Tourism Ministry reports decline in foreign arrivals, but growth seen in specific markets

The Ministry of Tourism and Sports has reported the latest figures for foreign tourists visiting Thailand from January 1 to June 29, 2025. The country welcomed a total of 16,614,257 visitors, a 4.56% decrease compared to the same period last year, generating 768.2 billion baht in revenue.

Top 5 Foreign Visitor Markets:

• Malaysia – 2,293,254 visitors
• China – 2,253,509 visitors
• India – 1,179,243 visitors
• Russia – 1,031,901 visitors
• South Korea – 768,979 visitors

Minister of Tourism and Sports, Sorawong Thienthong, shared that in the week of June 23-29, foreign visitor numbers increased by 9.12% from the previous week, primarily due to the Muslim New Year holiday. This surge in visitors mainly came from Malaysia and Indonesia, with Indonesia moving up to become the 5th largest source of visitors, up from 9th place previously.

The start of the European summer holiday season also contributed to a 14.98% increase in long-haul visitors, which led to a total of 570,316 foreign visitors for the week, a 9.12% increase from the previous week, averaging 81,474 visitors per day.

Top 5 Foreign Visitor Markets for the Week:

• Malaysia – 102,891 visitors, up 37.97%
• China – 80,565 visitors, up 6.80%
• India – 45,547 visitors, down 6.52%
• South Korea – 23,092 visitors, up 0.31%
• Indonesia – 22,378 visitors, up 26.59%

Looking ahead, the Ministry expects foreign visitor numbers to remain stable, with several promotional factors supporting travel to Thailand, including the European summer holidays, school holidays in China, and the launch of the Amazing Thailand Grand Tourism and Sports Year 2025. The government’s Ease of Travel initiatives, including the exemption of immigration form TM6, are also expected to encourage more tourists, along with increased flights from airlines.