Mass arrivals cause “headache” for Thai tourism minister
Thailand received a record of 38.3 million tourists in 2018, and 2019 numbers are expected to be even higher.
According to tourism minister Weerasak Kowsurat, the number of tourists coming to Thailand will hit another record high of 41.1 million in 2019, or 7.5 per cent more than last year, based on the current trend and with Chinese visitors returning.
“If we actually really reach that level, I’ll have a headache,” Kowsurat said at a press briefing on January 28.
To put the number in perspective, the flood of arrivals exceeds the population of Canada. While tourism is a key engine of growth for Thailand, managing the influx is a challenge causing pressure on the environment as well as clogged international airports.
Chinese tourists are returning after a slowdown sparked by a tour boat tragedy that triggered concerns about safety standards. The number of Chinese holidaymakers rose 2.8 per cent in December from a year earlier, to 838,634.
The 38.3 million visitors welcomed last year brought in 2.01 trillion baht ($ 63.8 billion). For 2019, proceeds from tourism at a total of 2.21 trillion baht ($70.1 billion) are expected. Foreign tourist receipts directly account for about 12 per cent of Thailand’s gross domestic product.
The growth in Thailand outpaced that of world tourism, with the UN World Tourism Organisation reporting that global international tourist arrivals rose by 6 per cent last year to 1.4 billion.
In Thailand, the minister attributed tourism growth last year to several state measures to improve safety and convenience for visitors, such as establishing a tourism clinic and applying innovative technology.
Thailand received a record of 38.3 million tourists in 2018, and 2019 numbers are expected to be even higher. According to tourism minister Weerasak Kowsurat, the number of tourists coming to Thailand will hit another record high of 41.1 million in 2019, or 7.5 per cent more than last year, based on the current trend and with Chinese visitors returning. "If we actually really reach that level, I’ll have a headache," Kowsurat said at a press briefing on January 28. To put the number in perspective, the flood of arrivals exceeds the population of Canada. While tourism is a key...
Thailand received a record of 38.3 million tourists in 2018, and 2019 numbers are expected to be even higher.
According to tourism minister Weerasak Kowsurat, the number of tourists coming to Thailand will hit another record high of 41.1 million in 2019, or 7.5 per cent more than last year, based on the current trend and with Chinese visitors returning.
“If we actually really reach that level, I’ll have a headache,” Kowsurat said at a press briefing on January 28.
To put the number in perspective, the flood of arrivals exceeds the population of Canada. While tourism is a key engine of growth for Thailand, managing the influx is a challenge causing pressure on the environment as well as clogged international airports.
Chinese tourists are returning after a slowdown sparked by a tour boat tragedy that triggered concerns about safety standards. The number of Chinese holidaymakers rose 2.8 per cent in December from a year earlier, to 838,634.
The 38.3 million visitors welcomed last year brought in 2.01 trillion baht ($ 63.8 billion). For 2019, proceeds from tourism at a total of 2.21 trillion baht ($70.1 billion) are expected. Foreign tourist receipts directly account for about 12 per cent of Thailand’s gross domestic product.
The growth in Thailand outpaced that of world tourism, with the UN World Tourism Organisation reporting that global international tourist arrivals rose by 6 per cent last year to 1.4 billion.
In Thailand, the minister attributed tourism growth last year to several state measures to improve safety and convenience for visitors, such as establishing a tourism clinic and applying innovative technology.
