Officials in Thailand have confirmed that tourism is officially back to the same levels as before the pandemic era. With five million tourist arrivals already recorded in 2022, the government has set a target of 10 million by the end of the year. In September alone, more than a million foreign tourists visited Thailand, suggesting the kingdom is well on course to meet its new target.
Earlier this week, government spokesman Anucha Burapachaisri told the Bangkok Post his government is confident that at least 10 million travellers will pass through Thailand by the end of 2022. The backend of the year is traditionally peak time; the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) expects monthly international arrivals to top 1.5 million in Q4, and is teaming up with various airline and tourism partners to maximise the potential of this seasonal influx.
These arrivals are expected to deliver a boon to Thailand’s economy, to the tune of 1.73 trillion-baht in 2022, the bulk of which is set to come from international tourism. Based on the current rates of progress, this figure is forecast to reach 2.3 trillion baht next year.
Many of Thailand’s most popular destinations are reporting a surge in tourism traffic, as travellers from home and abroad take their long-awaited vacations. In Phuket, domestic arrivals have climbed up to around 84% of pre-pandemic levels, while the international sector is also rebounding, with 40% of the pre-Covid crowd returning.
According to Pichet Panapong, who is deputy governor of Phuket, the tourism rebound will soon go into overdrive, once travellers from Russia and China return. The former are expected to arrive next month, while the latter – who are traditionally the largest source market for holidaymakers in Phuket – are expected in January, when charter flights resume.
Anucha Burapachaisri predicts that tourism arrivals could reach up to 32 million in 2023, which would be approximately 80% of the 2019 level – the last full year of tourism before the pandemic hit. Anucha added that the government is targeting between 8 and 10 million visitors for 2022, which marks a massive increase on the paltry
In 2020, Thailand welcomed 6.7 million foreign visitors, while only 428,000 made it the following year, before the pandemic was declared in March. Now, with the Covid era over and travellers returning, the Land of Smiles is looking forward to a brighter, happier future.
