BANGKOK: Fierce competition and lack of confidence in the country’s safety will likely prevent Thailand achieving its target of 39 million foreign arrivals this year, according to the Association of Thai Travel Agents (ATTA).
Foreign visitors in 2025 are likely to top 37 million at most, which is still higher than last year's number of 35.54 million, ATTA president Sisdivachr Cheewarattanaporn said on Thursday (March 13).
He said “several negative factors” are hindering Thailand’s tourism goal, including competition with countries like Japan, China and Vietnam, which are aggressively promoting their tourism to attract foreign visitors.
“Japan overtook Thailand in terms of Chinese arrivals last year, at 6.98 million people vs 6.7 million visiting the kingdom,” he said.
ATTA estimates that Chinese visitors to Thailand this year will reach 7 million, still over 4 million short of the record 11.13 million in 2019, before the pandemic.
“We may never be able to secure ten-plus million Chinese visitors per year again,” Sisdivachr said, citing safety worries over reports of Chinese and other nationals being abducted from Thailand to scam towns in neighbouring countries.
They are also concerned about China’s economic slowdown and the possibility of a fresh trade war, while the Chinese government is encouraging its citizens to travel domestically, he added.
Chinese arrivals numbered only 371,542 in February, the lowest in 15 months and a 44.9 per cent drop year on year, ATTA reported.
Sisdivachr said the government must prioritise restoring visitors’ confidence in Thailand’s safety and security. Law enforcement must be clear and consistent to ensure a smooth experience for all foreigners travelling in the kingdom, he said.
The government also requires a clear strategy for integrating and driving the tourism sector forward. This involves defining areas for development, promotion and support, concrete actions and a clear budget, he added.
“It is not enough to just announce campaigns or talk about plans - there must be a clear operational strategy. This is essential to make tourism a real engine for generating income for Thailand's economy.” - The Nation/ANN
