Thailand’s Ministry of Tourism and Sports has released figures showing that during the first four months of this year, 12 million visitors came to Thailand spending around 620 billion baht, an increase of 4.71 per cent when compared with the same period in 2016. Domestic tourism generated over 220 billion baht. The country attracted 12,021,617 international visits for the first four months compared to 11,682,144 visits during the same period last year. The kingdom witnessed a growth of 17 per cent from India compared to 2016.
Yuthasak Supasorn, governor, Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), said, “Thailand attracts many tourists because it offers experiences that are new and unique, no matter how many times you visit. In the first few months of the year, the combination of lovely weather and amazing festivals; such as, Songkran or the Thai New Year celebrations means there’s much to enjoy for travellers, not to mention locals. We are delighted to be doing so well in 2017 and will continue to offer a warm Thai welcome to visitors yet to come.”
Soraya Homchuen, director TAT Mumbai, commented, “Compared to 2016, this year witnessed a growth of 17 per cent from India. Thanks to the visa policies and extra international flight connectivity, we witnessed a phenomenal growth in the arrival numbers from India. The reason why Thailand is one of the most preferred destinations among Indians. The most visited cities by Indians in the first quarter were Bangkok, Pattaya and Phuket. We are delighted about this positive outlook and are hoping that the momentum continues for the rest of the year.”
The ministry projects Thailand’s tourism-related revenue in 2017 will reach THB 2.71 trillion. Of that, THB 1.78 trillion will come from foreign visitors and THB 930 billion from domestic travellers. In 2017, Thailand intends to focus on specific tourism segments such as sports tourism, medical and wellness, weddings and honeymoon.