Thailand is one of the world’s leading travel destinations. The country is well-known for its variety of cultural uniqueness: from exotic food to beautiful landscapes and rich cultural heritage. Thailand started to organize its tourism in the late 1950s. During that time, the country had approximately 40 thousand international guests annually. The number of international arrivals per year has since grown continuously to reach millions, and so has the monetary gains from the sector. Recently, the
have shown gradual increase, amounting to over 139 billion Thai baht in December 2023. Tourism has also brought opportunities for employment and major business expansions for Thai companies in the tourism sector.
Domestic tourism
The capital city of Thailand, Bangkok, is the main destination for a lot of travelers. From January to December 2023, Bangkok generated the
highest revenue from tourists, amounting to a little over 750 billion Thai baht. Bangkok is known for its colorful nightlife, shopping districts, and cultural heritage attractions. Apart from Bangkok, other provinces such as Chiang Mai, Phuket, and Pattaya are also extremely popular tourist destinations. Travelers also gravitate toward nature destinations, especially areas with national parks. Although it has much to offer, Thailand is still ranked quite low in terms of safety and environmental friendliness. However, there has been an increase in
government expenditure for environmental protection in recent years with efforts made to clean up popular beaches and islands.
The current state of Thailand’s tourism industry
In 2023, the total revenue incurred from both local and international tourists in Thailand amounted to over two trillion Thai baht, with Bangkok having the highest revenue generated. The second highest revenue was generated in the southern region of the country. In the same year, the central region had
the highest number of visitors in Thailand. The tourism sector experienced a rapid recovery after the Thai government lifted travel restrictions in 2022. Nonetheless, there are lasting effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. According to a survey conducted in 2023, one of
the leading issues about traveling in Thailand were health and safety issues.
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