The government of Thailand has expressed optimism to receive up to 30 million tourists this year as the country’s budding tourism sector experiences a post-COVID boost.
Government spokesperson Anucha Burapachaisri said during a briefing on Tuesday that Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha had directed concerned agencies in the tourism sector to ease the travel experience for visitors and ensure the safety of all tourists.
The Thai government had initially predicted the number of tourists who will visit Thailand this year to be 20 million, and later, 28 million.
“Most recently, the prime minister is confident that tourist numbers will exceed 30 million,” Burapachaisri said.
This latest projection comes just days after China relaxed restrictions and opened its borders to welcome tourists from Asia and the world.
In 2022, Thailand rose above its tourism target, welcoming about 11-15 million foreign visitors. This figure was a sharp growth from 2021 when about 428,000 tourists visited the country amid global COVID restrictions and stringent travel bans.
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Thailand received a record 40 million foreign tourists in 2019, whose total tourist spending amounted to 1.91 trillion baht ($56.78 billion)—significantly contributing to the country’s economy.
