Thai tourism industry maintains double-digit growth
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Thailand’s popularity as a tourist destination shows no signs of diminishing, with the country continuing to experience double-digit growth in terms of international visitor arrivals.
Releasing its projected figures for the first half of 2016, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) revealed that the country is expected to welcome 16.67 million overseas visitors in the January-June 2016 period, which would mark a 13% jump compared to the same period last year. International tourism revenues are expected to increased 17% to THB824 billion (US$23.4bn).
Domestic tourism in Thailand is also projected to rise in Q1 2016, albeit at a slower rate. The TAT estimates that Thai residents will take a total of 75m domestic trips and generate revenues of THB416bn in the first half, representing year-on-year growth of 4% and 6% respectively.
This mean that, in total, Thailand will have generated THB1.24 trillion in tourism receipts, covering both international and domestic tourism, in the six-month period.
The figures were announced this week by TAT governor Yuthasak Supasorn, who also forecast that this growth will accelerate in the third quarter of the year. Thailand is expected to welcome 8.3m international visitors in the July-September 2016 period, up 14% year-on-year. International tourism revenues for the quarter are projected to reach THB423bn, up 18%.
The top five revenue generating source markets in Q3 2016 are expected to be China (+32% to THB146bn), Malaysia (+15% to THB22.5bn), Australia (+4% to THB17.8bn), Japan (+7% to THB17.6bn) and the UK (+6% to THB15.1bn).
Thailand welcomed a record 29.9m international visitors in 2015, driven primarily by a sharp rise in the number of Chinese visitors.
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