In 2022, Thailand had the highest number of tourists among Southeast Asian countries, with approximately ** million tourist arrivals. Comparatively, Brunei had about ** thousand tourist arrivals in the same year. Impact of Covid-19 on tourist arrivals in the ASEAN region A notable decline in tourism in Southeast Asia was observed in 2021 as compared to 2022. While tourist arrivals in the ASEAN region exhibited a consistent upward trajectory over the last decade, the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic and concomitant travel restrictions impacted the industry greatly. Tourist hotspots, such as Thailand, have observed a substantial decline in the number of international tourists in Thailand, most significantly Chinese and European tourists. GDP contributions of tourism Tourism is an important contributor to the economies of several countries in the ASEAN region. The tourism sector's contributions in Indonesia decreased in 2020 compared to 2019. Indonesia implemented a policy to restrict international tourism at the start of 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and this restriction remained in place until the start of 2022. In Thailand, the GDP share of the tourism sector is expected to increase steadily from 2023 to 2028.

In 2022, there were approximately 43 million visitors to the ASEAN region. The number of visitors to ASEAN increased significantly from 2021, when there were around 2.95 million visitors. Tourist arrivals to the ASEAN region had consistently grown throughout the past ten years until the COVID-19 pandemic.

Southeast Asian tourism on the rise

The Asia-Pacific region was expected to have the highest inbound tourism visitor growth worldwide by 2024. Southeast Asia accounted for the highest number of international tourist arrivals within the region after the COVID-19 pandemic. As the interest in the region as a travel destination rises, the spending of tourists may also lead to an economic upturn in the tourism sector. Since the pandemic, the total contribution of travel and tourism to the GDP of Southeast Asia has grown rapidly. By 2033, the value is expected to almost double compared to before the COVID-19 pandemic.

 Regional distribution of tourists  

While Thailand was a tourist hotspot in 2020, the number of tourists arriving in Southeast Asian countries declined significantly during the pandemic. After countries opened their borders again for tourism, Indonesia recorded the highest number of tourist arrivals. While Indonesia continues to attract tourists, the number of domestic trips within Indonesia far exceeded the number of international tourist arrivals to the country.

Thailand Per Capita Spending: East Asia: Asean data was reported at 172.860 USD/Day in Dec 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 163.090 USD/Day for Sep 2017. Thailand Per Capita Spending: East Asia: Asean data is updated quarterly, averaging 135.400 USD/Day from Mar 2005 (Median) to Dec 2017, with 52 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 172.860 USD/Day in Dec 2017 and a record low of 87.190 USD/Day in Jun 2005. Thailand Per Capita Spending: East Asia: Asean data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by TAT Inteligence Center. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Thailand – Table TH.Q014: Tourism Statistics: from International Tourist Arrivals.

In 2023, over **** million of the total tourist arrivals to the ASEAN region were from China. In comparison, the total tourist arrivals from Papua New Guinea amounted to around ****** in 2023.

Length of Stay: East Asia: Asean: Myanmar data was reported at 6.860 Day in Dec 2017. This records a decrease from the previous number of 7.150 Day for Sep 2017. Length of Stay: East Asia: Asean: Myanmar data is updated quarterly, averaging 7.300 Day from Mar 2005 (Median) to Dec 2017, with 52 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 9.510 Day in Mar 2009 and a record low of 4.100 Day in Dec 2008. Length of Stay: East Asia: Asean: Myanmar data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by TAT Inteligence Center. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Thailand – Table TH.Q014: Tourism Statistics: from International Tourist Arrivals.

Thailand Number of Arrivals: East Asia: Asean data was reported at 2,517,569.000 Person in Jun 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 2,117,336.000 Person for Mar 2017. Thailand Number of Arrivals: East Asia: Asean data is updated quarterly, averaging 1,322,332.000 Person from Mar 2005 (Median) to Jun 2017, with 50 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 2,517,569.000 Person in Jun 2017 and a record low of 687,606.000 Person in Mar 2005. Thailand Number of Arrivals: East Asia: Asean data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by TAT Inteligence Center. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Thailand – Table TH.Q014: Tourism Statistics: from International Tourist Arrivals.

In 2022, the number of tourist arrivals in the ASEAN region from other ASEAN countries amounted to approximately ** million. This reflected a significant increase from the previous year, when the number of tourist arrivals in the ASEAN region from other ASEAN countries was about *** thousand.

Thailand Number of Arrivals: East Asia: Asean: Myanmar data was reported at 101,177.000 Person in Dec 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 94,481.000 Person for Sep 2017. Thailand Number of Arrivals: East Asia: Asean: Myanmar data is updated quarterly, averaging 27,818.000 Person from Mar 2005 (Median) to Dec 2017, with 52 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 104,169.000 Person in Jun 2017 and a record low of 13,190.000 Person in Mar 2005. Thailand Number of Arrivals: East Asia: Asean: Myanmar data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by TAT Inteligence Center. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Thailand – Table TH.Q014: Tourism Statistics: from International Tourist Arrivals.

