Southeast Asia's second largest economy receives over 21 million tourists

By Hoang Vu August 15, 2024 | 07:22 pm PT

Revelers play with water during a parade as they celebrate the Songkran holiday which marks the Thai New Year in Bangkok, Thailand, April 14, 2023. Photo by Reuters

Thailand, Southeast Asia's second-largest economy after Indonesia, has welcomed 21.7 million foreign visitors so far this year, with Chinese and Malaysian tourists leading the way.

Between Jan. 1 and Aug. 11, Chinese tourists remained the kingdom's largest source of visitors with 4.39 million arrivals, followed by Malaysians (3 million), Indians (1.2 million), South Koreans (1.1 million), and Russians (1.03 million), according to the Tourism Authority of Thailand.

So far this year, Thailand has generated 1.03 trillion baht (US$29.4 billion) in tourism revenue.

The country aims to attract 36.7 million foreign tourists by the end of this year.

Starting from July 22, Thailand has extended 60-day visa-free stays to citizens from 93 countries and territories, up from the previous 57, for tourism or short-term business purposes.

Additionally, Thailand introduced the Destination Thailand Visa, which allows digital nomads, freelancers, and visitors interested in learning skills such as cooking and martial arts to stay for up to 180 days. This visa is valid for five years.

In 2019, the year before the onset of the Covid pandemic, Thailand, whose economy heavily relies on tourism, welcomed a record 39.9 million foreign visitors, generating 1.91 trillion baht (US$51.9 billion) in revenue.