Thailand welcomed 10.9 million visitors between January and December 20 of this year, according to Yuthasak Supasor, governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand, in an online briefing on Friday.
“The top markets were Malaysia, India, and Laos,” he stated, adding that total arrivals for the year could reach 11.5 million.
Finance Minister Arkhom Termpittayapaisith said in October that a weaker baht would help the country’s post-pandemic tourism recovery, which is the key to boosting economic growth.
The recovery of the tourism sector, which accounted for around 12% of GDP prior to the pandemic, is key for South-east Asia’s second-largest economy.
Thailand’s Tourism Authority has set a target of 10 million overseas tourists for this year, with the country expecting at least 1.5 overseas visitors per month in the fourth quarter.
In 2022, the tourism industry is projected to bring in about 1.5 trillion baht for Thailand, or roughly 50% of the country’s pre-Covid revenue.
The government expects 22 million arrivals next year.
“We are also focusing on high-spending tourists and not only volume,” Yuthasak added.
