BANGKOK (NNT) – Thailand is expected to welcome more than 11 million international visitors this year, as world travel and tourism recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) expects the overall foreign visitor number to reach 20 million next year, approximately 50% of pre-pandemic level (39 million in 2019).
Thailand on Saturday celebrated 10 million tourist arrivals, with Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha personally welcoming visitors at Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport.
The TAT said the 10 million figure was achieved sooner than expected. The total international visitor number this year is likely to reach 11 million, with an average daily arrival increasing to around 70,000 people.
Thailand’s economy, which is the second-largest in Southeast Asia, depends heavily on tourism, which accounts for 12% of GDP.
TAT Governor Yuthasak Supasorn said the TAT now anticipates the number of international visitors next year will reach 20 million, attributing to some 2.38 trillion baht in revenue.
Depending on how quickly China reopens the borders that were closed as a result of its stringent zero-Covid policy, the recovery could happen sooner. Before the pandemic, China accounted for a quarter of the 40 million foreign visitors to Thailand.
Information and SourceReporter : Tanakorn SangiamRewriter : Thammarat ThadaphromNational News Bureau : http://thainews.prd.go.th
