Thailand is chasing a high-stakes travel comeback — and it’s banking on quality over quantity to get there.
The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) unveiled its bold vision for 2026: raking in a staggering 2.8 trillion baht in tourism revenue and breaking into the world’s top 10 countries for tourism income.
It’s an ambitious leap — a 5% boost from this year — with the spotlight on boosting spending per tourist, not just counting heads.
TAT Governor Thapanee Kiatphaibool said the campaign, dubbed “The New Thailand,” is all about turning the kingdom into a global magnet for quality tourism.
The strategy focuses on sustainable travel, new attractions, and grassroots opportunities that benefit locals — all while staying competitive in a turbulent global market.
“We want to deliver value over volume,” Thapanee said. “This is about creating a lasting, meaningful tourism experience while strengthening local economies.”
Foreign visitors are expected to bring in 1.63 trillion baht — an 8% jump — while domestic tourism is projected to contribute 1.17 trillion baht, up 3% from a target of 214 million domestic trips. The revenue split would see 58% coming from international tourists and 42% from domestic travellers.
Tourism and Sports Minister Sorawong Thienthong hinted that the government aims to push revenue even higher than the TAT’s targets.
But hurdles remain.
Short-haul markets have underperformed this year. By July 16, only 12.1 million arrivals were recorded — a 13.1% drop from last year, hitting just 42.8% of 2025’s target. The slow recovery of Chinese tourism remains a major concern.
“We’re still seeing safety concerns, economic slowdown in China, and flight capacity at only 78% of 2019 levels,” said TAT Deputy Governor for International Marketing (Asia and the South Pacific) Pattaraanong Na Chiangmai.
Long-haul travel, however, is showing promise. Over 5.8 million long-haul travellers visited Thailand by July 13 — up 14% year-on-year.
New flight routes and strong forward bookings from Europe, the Middle East, and the Americas are helping, reported Bangkok Post.
“Despite geopolitical and economic pressures, travellers are still choosing Thailand,” said TAT Deputy Governor for Europe, Africa, the Middle East and the Americas Chiravadee Khunsub.
Notably, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Japan, and China have delivered promising growth — up 21%, 15%, 24%, and 30% respectively in the first five months of 2025.
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