China was the largest source of visitors this year, with 6.3 million arrivals, followed by Malaysia (4.6 million), India (1.9 million), South Korea (1.7 million), and Russia (1.5 million).
The Thai government aims to attract more long-haul visitors, particularly from Europe, in the remaining days of the year to meet its target of 36 million international arrivals, according to Jirayu Houngsub, spokesman for the Prime Minister's Office, as cited by Bangkok Post.
The government's decision to make visa exemptions for Chinese tourists permanent in March significantly boosted the number of Chinese visitors.
Since June, Thailand has also expanded visa-free entry to travelers from 93 countries, allowing stays of up to 60 days, compared to the previous 57 countries.
Tourism remains a cornerstone of Thailand's economy. In 2019, the country recorded 39.9 million foreign arrivals, which brought in 1.91 trillion baht (US$51.9 billion) in revenue.
By comparison, as of November, Vietnam received 15.8 million foreign visitors, while the Philippines welcomed 4.9 million.
Malaysia recorded 20.6 million international arrivals, and Singapore saw 13.9 million tourists as of October.
