with campaigns to support local tourism for the economy to move forward, and they have financially supported both  tourists and  enterprises in times of crisis. Their policies correspond with the number of vaccinations and reduced infections to ensure trust. And certainly, the government has to work with different stakeholders, so the citizens have to be able to access information easily and accurately with a well-built system and welfare.

Even though the number of people who board flights decreased by sixty-six percent,  travellers in small cities increase significantly. Enterprises in Majorca Island, Spain, said that since the number of vaccinations increased, people have started to travel again, but with a different pattern. Now most international travellers stay for a long period of time, and they travel to change work locations and to relax at the same time. They focus on new experiences, especially the local culture, and basic conveniences such as the internet, safety, transportation and low prices. All of these factors help travellers make up their minds 

The latest policy by the French government is also fascinating. Last May, the French government launched a Culture Pass application that granted 300 euro for 18-year-olds across the country. The teenagers can use money to spend on anything culturally, books, vinyls, paints, music instruments, museums, movie tickets, concerts. More than 8,000 enterprises participate in the campaign which creates both economic boost and opportunities for the youth.

Tourism Can Reduce Inequality

In Thailand there has been a conversation about sustainable tourism for the past ten years, but it has more of a marketing content rather than being actual sustainability talks. Conversation about this is still challenging as it needs effective communication to the public to understand that sustainable tourism can benefit everyone.

A large proportion of Thai citizens are living in poverty and tourism can be the solution to this.   Tourism can be a tool used to develop rural areas, just as what Japan has done and still does. Japan develops its local products and culture to be known among their own population and international travellers, succeeding in attracting travellers to visit different cities that are supported by efficient infrastructure to accommodate travellers.

In the case of Thailand, a long-term tourism policy could create new results. We could start by improving infrastructure for every city, creating space for participation from the locals, creating jobs to distribute wealth, or designing tourist attractions to be a part of the traditional way of life. This new tourism must ensure that the vulnerable are included; namely,  women, children, the elderly, and persons with disabilities. These are often left behind in development.

Applying the sustainable development goals (SDGs) as development assessment tools, you will find that tourism can help realize those goals by for instance resolving poverty, achieving gender equality, building innovation and quality infrastructure. Thailand has at multiple times been through crises that affected its tourism in the past twenty-five years, and this proves that we need to better connect tourism and communities. The industry will always be fragile unless the communities are included.

The soul of a nation is its citizens. Tourism policies, no matter what exactly they entail, should be able to elevate the quality of life: this is the new definition of sustainable tourism. A journey starts from packing your bags, finding information, and being on your way to the destination. We absolutely need to make sure those experiences always allow our own citizens to benefit from them.

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Thailand Leads Push for Six-Nation Visa to Lure Moneyed Tourists

• Schengen-type visa for Thailand, Malaysia, CLMV countries
• Srettha driving joint visa to boost per-tourist spending

Thailand and Malaysia accounted for more than half of the tally, generating about $48 billion in tourism revenue.

Thailand is steering an initiative for a joint-visa program with countries that together hosted about 70 million tourists last year as Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin ramps up initiatives to attract more long-haul and high-spending travelers.

Srettha — who’s pledged to elevate Thailand’s status as a tourism hotspot into an aviation and logistics hub — has discussed the Schengen-type visa idea with his counterparts in Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar and Vietnam in recent months. The facility is meant to ensure seamless mobility for travelers among the six neighboring countries.

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Thai govt aims for 90 Billion Euros in tourism Income in 2024

By webfact March 10 in Thailand News

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On March 7th, 2024, Mr. Chai Watcharong, the Thai Government spokesman, publicly stated details after a speech on The Amazing Thailand Networking Event with the Prime Minister of Thailand, Srettha Thavisin, to present tourism industry policies in Berlin, Germany.

According to Chai, Srettha exchanged opinions on the world stage regarding the potential for investment in Thailand, especially in the Thai tourism industry. The Thai government aimed to generate income from tourism in 2024 at an estimated 90 billion euros and anticipated more than 8.5 million tourists from the European region.

Furthermore, the Thai government gave importance to the overall tourism industry which not only stimulated economic growth but also increased employment rates for Thai locals, remarked Chai. The Thai government planned to enhance and support the Thai tourism industry through various measures.

Visa exemption policies in various countries including India, Russia, Taiwan, and other countries, and the recent permanent visa exemption in China, would facilitate and make foreign tourists travel with ease, said Chai.

