TAT says Nipah virus hasn’t affected tourism yet; Indian arrivals up 20%
Despite widespread reporting overseas, officials say impact is mainly on traveller sentiment, with monitoring focused on key gateways including Suvarnabhumi, Don Mueang and Phuket.
- Thailand's tourism authority reports that the Nipah virus outbreak in India has not yet had a significant negative impact on the country's overall tourism.
- Despite the health scare, tourist arrivals from India have increased by 20% from January 1-25 compared to the same period last year.
- To manage the risk and reassure travelers, Thailand has increased health screening measures at its key international airports for arrivals from affected areas.
- A recent 10% decline in overall foreign arrivals is attributed to other factors, such as border tensions and flooding, not the Nipah virus.
Thapanee Kiatphaibool, Governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), said on Wednesday (January 28) the agency is closely monitoring reports of Nipah virus (NiV) infections in West Bengal, India, and the containment measures being implemented by Indian authorities.
She said Thailand has not detected any infections to date, but the situation could have a psychological impact on travellers who feel anxious after widespread reporting and social-media discussion.
Thailand has also stepped up health screening at key airports for arrivals from risk areas, including Suvarnabhumi Airport, Don Mueang International Airport, and Phuket International Airport.
Foreign markets have no clear, material impact yet
TAT’s assessment indicates there has been no significant impact on Thailand’s overall inbound tourism picture so far, although some markets may react cautiously due to heightened health concerns.
Reports from abroad indicate confirmed cases in West Bengal and quarantine of close contacts, prompting screening measures in several countries.
Based on daily inbound-arrival statistics from the Immigration Bureau (TATIC system) as of January 26, the cumulative number of foreign arrivals from January 1–25 stood at around 2.62 million, an average decline of about 10% year-on-year.
TAT stressed that this contraction is not attributed to Nipah virus concerns.
Instead, it reflects broader factors, including tensions along the Thai–Cambodian border and the late-2025 flood situation in Hat Yai district, Songkhla, which directly affected the Malaysian market that primarily enters Thailand via land border crossings.
Some tourism areas in Hat Yai are also still recovering and have not fully returned to normal operations.
India market is still strong, with continued growth
TAT reported that the Indian market remains resilient.
From January 1–25, cumulative arrivals from India totalled more than 189,000, up 20% compared with the same period in 2025.
During January 20–26, the period when the outbreak received heavy media attention, Indian arrivals were reported to have still expanded by an average of about 35% year-on-year.
TAT added that air-travel indicators remain positive, especially at the three main gateways receiving Indian visitors, with reported growth as follows:
- Phuket International Airport: +51%
- Suvarnabhumi Airport: +33%
- Don Mueang International Airport: +15%
For the whole of January 2026, TAT projected Indian arrivals at around 200,000, up about 8% year-on-year.
Other markets: monitor sentiment closely
While no clear impact has been observed overall, TAT said extensive international coverage and social-media discussion of Nipah could affect confidence in more risk-sensitive markets, such as China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Japan, which may delay travel decisions over the next 1–2 weeks while monitoring developments.
TAT noted that swift containment measures at source, together with Thailand’s airport screening for travellers arriving from affected areas, should help limit any potential impact and reinforce confidence in safety.
Thailand’s official updates state that screening began on January 25 at Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang, while Phuket increased preparedness and screening measures the same day; Phuket was also reported to have five flights per week from the affected area via one airline.
Confidence and safety sentiment are still manageable
TAT said monitoring by its India offices in New Delhi and Mumbai, together with social listening by its international public relations unit (as of January 2026), suggests the outbreak remains limited, particularly in West Bengal, with no reports of new cases.
In Kolkata, there has been no widespread mask-wearing in public, and travel and tourism activities have continued as normal.
TAT added that there have been no travel bans, cancellations or flight reductions linked to the situation, although concerns have spread widely through news coverage and social media.
Overall, most reporting and social-media discussion has focused on facts and has not shifted overall sentiment towards travelling to Thailand.