Contributing a staggering *** trillion U.S. dollars to China’s GDP in 2023, the travel and tourism industry proved to be a vital industry for the East Asian country’s economy. This pivotal industry provided huge GDP contributions to a number of countries across the Asia-Pacific region. Japan and India both saw impressive figures, while Southeast Asia alone has experienced constant GDP increases from the travel and tourism industry. Why Asia-Pacific The travel and tourism industry has made significant monetary additions to many developing economies throughout the Asia-Pacific region. Southeast Asia stands in the foreground as one of the regions which relies heavily on its tourism success. A success which could be inferred through the rising number of tourist arrivals to the ASEAN states. A likely reason why APAC has become one of the leading regions for tourism, could be related to its competitive prices. Many countries in the Asia-Pacific region are cheaper than the usual Western tourist hotspots, in this way, the region has begun to appeal to an increasing number of international travelers. Domestic tourism The Asia-Pacific region has not only attracted international tourists throughout recent years but has also received a great influx of domestic tourists. Growing economies in the region, resulting in an emerging middle class, have made the possibility of increased domestic travel a reality. Intra-regional tourism accounted for approximately half of APAC’s tourism.

Thailand Number of Arrivals: East Asia: Asean: Vietnam data was reported at 283,492.000 Person in Jun 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 208,367.000 Person for Mar 2017. Thailand Number of Arrivals: East Asia: Asean: Vietnam data is updated quarterly, averaging 109,896.500 Person from Mar 2005 (Median) to Jun 2017, with 50 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 283,492.000 Person in Jun 2017 and a record low of 35,565.000 Person in Mar 2005. Thailand Number of Arrivals: East Asia: Asean: Vietnam data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by TAT Inteligence Center. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Thailand – Table TH.Q014: Tourism Statistics: from International Tourist Arrivals.

The number of international tourist arrivals in Southeast Asia was forecast to continuously increase between 2024 and 2029 by in total 47.6 million arrivals (+35.18 percent). After the ninth consecutive increasing year, the arrivals is estimated to reach 182.96 million arrivals and therefore a new peak in 2029. Depicted is the number of inbound international tourists. According to World Bank this refers to tourists travelling to a country which is not their usual residence, whereby the main purpose is not work related and the planned visitation period does not exceed 12 months. The forecast has been adjusted for the expected impact of COVID-19.The shown data are an excerpt of Statista's Key Market Indicators (KMI). The KMI are a collection of primary and secondary indicators on the macro-economic, demographic and technological environment in more than 150 countries and regions worldwide. All input data are sourced from international institutions, national statistical offices, and trade associations. All data has been are processed to generate comparable datasets (see supplementary notes under details for more information).Find more key insights for the number of international tourist arrivals in countries like Southern Asia and Eastern Asia.

Thailand Number of Arrivals: East Asia: Asean: Cambodia data was reported at 205,921.000 Person in Jun 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 173,640.000 Person for Mar 2017. Thailand Number of Arrivals: East Asia: Asean: Cambodia data is updated quarterly, averaging 61,326.500 Person from Mar 2005 (Median) to Jun 2017, with 50 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 205,921.000 Person in Jun 2017 and a record low of 17,265.000 Person in Dec 2008. Thailand Number of Arrivals: East Asia: Asean: Cambodia data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by TAT Inteligence Center. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Thailand – Table TH.Q014: Tourism Statistics: from International Tourist Arrivals.

In 2024, the number of international tourist arrivals reached over *** million, showing significant recovery. The Asia-Pacific region has demonstrated itself to be a firm favorite for international travelers, with over *** million international tourist arrivals in 2019. However, due to the global pandemic and border closures, the international arrivals in the Asia-Pacific region plummeted to under ** million in 2020, and further down to ** million in 2021. The number of tourist arrivals started recovering in 2023. International tourism Although Europe remains a leading destination for many travelers, the Asia-Pacific region is steadily becoming more attractive for prospective holiday-goers. The tourism industry is booming, prevalent in the huge contributions the industry has made to many Asia-Pacific countries’ GDPs. Not only does China lead in GDP contributions from travel and tourism, but it has displayed its immense popularity among travelers. International tourist arrivals in China reached over *** million before the COVID-19 pandemic and is slowly recovering to pre-pandemic levels. Tourism in the Asia-Pacific region The tourism industry remains vital for many of the unique economies throughout the Asia-Pacific region. Thus, countries across the region have set up initiatives to entice both domestic and international tourists. These initiatives include implementing a higher availability of flights and the establishment of more tour packages and possibilities in different destinations. Countries, such as India and Sri Lanka, have also made visa attainment easier and have even offered visa-free facilities, likely to encourage more international visitation. These initiatives appear to have been successful, as several Asia-Pacific cities unsurprisingly made the ranking for the best-rated city destinations worldwide.

