Thailand has welcomed over 600,000 foreign visitors during the first week of 2024, with the Chinese topping the list for the first week of the year. According to a Nation Thailand report, Sudawan Wangsuphakijkosol, Thailand’s tourism minister, says a total of 605,537 have arrived in the kingdom in the period January 1 – 7.
But this figure is a drop of 23.3% compared to the last week of December 2023. She says this is due to the New Year holiday period being over, resulting in a drop in visitors from all of Thailand’s tourism markets.
During the first week of the year, the top nationalities arriving in the kingdom were the Chinese, the Malaysians, the Russians, South Koreans and Indians.
Nation Thailand compares the figures with those from the same markets during the last week of December…
• 81,854 from China (down by 18.96%)
• 64,053 from Malaysia (down by 48.15%)
• 51,467 from Russia (down by 2.7%)
• 43,894 from South Korea (down by 4.93%)
• 30,203 from India (down by 23.79%)
Sudawan says she expects to see an increase in arrivals during the second week of January as a result of the visa exemption currently in place for visitors from China and Kazakhstan. Originally due to end on February 29, the arrangement has now been made permanent (and reciprocal) for China.
Also helping tourism numbers according to Sudawan, is the decision to allow Russian travellers to remain in the kingdom visa-free for 90 days, up from 30 days previously.
SOURCE: Nation Thailand
