National —
On December 29th, 2024, Ms. Thapanee Kiatphaibool, the Governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), revealed that from January 1st to December 27th, 2024, Thailand welcomed 35,047,501 international tourists, exceeding the year’s target. The influx is projected to generate 1.8 trillion baht in revenue.
Markets hitting record highs compared to 2019 include India (2.1 million), Malaysia (4.89 million), Taiwan (1.07 million), Russia (1.7 million), Saudi Arabia (226,094), Italy (259,443), Spain (205,914), and Poland (175,674).
Thapanee attributed this success to government measures such as visa exemptions for 93 countries, extended stays up to 60 days, and the removal of immigration forms (TM.6) at 16 border checkpoints, enhancing travel convenience.
Under TAT’s “Airline Focus” strategy, airlines launched new routes, increased flight frequencies, and expanded capacity, totaling 47 million seats in 2024—a 26% rise from 2023. December alone saw 311 new flights, adding over 70,000 seats during the peak season, according to Thapanee.
Events like the Amazing Thailand Countdown 2024, cultural festivals, and international fan meetings also played a significant role in attracting high-quality tourists from various regions, remarked Thapanee.
This article originally appeared on our sister website The Pattaya News.