By Kittisak Phalaharn

Full story:  THE PATTAYA NEWS  2024-03-11

- Cigna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans   click here.

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4 hours ago, webfact said: According to Chai, Srettha exchanged opinions on the world stage regarding the potential for investment in Thailand, especially in the Thai tourism industry. The Thai government aimed to generate income from tourism in 2024 at an estimated 90 billion euros and anticipated more than 8.5 million tourists from the European region.

Come bail us out... all we have is tourism.

Sun, sea, beer and fine looking gals.

4 hours ago, webfact said: On March 7th, 2024, Mr. Chai Watcharong, the Thai Government spokesman, publicly stated details after a speech on The Amazing Thailand Networking Event with the Prime Minister of Thailand, Srettha Thavisin, to present tourism industry policies in Berlin, Germany. According to Chai, Srettha exchanged opinions on the world stage regarding the potential for investment in Thailand, especially in the Thai tourism industry. The Thai government aimed to generate income from tourism in 2024 at an estimated 90 billion euros and anticipated more than 8.5 million tourists from the European region.   Furthermore, the Thai government gave importance to the overall tourism industry which not only stimulated economic growth but also increased employment rates for Thai locals, remarked Chai. The Thai government planned to enhance and support the Thai tourism industry through various measures.   Visa exemption policies in various countries including India, Russia, Taiwan, and other countries, and the recent permanent visa exemption in China, would facilitate and make foreign tourists travel with ease, said Chai.   By Kittisak Phalaharn   Full story:  THE PATTAYA NEWS  2024-03-11   - Cigna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans   click here.   Get our Daily Newsletter - Click  HERE  to subscribe    

8.5 million tourists.

Does that include counting Soviets as Europeans?

8.5 million!! That's good revenue for the airlines with their inflated fares to BKK and PKT these days.

4 hours ago, webfact said: Visa exemption policies in various countries including India, Russia, Taiwan, and other countries, and the recent permanent visa exemption in China, would facilitate and make foreign tourists travel with ease, said Chai.

As I said on some other thread: "westerners out". Anyway we got much better places, such as Iran, to visit.

Lucky Bones

With all his overseas trips, he has likely bumped up the arrivals number by a cople of hundred already. 🙃 🙃

1 hour ago, hotchilli said: Come bail us out... all we have is tourism. Sun, sea, beer and fine looking gals.

More important... fine willing girls.

klauskunkel

7 hours ago, webfact said: The Thai government aimed to generate income from tourism in 2024 at an estimated 90 billion euros and anticipated more than 8.5 million tourists from the European region.

Each anticipated European tourist would have to spend 10,500 EUROS once they are in Thailand to generate that income for Thailand. That includes the children.

Maybe they first can explain what tourists are.... tourists come to a country for a few weeks to relax.. Long term tourists however what are they coming to do, as they are not allowed to do anything than having a beer between 11 and 14 and after 17.00 and visit attractions and do some shopping... That is very boring..

john donson

do those tourist know about pollution, soi dogs, that you may not complain about really bad service you pay hard earn euros for with risk of defamation ...

11 hours ago, klauskunkel said: Some math: Each anticipated European tourist would have to spend 10,500 EUROS once they are in Thailand to generate that income for Thailand. That includes the children.

After pumping Swiss Farang Xeno for weeks, they now want Euros, as the Yuan, Ruble, & Rupee is not enough in 24. Hope that works out for you. 

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Thailand records nine million foreign tourists in first quarter

Wednesday, 03 Apr 2024

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Foreign visitors generated tourism income of around 454.65 billion baht for Thai entrepreneurs.

BANGKOK: Thailand welcomed 9,370,297 overseas visitors between Jan 1 and March 31, a 44% jump year-on-year, the Tourism and Sports Ministry has reported.

These visitors have generated tourism income of around 454.65 billion baht for Thai entrepreneurs, it added.

China was the top source market for foreign tourists to Thailand, with 1,756,337 arrivals, followed by Malaysia (1,168,574), Russia (622,813), South Korea (558,873), India (472,952), Germany (315,033), Laos (308,097), the United Kingdom (290,486), the United States (280,248) and Japan (271,427).

The ministry added that these statistics only include arrivals processed by the Immigration Office, and do not include those who entered Thailand by land through border passes.

The ministry said that the main factors contributing to this trend is the permanent visa waiver deal for Thai and Chinese citizens, and increasing flights to Thailand offered by several airlines.

Thailand and China have agreed to waive visa requirements for their citizens permanently from March 1, a policy that came into effect almost immediately after the earlier visa-free process expired.

