Thailand reaches 19.5 million trips

BANGKOK  Ministry of Tourism and Sports reports international visits to Thailand exceeded 19.53 million, an improvement of 11.87% during January to July, this year.

Released last week, the ministry’s data showed the country attracted 19,538,190 international visits during the first seven months of this year, compared to 17,465,861 visits during the same period last year.

The data is based on foreign passport, or ID holders, passing through international checkpoints (land, sea and air).

The figures do not necessarily equate with genuine leisure tourists as the data represents all trips. This includes trips made by foreigners, who reside in the country, but make frequent trips overseas, labourers entering the country for extended periods after making visa runs and traders crossing  a land borders  for a stay of 24 hours.

Tourism and Sports Minister, Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul, commented:  “The country remains a very popular destination…we are not just focusing on the Chinese, but all markets such as Europe, the Middle East and ASEAN.”

Even the 12 August bomb attacks in seven southern provinces are unlikely to shake confidence in Thailand in the long-run. The Tourism Authority of Thailand said it forecast a loss of around 200,000 visitors over two months. On average, the country welcomes around 85,000 visits a day and after the bomb attacks there was a decline of around 5% in the daily tally during the first week.

The minister said she believed the tourism industry had learnt from the Erawan shrine bombing in August 2015 and could once more win the confidence of travellers following the latest incident.

In July alone, foreign travellers recorded 2,946,286 visits, an increase of 10.85% from 2,657,993 visits during the same month last year.

By regions, all markets recorded increases in the seventh month of the year.

The Middle East recorded the highest growth of 35.52% from 80,678 to 109,337 visits. The United Arab Emirates posted the highest arrivals with 27,502 visits increasing 37.85% from 19,951 visits.

Other main markets in the Middle East: Israel (14,905; +9.21%); Kuwait (10,869; +12.07%); Saudi Arabia (4,588; +32.60%); and Egypt (3,546; +46.41%).

South Asia represented an increase of 15.55% from 120,786 to 139,570 visits. India led the field supplying 104,761 visits growing 16.36% from 90,034 followed by Bangladesh (12,142; +5.83%), Pakistan (9,677; +34.81%), Sri Lanka (5,499; -5.73%) and Nepal (3,567; +11.64%).

The Americas increased 13.25% from 95,821 to 108,519 visits. The United States recorded the highest arrivals at 80,957 up 15.23% from 70,255 followed by Canada (17,466; +9.22%), Brazil (3,156; +10.00%) and Argentina (1,290; +12.47%).

Africa showed an improvement of 12.11% from 13,026 to 14,604 visits. The main market South Africa decreased 5.81% from 6,183 to 5,824.

Europe grew 10.08% from 409,042 visits to 450,259 visits. The markets that showed improvements were: Russia (+21.02%); Germany (+18.49%); East Europe (+14.27%); Italy (+12.99%); Spain (+12.38%); Austria (+12.24%); France (+9.18%); Sweden (+8.90%); Belgium (+8.07%); the United Kingdom (+6.93%); Denmark (+4.01%); Finland (+2.20%); the Netherlands (+2.00%); and Switzerland (+1.58%).

Ireland and Norway were the only two markets that posted declines at 6.49% and 1.07% respectively.

East Asia (ASEAN included) recorded a growth of 9.94% from 1,850,464 to 2,034,367 visits.

The markets that showed improvements were: Myanmar (+57.04%); Cambodia (+50.73%); Vietnam (+18.11%); Indonesia (+17.54%); the Philippines (+15.76%); China (+11.54%); Laos (+11.38%); South Korea (+10.54%); Brunei (+7.47%); Hong Kong (+6.28%); Japan (+5.41%); Singapore (+2.20%); and Malaysia (+0.26%).

Taiwan was the only market that showed a decline of 10.99%.

Oceania reported an increase of 1.65% from 88,176 to 89,630 visits. The main markets Australia and New Zealand improved 1.70% (76,648) and 0.95% (12,725) respectively.