In 2023, the travel and tourism industry contributed approximately *** billion U.S. dollars to the GDP in Southeast Asia. Comparatively, this value was about ***** billion U.S. dollars in 2019. GDP contributions from this industry in Southeast Asia saw consistent increases throughout the past decade until they halved in 2020 due to the global pandemic. Tourism in Southeast Asia is recovering The number of tourists in Southeast Asia increased significantly in the last decade. While the COVID-19 pandemic affected the tourism sector heavily, the Southeast Asian region is recovering the fastest from international tourist arrivals to the Asia-Pacific region. Southeast Asia was also the Asian subregion with a high year-on-year change in the monthly number of international tourist arrivals, especially from January to March. Importance of the tourism industry in Southeast Asia As tourism in Southeast Asia contributes highly to the GDP, many countries are dependent on tourism to stimulate their newly emerging economies. In addition to the monetary value, the tourism industry contributes significantly to employment in Southeast Asian countries. Indonesia falls into the top five leading countries with the highest total contribution of travel and tourism to employment worldwide. To maintain and even encourage the growth of the tourism sector, both regarding domestic and international tourists, many Southeast Asian countries are initiating programs such as easier visa attainment and the establishment of low-cost airlines to stimulate the tourism industry.  

The number of international tourist arrivals in Asia was forecast to continuously increase between 2024 and 2029 by in total 174.7 million arrivals (+33.49 percent). After the ninth consecutive increasing year, the arrivals is estimated to reach 696.34 million arrivals and therefore a new peak in 2029. Depicted is the number of inbound international tourists. According to World Bank this refers to tourists travelling to a country which is not their usual residence, whereby the main purpose is not work related and the planned visitation period does not exceed 12 months. The forecast has been adjusted for the expected impact of COVID-19.The shown data are an excerpt of Statista's Key Market Indicators (KMI). The KMI are a collection of primary and secondary indicators on the macro-economic, demographic and technological environment in more than 150 countries and regions worldwide. All input data are sourced from international institutions, national statistical offices, and trade associations. All data has been are processed to generate comparable datasets (see supplementary notes under details for more information).Find more key insights for the number of international tourist arrivals in countries like North America and Caribbean.

Thailand Number of Arrivals: East Asia: Asean: Indonesia data was reported at 165,364.000 Person in Jun 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 131,375.000 Person for Mar 2017. Thailand Number of Arrivals: East Asia: Asean: Indonesia data is updated quarterly, averaging 85,491.000 Person from Mar 2005 (Median) to Jun 2017, with 50 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 165,364.000 Person in Jun 2017 and a record low of 37,723.000 Person in Mar 2005. Thailand Number of Arrivals: East Asia: Asean: Indonesia data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by TAT Inteligence Center. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Thailand – Table TH.Q014: Tourism Statistics: from International Tourist Arrivals.

In 2023, there were approximately *** million tourist arrivals from Singapore to Malaysia, an increase from the previous year. The number of tourist arrivals in Malaysia has started to recover after the travel restrictions in 2020 and 2021 caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Thailand Number of Arrivals: East Asia: Asean: Brunei data was reported at 4,249.000 Person in Jun 2017. This records a decrease from the previous number of 4,937.000 Person for Mar 2017. Thailand Number of Arrivals: East Asia: Asean: Brunei data is updated quarterly, averaging 3,315.000 Person from Mar 2005 (Median) to Jun 2017, with 50 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 5,501.000 Person in Dec 2015 and a record low of 1,558.000 Person in Jun 2010. Thailand Number of Arrivals: East Asia: Asean: Brunei data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by TAT Inteligence Center. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Thailand – Table TH.Q014: Tourism Statistics: from International Tourist Arrivals.

In 2024, the largest number of tourist arrivals in Malaysia was from Singapore, with around *** million tourists. This was followed by another ASEAN country, Indonesia, with around **** million tourists coming to Malaysia. Intra-ASEAN travels are exempted from visa requirements among the member states.

Thailand Per Capita Spending: East Asia: Asean: Laos data was reported at 118.400 USD/Day in Jun 2017. This records a decrease from the previous number of 158.250 USD/Day for Mar 2017. Thailand Per Capita Spending: East Asia: Asean: Laos data is updated quarterly, averaging 106.975 USD/Day from Mar 2005 (Median) to Jun 2017, with 50 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 161.190 USD/Day in Dec 2016 and a record low of 59.620 USD/Day in Sep 2005. Thailand Per Capita Spending: East Asia: Asean: Laos data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by TAT Inteligence Center. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Thailand – Table TH.Q014: Tourism Statistics: from International Tourist Arrivals.