The government’s visa-free policy was introduced in September last year, beginning with a five-month visa exemption for visitors from China and Kazakhstan, followed by India and Taiwan in November.

The ministry has set a revenue target for 2024 of 3.5 trillion baht, 2.3 trillion baht of which would come from foreign arrivals of 40 million people. Domestic tourists will contribute 1.2 trillion baht from around 200-220 million person-trips. — The Nation/ANN

Tags / Keywords: ThailandTourism , TouristBoom , VisaWaiver , ChinaMarket , TravelRecovery , SEAsiaTravel , TourismRevenue

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Thailand 'ready' for Songkran festivities

Extended Songkran holiday to rake in tens of billions in tourism income

PUBLISHED : 7 Apr 2024 at 06:24

WRITER: Panumate Tanraksa

This year's three-week-long Songkran festival with festivities to take place across the country is expected to give tourism a much-needed boost as it is expected to bring in tens of billions of baht in tourism income.

The government and the private sector are planning to organise a host of Songkran Festival activities nationwide, particularly in major tourist destinations, such as Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Phuket and Pattaya, from April 1 to 21 after Unesco recently included the traditional Thai New Year festival on its Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity List.

The Bangkok Post met business operators and those involved in the tourism industry for talks on whether it is realistic to hold the Songkran festival for such an extended period and what activities will be organised to keep entertaining tourists during the three-week-long festival and bring tourism revenue.

PM2.5 concern in Chiang Mai

La-iad Bungsrithong, adviser to the Thai Hotels Association's Northern Chapter, expressed concern the PM2.5 pollution haze currently choking Chiang Mai may discourage visitors ahead of the Songkran festival.

It remains to be seen whether the haze situation will improve before Songkran, she said.

However, she hopes the number of visitors to Chiang Mai will increase as a result of the government's vigorous campaign to promote the Songkran festival.

Ms La-iad said that local agencies and the private sector are working together to hold the Songkran festival in the northern province from today until April 17, which is longer than the usual three-day period of April 13–15 in previous years.

She said if the haze situation improves between April 12 and 16, the hotel booking rate is expected to reach 65–70% for more than 60,000 hotel rooms in Chiang Mai, where various types of accommodation are available for different groups of visitors. The occupancy rate is also expected to reach an average of 55–60% for the whole month of April, she added.

Chiang Mai is one of the key tourist destinations designated by the TAT to celebrate the holiday's new status after it was recognised by Unesco as an intangible cultural heritage item, she said.

Another highlight of the Songkran festival in Chiang Mai is the traditional rite of collecting water from sources regarded as sacred in the northern province between April 4 and 9.

The collected water will then be delivered to Wat Prathat Doi Suthep for a blessing rite on April 10.

Later, the water will be distributed in bottles as gifts to locals and visitors to Chiang Mai from April 12–16 during the Songkran festival, Ms La-iad said. This traditional event has been held for four consecutive years now, she said.

A host of Songkran festivities will also be organised at other well-known tourist spots in Chiang Mai, such as Tha Phae Gate of Chiang Mai's ancient city walls and Nimmanhaemin Road -- a trendy and vibrant neighbourhood in central Chiang Mai.

The TAT's Chiang Mai office estimated that more than 132,000 tourists will visit Chiang Mai between April 12 and 16.

Of them, more than 100,000 will be domestic visitors and the rest will be foreigners, bringing more than 1.2 billion baht in income.

Pattaya ready for festival

When it comes to Songkran, locals in Chon Buri celebrate their own version of the traditional Thai New Year, called "Wan Lai" (Flowing Day), after the end of Songkran festivities in other regions.

Pattaya City mayor Poramet Ngampichet said the Wan Lai festival in Pattaya will be held on April 19.

The first part of the event will be centred around Wat Chai Mongkol, focusing on the cultural side of the Songkran festival, including a ceremony to pour water on a Buddha image at the local temple.

The afternoon to evening session will run from 2pm until 11pm. Roads will be closed to traffic and Pattaya Beach will be turned into a modern entertainment zone, featuring a water fight for fun and renowned Thai and international DJs, singers and rock bands performing on stage, he said.

"There will be at least five performance stages along the Pattaya beach to entertain revellers," Mr Poramet said.

He said that a local traditional rite, called the Kong Khao (Rice-Piling) festival, will be also held on April 20.

The ceremony is held in Chon Buri province to pay homage and seek blessings from guardian spirits and deities to ensure the well-being and safety of local communities.

