Tourists take photos at the Sanctuary of Truth Museum in Pattaya, Thailand, March 29, 2024. In the January-March period, Thailand welcomed 1.75 million visitors from China, the largest source of tourists to the Southeast Asian country, followed by 1.16 million from Malaysia and 622,813 from Russia, according to data from the Thai Ministry of Tourism and Sports.
The rising number of inbound tourists is supported by the government visa-exemption scheme, including the mutual visa-free agreement between Thailand and China, effective March 1, which helps boost confidence in travelling between the two countries, the ministry said in a statement. (Xinhua/Wang Teng)
BANGKOK, April 2 (Xinhua) -- Thailand received over 9.37 million foreign tourists in the first three months of 2024, an increase of 44 percent from a year earlier, on course to meet the year-end target of 35 million foreign arrivals, official data showed on Tuesday.
In the January-March period, Thailand welcomed 1.75 million visitors from China, the largest source of tourists to the Southeast Asian country, followed by 1.16 million from Malaysia and 622,813 from Russia, according to data from the Thai Ministry of Tourism and Sports.
The rising number of inbound tourists is supported by the government visa-exemption scheme, including the mutual visa-free agreement between Thailand and China, effective March 1, which helps boost confidence in travelling between the two countries, the ministry said in a statement.
With joint promotions to showcase tourist destinations and increased flight routes connecting Thailand with first- and second-tier Chinese cities, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) maintains its goal to attract 8 million tourists from China this year, TAT governor Thapanee Kiatphaibool told Xinhua on Tuesday.
Thailand is targeting tourism revenue of 3.5 trillion baht (about 95.45 billion U.S. dollars) in 2024, and the tourist arrivals will rise going forward as the kingdom focuses on elevated travel experiences to draw more spending, Thapanee said.
In pre-pandemic 2019, Chinese tourists accounted for about 28 percent of the nearly 40 million foreign tourists to Thailand. Tourism, the key driver of the nation's economic growth, accounts for about 12 percent of its gross domestic product. ■
Tourists take photos at the Sanctuary of Truth Museum in Pattaya, Thailand, March 29, 2024. In the January-March period, Thailand welcomed 1.75 million visitors from China, the largest source of tourists to the Southeast Asian country, followed by 1.16 million from Malaysia and 622,813 from Russia, according to data from the Thai Ministry of Tourism and Sports.
The rising number of inbound tourists is supported by the government visa-exemption scheme, including the mutual visa-free agreement between Thailand and China, effective March 1, which helps boost confidence in travelling between the two countries, the ministry said in a statement. (Xinhua/Wang Teng)
A tourist takes photos at the Sanctuary of Truth Museum in Pattaya, Thailand, March 29, 2024. In the January-March period, Thailand welcomed 1.75 million visitors from China, the largest source of tourists to the Southeast Asian country, followed by 1.16 million from Malaysia and 622,813 from Russia, according to data from the Thai Ministry of Tourism and Sports.
The rising number of inbound tourists is supported by the government visa-exemption scheme, including the mutual visa-free agreement between Thailand and China, effective March 1, which helps boost confidence in travelling between the two countries, the ministry said in a statement. (Xinhua/Wang Teng)
Tourists visit the Sanctuary of Truth Museum in Pattaya, Thailand, March 29, 2024. In the January-March period, Thailand welcomed 1.75 million visitors from China, the largest source of tourists to the Southeast Asian country, followed by 1.16 million from Malaysia and 622,813 from Russia, according to data from the Thai Ministry of Tourism and Sports.
The rising number of inbound tourists is supported by the government visa-exemption scheme, including the mutual visa-free agreement between Thailand and China, effective March 1, which helps boost confidence in travelling between the two countries, the ministry said in a statement. (Xinhua/Wang Teng)
Tourists visit the Sanctuary of Truth Museum in Pattaya, Thailand, March 29, 2024. In the January-March period, Thailand welcomed 1.75 million visitors from China, the largest source of tourists to the Southeast Asian country, followed by 1.16 million from Malaysia and 622,813 from Russia, according to data from the Thai Ministry of Tourism and Sports.
The rising number of inbound tourists is supported by the government visa-exemption scheme, including the mutual visa-free agreement between Thailand and China, effective March 1, which helps boost confidence in travelling between the two countries, the ministry said in a statement. (Xinhua/Wang Teng)