Thailand tourism on the rise

Nearly 14 million people visited Thailand in the first 11 months of this year dismissing fears of a slump in arrival numbers following April's and May’s Red Shirt protests.

According to the UK’s Daily Mail, this figure is expected to rise to 15.8 million by the end of the year and is up by 12.6 per cent on last year’s numbers.Despite the year's earlier political turmoil however, and in the face of images that were broadcast across the globe, Thailand still managed to generate AU$19.1 billion through tourism in 2010.

The newspaper said, although visitors from other South East Asian countries remain the most committed to Thailand, it is in fact Indian and Middle Eastern tourists that are the country’s fastest growing markets. To help prevent a possible dip in numbers caused from a possible strengthening of the Thai's baht, Thailand’s authorities are planning to target emerging markets such as China and Indonesia, as well as Brazil and Argentina.

Source=etravelblackboardasia