Tourism to Thailand Reaches Millions, Boosted by Malaysia, China, and India

Published on November 19, 2025

From January 1 to November 16, 2025, Thailand received 28,277,276 international tourists, which is a 7.18% decline, but still represents a strong performance. The 28 million international arrivals contributed approximately 1.308 trillion baht to the economy. Tourists from Malaysia, China, and India dominated the travel market during the winter holidays and the peak season for international travel to Thailand’s major attractions.

From November 1 to 18, the Ministry of Tourism and Sports reported that foreign arrivals exceeded 28 million for the year, confirming Thailand’s position as one of the leading tourist hotspots in Southeast Asia. Thailand’s tourism remains a significant contributor to the economy, and the 28 million in arrivals indicates that the tourism sector is still very resilient, regardless of the decrease in arrivals from the previous year.

Growth of International Tourism in Thailand

Migrating to Thailand for International tourism in 2022, Malaysia, China and India were and continue to be the primary drivers of the tourism economy, followed by the rest of the world. Malaysia led the world as the greatest contributor to Thailand in the tourism economy as 4,058,169 tourists crossed the international border to access Thailand’s beaches, temples and urban centres, leaving their $ in Malaysia. As tourists gain purchasing power in the centres of economy, the proximity of the countries and the Cultural and economic relations offer Malaysia the opportunity to be a more contributing country.

China, a distant second contributing to the tourism economy, edged 4 million tourists as China’s economic turmoil and world travel restrictions have isolated the country from the rest of the world (China’s outbound tourism for the majority of 2022 remained near 0). China is one country and not a region to be taken out of the equation of world travel. China is affluent and Thailand’s rich history and luxurious urban centres and world class shopping tourism afford Thailand a globally ranked tourism economy, particularly important to Thailand because of the growing number of tourists from China and their participation in the cross border economy.

Lastly, India is relatively rural, and in 2022, 2,110,469 Indian tourists (total) crossed the international border to Thailand, contributing to the tourism economy of Thailand. Thailand became more popular due to more direct flights and growing economic relations between the two countries. Indian tourists have a high demand to participate in the cultural tourism to Thailand, because of the temples, unique festivals, and golf resorts.

Additional Key Source Markets and Visitor Trends

Russia and South Korea were also among the top five source markets for Thailand, adding to the total international visitors for 2025. Russia had 1,527,800 visitors attracted to Thailand’s warm climate and cost of living,. while South Korea had 1,339,604 tourists, whose visits were enhanced by the constant cultural and entertainment collaborations of the two nations.

Close to 2024, the total volume of arriving tourists diminished; howeve,r this trend demonstrates the persistent status of Thailand as a premier country for tourism around the world. The global active economic scenario and the world travel active economic scenario and the world travel pattern scenario. Thailand has emerged as a key destination to tourists around the world, the high tourist spendign indicates that Thailand has emerged as a key destination for tourists around the world, the high tourist spending indicates that Thailand has emerged as a key destination to tourists around the world, the high tourist spending indicates that Thailand has emerged as a key destination to tourists around the world to Thailand has emerged as a key destination

Economic Impact and the Revenue of Tourism in Thailand

The tourism sector in Thailand saw 1.308 trillion thai baht for spending for the year 2025 and highlights the strongest economic impact for the country. Accommodation, dining, siteseeing, transport, and shopping expenses spending makes it so that tourism is one of the top sector of thai economy. The powerful income-earning wireless rose above to by less tourists. This indicates that a premium tourism experience from the tourism.

The influx of tourists is due to the winter holiday season and Thailand’s high season. Thailand’s government is undertaking several efforts to stimulate tourism by running promotional campaigns and improving tourism-related infrastructure. The launch of new flights, the waiving of visas, and the institution of cultural exchange programs have enhanced tourism from specific parts of the world, most notably Southeast Asia and China.

Sustainability and Future Prospects of the Tourism Industry – Thailand

The Thai government’s primary goal is to maintain a high level of sustainable tourism, characterised by the promotion of economically favourable growth, and the minimisation of its ecological footprint. In order to achieve this, the government has focused on developing sustainable eco-tourism, cultural heritage, and community-based tourism to broaden the country’s tourism diversification and shift from a traditional sun and sand tourism focus.

Conclusion

Thailand’s varied attractions and national parks, flourishing metropolises, such as Bangkok, and its myriad cultural sites are a few of the many experiences the country has to offer its tourists. In conjunction with the waning demand for conventional tourism, the rising eco-tourism and wellness travel have prompted many to travel to Thailand, visiting its protected natural reserves and eco-friendly resorts.

In addition, considering the government’s ongoing efforts in preparation for the Visit Thailand Year 2026, Thailand will further enhance its global tourism focus on the country’s cultural richness, hospitality, and sustainability. Thailand’s tourism industry will not only recover in the coming years but also build new connections with major markets, such as Malaysia, China, and India.