Tourism agencies urge promotions as Southeast Asia's 2nd largest economy expects arrivals to drop to 32 million

By VNA November 2, 2025 | 06:28 pm PT

Chinese tourists take pictures in downtown Bangkok, Thailand, March 31, 2024. Photo by Reuters

With only 32 million foreign tourist arrivals projected for this year, the Association of Thai Travel Agents (Atta) is urging the government to offer more flight promotions, while the Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) plans to request "Quick Win" stimulus measures.

Atta President Thanapol Cheewarattanaporn said the association expects foreign arrivals this year to drop from 35.5 million in 2024.

TCEB will propose tax incentives for organizers of meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions (MICE) events.

The Chinese market may generate 4.6 million arrivals, less than the revised target of 5 million set by the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), Cheewarattanaporn said.

He added that arrivals from Malaysia and South Korea might reach 4.5 million and 1.5 million, respectively, below the 4.9 million and 1.8 million recorded in 2024.

Indian and Russian markets are expected to post the same numbers as last year at 2.2 million and 1.6 million, respectively.

Thailand, the second largest economy in Southeast Asia, received 26.2 million between January and October, down 7.25% from the previous year.