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Eased visa rules lift Thai tourism to near pre-pandemic levels
The Straits Times
|January 07, 2025
Thailand saw foreign tourist arrivals jump 26 per cent in 2024 after the tourism-reliant nation eased entry rules and waived visas for Chinese travellers, the largest group of visitors to the South-east Asian country.
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An estimated 35.5 million tourists visited Thailand in 2024, up from 28.2 million in 2023, according to provisional data from the Ministry of Tourism and Sports.
They spent about 1.67 trillion baht (S$66 billion), up 34 per cent from a year ago, The Nation reported.
While the tally missed the ministry's target of welcoming 36.7 million tourists, it was close to the Bank of Thailand's prediction of 36 million.
This story is from the January 07, 2025 edition of The Straits Times.
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