Paetongtarn presses for new approaches to reach goal of 40 million foreign arr
Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra expects Thailand will soon welcome 40 million foreign visitors a year, matching pre-Covid levels.
The goal of 40 million must be met as the tourism and hospitality sector is the nation’s chief economic driver, Ms Paetongtarn wrote in a post on her Facebook page on Friday.
Thailand welcomed 35.6 million foreign visitors in 2024, generating 1.67 trillion baht in revenue, an increase of 34% from 2023.
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About 6.7 Chinese tourists visited Thailand last year, compared with the record 11 million who visited in 2019.
The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has set a target of 7.3 million arrivals from Thailand’s biggest single source market this year, but a number of factors — economic and otherwise — are complicating efforts to reach that goal.
In her comments, Ms Paetongtarn touched on tourism goals including spending-per-head figures and average length of stay, which she said must also be improved.
“The recent tourism figures have not been satisfactory,” she wrote.
“So I’d like to find new measures in today’s meeting. The same measures can no longer work.”
She wrote the post after a meeting at Government House with officials from the Ministry of Tourism and Sports, the TAT and related agencies.
Referring to the “Amazing Thailand Grand Tourism and Sports Year 2025” campaign, Ms Paetongtarn stressed the need to find new objectives.
These include medical tourism, long-term stays, retirees and digital nomads, all of which she said could encourage spending.
Short-term policies like campaigns to boost domestic tourism in major and second-tier provinces should also be a focus, she said, to generate revenue in the grassroots economy.
“There will be workshops to focus on the highlights of Thai tourism so the sector can reach more of its full potential,” the prime minister said.
Government spokesman Jirayu Houngsub said a crucial issue touched on during the meeting was how to find substitute markets to offset the lower number of Chinese tourists.
“Where can we find visitors to replace visitors from China that have been coming here less?” Ms Paetongtarn was reported as saying during the meeting.
The premier wants to see foreign tourism revenue of close to 2 trillion baht, a figure seen in 2019 before the pandemic, Mr Jirayu said.
He said the “Amazing Thailand Grand Tourism and Sports Year 2025” campaign aims to promote the country from new dimensions and let visitors know Thailand is a year-round destination.
For example, the rainy season can draw visitors from countries that are normally hot and dry.
Safety first
Mr Jirayu said the recent earthquake that originated in Myanmar and sent shockwaves through Bangkok and other provinces was a catalyst for the government to build confidence among foreign tourists and to assure them of their safety, particularly in the capital.
Other details like customs procedures, tourism trends, target visitors and marketing strategies were also discussed as participants looked to increase visitor traffic in the second half of the year, he said.
Tourism and Sports Minister Sorawong Thienthong admitted the March 28 quake had badly impacted tourism as many flights and hotel bookings were cancelled.
However, tourism has picked up again as the Songkran festival approaches with bookings at pre-quake levels, he said.
More tourists are also coming from new markets such as India, said the minister, citing the latest booking data.