Thailand Sees 3.9% Drop in Foreign Tourists Despite China Surge
Thailand's foreign tourist arrivals fell 3.88% year-to-date to 23.45 million, despite a surge in Chinese visitors driven by the Golden Week holiday. Flooding in Bangkok caused minor flight disruptions but did not significantly affect tourism overall. Weekly arrivals rose 8.24% to 522,532, with China, Malaysia, India, Russia and South Korea leading the market.
During the week of September 27 to October 3, overall tourism increased week-on-week, supported by nearby and long-haul markets. The Golden Week in China drove a 41.98% rise in Chinese visitors, while Hong Kong's National Day and South Korea's Foundation Day also contributed to growth. Long‑haul demand for Thailand remained strong. Flooding in Bangkok had only a minor impact, causing a few flight cancellations but not significantly affecting tourism. For that week, Thailand welcomed 522,532 foreign tourists, up 8.24% from the previous week, averaging 74,647 per day. The leading nationalities were China (133,946), Malaysia (59,871), India (46,942), Russia (22,326) and South Korea (21,219). Chinese arrivals rose 41.98%, Indian arrivals 16.53%, Russian arrivals 14.23% and South Korean arrivals 3.66%, while Malaysian arrivals fell 0.64%. Looking ahead, tourist numbers are expected to ease as the holiday periods in China, South Korea, Hong Kong and Malaysia conclude.
