By TravoUpdate
Thailand attracted 20 million foreign visitors in the first seven months of 2024.
This figure represents a 34% increase compared to the same period last year.
The success is largely attributed to the visa-free program, allowing visitors from 93 countries to stay for up to 60 days without a visa.
Mainland China led with 3,994,343 visitors, followed by Malaysia, India, South Korea, and Russia.
Despite the surge, the projected 35 million tourists for the year still fall short of the 40 million visitors in 2019.
The expected tourism revenue for 2024 is estimated at 3 trillion baht (US$83 billion), compared to 1.91 trillion baht (US$53 billion) in 2019.
Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin credited the success to collaborative efforts and initiatives like visa-free travel, more airline choices, and tourism upgrades.
Russia and the United States topped the list for long-haul visitors, with notable increases from the UK, Germany, and France.
The TAT Deputy Governor expressed optimism about surpassing 2019 visitor numbers and revenue, especially from European travelers.
Promotional activities include package travel during the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics and a special charter train from Kuala Lumpur to Hat Yai to boost regional tourism.