Thailand’s critical tourist sector, nearly ravaged by the Covid virus H1N1 pandemic, has recovered faster than predicted, with the country having already welcomed 10 million international visitors this year.
To mark the accomplishment before the end of the year, the Thai government conducted celebrations all around the country on Saturday, including cultural acts at seven airports and two border crossings. Garlands and gift bags were distributed by officials, some of whom were dressed in colorful traditional Thai garb, to arriving visitors at airports and land crossings.
Our faith in a clear sky following a storm is unshakeable. Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-Ocha addressed visitors at Bangkok’s international Suvarnabhumi Airport, “Today the sky is open, and so are our borders.” This achievement is only the beginning. We’ll get the word out that Thailand is still an inviting international destination for visitors.
The 10 million international tourists are in stark contrast to the fewer than 500,000 from outside expected in the year 2021. The Tourism Authority of Thailand predicts that by the end of 2022, the country will have earned more than 500 billion baht (S$20 billion) from international visitors.
Thailand is the second biggest economy in Southeast Asia, but it has lagged behind its regional counterparts. Tourism is a crucial development engine, accounting for 12 percent of the economy. In November, consumer confidence reached its highest point since March of the previous year, thanks mainly to increased tourist arrivals.
In 2023, the country hopes to see 20 million international visitors and 1.5 trillion baht in revenue from these visitors. Thus the current trend should continue. That would be equivalent to 80 percent of the money earned by international tourists in 2019, before the epidemic, and would place Thailand at 50 percent of the number of foreign tourists seen in 2019.
The speed of the rebound depends on how quickly China unlocks the borders it has closed because of its stringent Covid Zero policy, which has begun to loosen. Before the epidemic, more than 20 million of Thailand’s 40 million annual international visitors came from China.
