BANGKOK, April 3 (Xinhua) -- Thailand received over 9.31 million foreign tourists in the first quarter of 2026, reflecting a 2.43 percent contraction compared to a year earlier, despite the recovery in the past two months, official data showed on Friday.
According to the Ministry of Tourism and Sports, China remained the top source market for the Southeast Asian country with 1.49 million arrivals, leaving behind Malaysia and Russia with 960,000 and 726,000 arrivals, respectively.
The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) said the tourism industry continues to serve as a vital economic driver, navigating a landscape marked by a sluggish global economy, geopolitical uncertainties and intensifying regional competition.
TAT Governor Thapanee Kiatphaibool reported a gradual recovery in inbound tourism, driven by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, European and Middle Eastern markets.
Despite that, tourism revenue growth is slowing due to cautious consumer spending, highlighting the need to prioritize higher spending per trip and visitor experience quality over sheer arrival volume, Thapanee said in a statement.
Looking ahead, the TAT has revised its 2026 foreign arrival projections to 30 to 34 million tourists, representing an 18 percent decline from the initial target.
This adjustment operates under the assumption that the current situation in the Middle East will ease within one to three months.
She noted that the downward revision is primarily attributed to a slowdown in the Middle Eastern, European and American markets, compounded by flight route constraints and fluctuating global oil prices. ■