Thailand tourism arrivals soaring

Tourism numbers in Thailand are projected to grow by another 10 per cent to 23 million in 2013, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) said in its latest report. The number now accounts for more than one third of Thailand’s population.

This is another spike after the country will most likely welcome 20.8 million tourist in 2012, up 8 per cent from 2011.

The number of Asian tourist arrivals, particularly from China, South Korea and Japan, has significantly increased. Tourist numbers from China grew a whopping  377 per cent from January to November 2012 to 322,377 visitors. Arrivals from Hong Kong grew 326 per cent to 41,819. Japan, another key market, posted 133 per cent growth and Korea 77 per cent. Tourist numbers from Malaysia increased by 38 per cent.

Europe showed the smallest growth rates in he wake of the regions debt crisis that hit holiday spending with further declines in 2013 expected.  While the balance was still positive for Thailand with an overall growth in European arrivals of 13 per cent, some important markets such as Belgium, Denmark, Norway and Sweden declined. However, arrivals particularly from Russia, France, Germany and the UK grew further.

Arrivals from the Americas, Middle East and Africa were up 33 per cent, 32 per cent and 198 per cent, respectively.

The continuous rise in tourism arrival  to Thailand over the past happened despite all negative impacts. International arrivals between 1998 to 2011 showed up despite dips with the SARS epidemic in 2002/03, the Tsunami in 2004, the global recession 2008 and 2009, political disturbances in 2009 and 2010, the floods at the end of 2011 and recent political  turmoil in Bangkok and Chiang Mai in November 2012.

Tourism arrivals in ASEAN 2011

Malaysia 24.7 million
Thailand 19 million
Singapore 13.2 million
Indonesia 7.65 million
Vietnam 6 million
Philippines 3.9 million
Cambodia 2.85 million
Laos 2.7 million
Myanmar 816,000
Brunei 209,000

Source: National tourism authorities.