Thailand records 25.46m arrivals as long-haul growth builds
January–October arrivals fell 4.59% year on year, while long-haul visitors rose 13.60% week on week as the winter holiday season approached.
- Thailand received 25.46 million international tourist arrivals in the first 10 months of 2026.
- Recent growth is being driven by long-haul arrivals, which rose 13.60% week-on-week for the fifth consecutive week.
- The increase in long-haul visitors, particularly from markets like Russia and the United States, is attributed to the approaching winter holiday season.
- Despite the recent growth, the total number of arrivals for the January-October period remains 4.59% lower than in the same period last year.
Thailand’s long-haul tourist arrivals rose 13.60% week on week, extending growth to a fifth consecutive week ahead of the winter holiday season, while total foreign arrivals reached 25.46 million in the first 10 months of 2026.
However, January–October arrivals remained 4.59% below the same period last year, according to preliminary figures released by Tourism and Sports Minister Surasak Phancharoenworakul on November 2, 2026.
Long-haul arrivals totalled 227,153 during October 25–31, helping lift overall international arrivals by 7.31% to 538,661 for the week.
The weekly total was 36,696 higher than in the preceding seven days and represented an average of 76,952 arrivals a day.
Long-haul growth outpaces short-haul recovery
Surasak attributed the sustained increase in long-haul arrivals to the approach of the winter holiday season in November.
Short-haul arrivals increased more slowly, rising 3.14% week on week to 311,508 as travel began returning to normal patterns after a lull.
Travel from Russia and the United States strengthened ahead of Thailand’s high season. Indian arrivals, however, declined following the end of Maha Navami and the Navaratri festival.
The five largest source markets during October 25–31 were:
- Malaysia: 61,842 arrivals, down 1.41% year on year.
- China: 51,479 arrivals, up 4.0% year on year.
- Russia: 44,499 arrivals, up 27.19% year on year.
- India: 40,884 arrivals, down 14.98% from the previous week.
- United States: 21,261 arrivals, up 5.42% year on year.
French arrivals fell 18.68%, a decline Surasak attributed to protests in France. The country dropped to 16th place in the weekly source-market rankings from 11th the previous week.
China leads Thailand’s 10-month visitor rankings
China led Thailand’s source markets during January 1–October 31, when the country recorded 25,464,306 international arrivals. Foreign visitor spending totalled 1,241,067 million baht over the period.
The five leading markets were:
- China: 4,244,376 arrivals.
- Malaysia: 3,226,484 arrivals.
- India: 1,924,417 arrivals.
- Russia: 1,414,341 arrivals.
- South Korea: 932,066 arrivals.
Winter holidays support outlook, but protests and flight cuts pose risks
Surasak expected long-haul arrivals to increase in the following week as the winter holiday season began, a period when travellers from these markets favour trips to Thailand.
Factors requiring attention included protests in Europe and reductions in flights on certain routes, particularly from Russia, which could affect travel to Thailand.