In the ceremony, people dressed as angels or spirits parade through the town to receive food and snacks from residents sitting along the streets.

Last year, there were about 23 million visitors in Pattaya and the majority were Thais, Mr Poramet said, adding that more foreign tourists are expected to visit Pattaya this year after Covid-19 has eased and with the support of the government's tourism campaign.

The hotel booking rate, particularly at beachfront areas, has reached 90% since the start of the year, with Chinese tourists forming the largest group of visitors to Pattaya, Mr Poramet said.

He added that more than 600 police, with the aid of security cameras installed across Pattaya City, will ensure tourists' safety during the festival, while patrol boats will also be deployed to prevent any accidents in the sea.

Bhunanan Patanasin, president of the Pattaya Business and Tourism Association, said Pattaya City actually hosts cultural events and other activities throughout April every year, which corresponds to the government's three-week-long Songkran festival.

"We will host the Wan Lai festival in Chon Buri's Muang district on April 12. The festivals will also take place in tambon Nakluea in Bang Lamung district on April 18, in Pattaya on April 19, and the last days starting April 20 in Sattahip," he said.

He also said local authorities have put in place safety measures to boost the confidence of revellers who will visit Pattaya during Songkran.

Damrongkiat Pinitkarn, secretary to the Entertainment & Tourism Association of Pattaya City, said that the three-week-long Songkran festival will be an opportunity for nightlife venue operators to make a fortune from tourists, with income expected to rise by 20–30%.

"Pattaya is known as a destination for nightlife entertainment. All nightlife venues are preparing for the extended Songkran festival. Operators of some big venues have hired international DJs to perform during the festival," he said.

He added that the nightlife venue operators have also prepared measures to screen patrons for drugs, weapons and underage visitors.

Mr Damrongkiat also called on local police to set up more security checkpoints to prevent any untoward incidents during the festival.

Songkran on Khao San Road

Sanga Ruangwattanakul, president of the Khao San Road Business Association, welcomed the government's 21-day-long Songkran festival, saying Unesco's recognition of the festival helps promote its popularity.

However, he said that the private sector in Bangkok has little information about the details of the government's plan to host activities in the capital over the 21-day period.

"The government must make clear when the events will take place, and where, so the TAT can promote the festival to attract tourists. The government seems to be quiet," Mr Sanga said.

He said Songkran activities will be held at Khao San Road, the city's most popular Songkran celebration site, for three days from April 13–15.

The water-splashing fun will be allowed to take place until 9pm during the three-day period.

"The festivities on Khao San Road are expected to draw about 100,000 visitors, and bring more than 100 million baht," Mr Sanga said.

Sanan Angubolkul, chairman of the Thai Chamber of Commerce, also stressed the need for the government to publicise the three-week-long Songkran festival more vigorously to attract international visitors.

"The government should communicate more about the 21-day-long festival so tourists can visit several provinces where the festivals are held across the country," he said.

B7bn expected for Phuket

Patong Mayor Chalermsak Maneesri said Patong municipality has worked with government agencies and the private sector to organise "Songkran Water Music Festival on the Beach 2024" events with water fights from April 12–14 at Patong Beach.

April 12 will feature music performances by DJs during water fights from midday to midnight, and the next day will start with alms offerings to monks, traditional shows and respectful pouring water on the elderly's hands, followed by more music performances by DJs and water fights.

The last day will also feature music performances by DJs during water fights from midday to midnight.

The Phuket Heritage Wave 2024 (Songkran Splash in Phuket Old Town) event will also be held on April 13 at Phuket Old Town in Muang district, while the Songkran No Alcohol event will also take place on the same day in front of Limelight Avenue in Muang district.

The Water Festival will also take place at Dibuk Road, Phuket Old Town in Muang District from April 15–16.

Lertchai Wangtrakuldee, director of Phuket's TAT office, said on Saturday that the island province is expected to be crowded during the Thai New Year holiday from April 12–16.

The hotel booking rate has already reached almost 80% capacity despite the island being in its low tourism season, he said.

The 264,350 people visiting Phuket during Songkran will spend on average 6,625 baht per day, bringing 7.04 billion baht to the island, he said.

According to the TAT, this year's 21-day-long Songkran festival is projected to generate 52.5 billion baht in domestic tourism revenue, with provinces in the east securing the most income.

The TAT projected that local tourists would spend 52.5 billion baht during this period, up from 13 billion baht recorded during the regular five-day-long celebration in 2023.

