02.09.202505:20:49UTC+00Thailand Foreign Visitors Fall 7.16% YoY in Jan–August

Thailand experienced a 7.16% year-on-year decline in foreign tourist arrivals during the first eight months of 2025, as reported by the Tourism Ministry on Tuesday. During this period, the nation welcomed 21.9 million international visitors, with China emerging as the leading source market, contributing 3.1 million arrivals. Last month, the state's planning agency revised its full-year forecast for foreign tourist arrivals downward to 33 million from the previous estimate of 37 million. For context, Thailand recorded 40 million visitors in 2019, marking a record high before the COVID-19 pandemic affected global travel.

In related economic data, Thailand's economy registered a 2.8% year-on-year growth in the second quarter of 2025, compared to a 3.2% increase in the first quarter. The accommodation and food services sector demonstrated notable vulnerability, with a growth of only 2.1% in the second quarter, down from 7.2% in the first quarter. This was primarily due to reduced inbound tourism and a slowdown in domestic travel. During the second quarter, foreign tourist arrivals amounted to 7.136 million, representing a 12.2% decrease compared to the same quarter last year. Conversely, domestic tourism saw a 2.1% growth, albeit slower than the 2.6% growth recorded in the first quarter.