Thailand To Remain Top Travel Destination For Tourists In 2025 - Thanks To Visa Waivers, Cheap Accommodations

Thailand saw a 26% increase in foreign tourist arrivals last year after the tourism-dependent nation relaxed entry requirements and introduced a visa waiver for Chinese visitors, the largest group of international travellers to the Southeast Asian nation.

An estimated 35.5 million tourists visited Thailand in 2024, up from 28.2 million in 2023, according to provisional figures from the Ministry of Tourism and Sports. These visitors spent around 1.67 trillion baht ($48 billion), a 34% increase compared to the previous year, as reported by The Nation.

Although the total fell short of the ministry's target of 36.7 million tourists, it was close to the Bank of Thailand's forecast of 36 million. According to a Bloomberg report, the country had set a record for both tourist arrivals and revenue generation in 2019, prior to the pandemic, with nearly 40 million visitors and $60 billion in tourism revenue.

Thailand anticipates that the recovery in tourism will continue this year, buoyed by the easing of visa restrictions for several countries and longer stays per visit.

The third season of the popular television series 'The White Lotus' - set to air in early 2025 and featuring Thai luxury hotels - is expected to attract more visitors, with the recent legalisation of same-sex marriage providing an additional draw for LGBTQ travellers.

The government is projecting a record 40 million arrivals this year, with around 200 million domestic trips, generating 2.8 trillion baht in revenue. The tourism sector contributes about 12% to the country's GDP and supports nearly a fifth of the workforce.

Chinese tourists accounted for 6.7 million arrivals last year, around 60% of the pre-pandemic figure of 11.1 million in 2019. Thailand and China signed a permanent visa waiver agreement last year to boost cross-border travel.

Tourist arrivals from other key markets, such as Europe, India, and Russia, have already surpassed pre-Covid levels, according to official statistics.