Government spokesman Chai Watcharonke recently told the Bangkok Post that while the Maha Songkran World Water Festival festival lasts from April 1 to 21 across the country, activities are not held simultaneously in every province.

He said that the TAT has a calendar outlining the celebrations nationwide that will be extended across 21 days from April 1–21, with the main celebrations being held from April 13–15 in almost every province.

He said authorities will improve communication work and ensure that visitors are provided with accurate information to prevent misunderstandings.

* Additional report by Achadthaya Chuenniran.

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Thailand leads push for 6-nation visa to lure moneyed tourists, airports brace for songkran.

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January to October 2022

The figures have been rounded. One Thai baht equals to 0.029 U.S. dollars and 0.027 euros as of May 2023.

Other statistics on the topic Phuket

Accommodation

• Number of hotel rooms in leading travel destinations Thailand 2021

Demographics

• Population of Phuket in Thailand 2015-2022
• Occupancy rate of hotels in Phuket Thailand 2019-2023
• Share of tourists in Phuket, Thailand 2022, by origin

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Statistics on " Phuket "

• Phuket GPP per capita Thailand 2014-2021
• Population of Phuket in Thailand 2022, by gender
• Leading tourist destinations Thailand 2022, by number of foreign visitors
• GPP growth rate of Phuket Thailand 2015-2021
• GPP contribution in Phuket, Thailand 2021, by sector
• Average monthly income per household Phuket, Thailand 2004-2021
• Average monthly expenditure per household Phuket, Thailand 2012-2021
• Number of factory workers in Phuket,Thailand 2020-2021, by gender
• Accommodation and food service activities GPP in Phuket, Thailand 2014-2021
• International passenger traffic at HKT airport in Thailand FY 2016-2023
• Domestic passenger traffic at HKT airport in Thailand FY 2016-2023
• International passenger traffic in HKT Airport Thailand 2021, by airline
• Accommodation occupancy rate Thailand 2021, by province
• ADR of hotels in Phuket Thailand 2019-2022
• RevPar of hotels in Phuket Thailand 2019-2023
• Weekly YoY growth in Airbnb bookings in Phuket Thailand 2020
• Number of farm households Phuket, Thailand 2014-2021
• Production of rubber in Phuket, Thailand 2020-2022
• Production of shrimp in Phuket, Thailand 2022, by type
• Production of coconuts in Phuket, Thailand 2020-2022

Other statistics that may interest you Phuket

• Premium Statistic Phuket GPP per capita Thailand 2014-2021
• Premium Statistic Population of Phuket in Thailand 2015-2022
• Premium Statistic Population of Phuket in Thailand 2022, by gender
• Premium Statistic Leading tourist destinations Thailand 2022, by revenue generated
• Premium Statistic Leading tourist destinations Thailand 2022, by number of foreign visitors
• Premium Statistic Number of hotel rooms in leading travel destinations Thailand 2021
• Premium Statistic GPP growth rate of Phuket Thailand 2015-2021
• Premium Statistic GPP contribution in Phuket, Thailand 2021, by sector
• Premium Statistic Average monthly income per household Phuket, Thailand 2004-2021
• Premium Statistic Average monthly expenditure per household Phuket, Thailand 2012-2021
• Premium Statistic Number of factory workers in Phuket,Thailand 2020-2021, by gender
• Premium Statistic Accommodation and food service activities GPP in Phuket, Thailand 2014-2021
• Premium Statistic Share of tourists in Phuket, Thailand 2022, by origin
• Premium Statistic International passenger traffic at HKT airport in Thailand FY 2016-2023
• Premium Statistic Domestic passenger traffic at HKT airport in Thailand FY 2016-2023
• Premium Statistic International passenger traffic in HKT Airport Thailand 2021, by airline

Hospitality

• Premium Statistic Accommodation occupancy rate Thailand 2021, by province
• Premium Statistic Occupancy rate of hotels in Phuket Thailand 2019-2023
• Premium Statistic ADR of hotels in Phuket Thailand 2019-2022
• Premium Statistic RevPar of hotels in Phuket Thailand 2019-2023
• Premium Statistic Weekly YoY growth in Airbnb bookings in Phuket Thailand 2020

Agriculture

• Premium Statistic Number of farm households Phuket, Thailand 2014-2021
• Premium Statistic Production of rubber in Phuket, Thailand 2020-2022
• Premium Statistic Production of shrimp in Phuket, Thailand 2022, by type
• Premium Statistic Production of coconuts in Phuket, Thailand 2020-2022

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