In 2022, the tourism industry contributed around **** percent to Thailand's GDP, which increased from the previous year. In that same period, the total value of Thailand's GDP was almost ************ billion U.S. dollars. ​ Thailand's tourism industry has been heavily affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. However, it is currently recovering after the government relaxed COVID-19 regulations and promoted tourism. The economic contribution of travel and tourism in Thailand Thailand is recognized as one of the most popular tourist destinations worldwide. ​Travel and tourism play a significant role in supporting Thailand's economy. In 2022, these industries' contribution to the country’s GDP reached over one trillion Thai baht. Thailand's tourism industry also provided nearly ***** million jobs in the country, ranking fifth in terms of the highest number of people employed in the tourism industry in the Asia-Pacific region in 2022. Inbound tourism in Thailand Thailand's economy relies heavily on international tourism. The tourist economy of the country has been recovering steadily since the country allowed international tourist arrivals again in 2022. In 2023, Thailand welcomed around ** million international tourists, which was more than double the previous year. ​In that same year, the total revenue generated by international tourist arrivals in the country reached more than one hundred billion Thai baht on a nearly monthly basis, giving the country a total revenue of over one trillion Thai baht for the entire year.

In 2022, the tourism industry contributed around 1.3 trillion Thai baht to Thailand's GDP. This was a significant increase, compared to the previous year. Economic impact of tourismThailand is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world. It is known for its beautiful beaches and nature, the hospitality of the people, and its rich historical sites. Unsurprisingly, the tourism industry is a major contributor to the country’s economy. In 2022, the tourism industry directly contributed 2.78 percent to the gross domestic product (GDP) in Thailand, due to the COVID-19 pandemic and strict travel restrictions. Tourism is also one of Thailand’s largest sectors of employment, and it ranked seventh in terms of having the highest number of people employed in the tourism industry worldwide in 2022. Domestic tourism amidst Covid-19 pandemic After the COVID-19 pandemic, international arrivals in Thailand are permitted again. Therefore, the Tourism Authority of Thailand encouraged millions of international, as well as domestic travelers, to travel to Thailand. Among other regions in Thailand, Bangkok and the central region generated the highest revenue from local visitors, with the northern region coming in third.

In 2022, the tourism industry directly contributed to around ****** billion Thai baht to Thailand's GDP. This was a significant increase compared to the previous year.

In 2024, the imports of goods and services in Thailand was estimated to increase by *** percent. The spending of medium and high income consumers in Thailand and tourism contributed greatly to the economic recovery in Thailand.

The tourism sector GDP share in Vietnam was forecast to continuously increase between 2023 and 2028 by in total 1.9 percentage points. The share is estimated to amount to 7.41 percent in 2028. While the share was forecast to increase significant in the next years, the increase will slow down in the future.Depited is the economic contribution of the tourism sector in relation to the gross domestic product of the country or region at hand.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 tourism sector GDP share in countries like Thailand and Cambodia.

In 2022, the tourism industry directly contributed around **** percent to Thailand's GDP, which increased significantly from the previous year. Thailand's tourism industry has been heavily affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, but is recovering after the government relaxed the COVID-19 regulations and re-opened the country for international tourism.

The Hospitality Industry in the Thai Market Report is Segmented by Type (Chain Hotels and Independent Hotels) and Segment (Service Apartments, Budget and Economy Hotels, Mid and Upper Mid-Scale Hotels, and Luxury Hotels). The Market Sizes and Forecasts are Provided in Terms of Value (USD) for all the Above Segments.

As of December 2024, the tourism receipts in Thailand amounted to more than *** billion Thai baht, which was an increase compared to the previous month. In 2024, Thailand registered revenues of around *** trillion Thai baht in the international tourism segment.

In 2022, the contribution from accommodation and food service activities to the gross provincial product (GPP) of Phuket in Thailand amounted to almost 590 billion Thai baht, which contributed the highest amount to Phuket's GPP. This was followed by the transportation and storage sector, with around 274.79 billion Thai baht worth of contribution.

In 2022, the annual revenue growth of the tourism sector in Phuket, Thailand, increased by *** percent, compared to the previous year. In that same year, the revenue of Phuket's tourism sector amounted to around *** billion Thai baht.

The value of consumer expenditure on hotel accommodation in Thailand in 2019 amounted to approximately ***** billion U.S. dollars. Such expenditures had slightly increased compared to the previous year. In the same year, the restaurant and hotel sector contributed around *** billion Thai baht to Thailand’s GDP. Tourism has been one of the major contributors to the country’s GDP.

Hotels in Thailand 

The hotel industry in Thailand mainly relies on the tourism sector, which has shown an increase in revenue in recent years. Major Thai hotel chains include Centara, Erawan, Dusit, Onyx and Minor. Some of these chains, especially for Centara and Dusit in particular, have expanded internationally to other holiday destinations. More than half of the hotels in Thailand are mid-ranged or budget accommodation types, which is the result of a booming budget hotel industry.

Thailand as a Destination 

Thailand has become one of the top destinations for travelers around the globe. In 2018, Bangkok, the capital of Thailand, was the most visited city in the world in terms of international overnight visitors. The main tourist destinations in Thailand include Bangkok, Pattaya, Phuket and Chiangmai. When compared to other provinces, these destinations generated the highest revenue from the tourism businesses in recent years. As of 2019, Phuket had the highest number of tourism related businesses , which is unsurprising given that the city is well-known for its beaches, cultural old towns and a bustling night life.

In 2022, the gross provincial product (GPP) growth in Surat Thani province grew by nearly 16 percent compared to the previous year. Due to the heavy reliance of Surat Thani's economy on tourism, the absence of tourists in 2020 and 2021 had a significant impact on the province's GPP growth. After major tourist destinations in Surat Thani province, like Koh Samui, reopened after the COVID-19 pandemic, tourism continues to grow and the GPP is increasing.

At the beginning of 2020, the tourism industry across the Asia Pacific region experienced the consequences of the unexpected outbreak of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). Indonesia displayed a decrease of **** percent in terms of its tourist arrivals. The likes of China, Vietnam, and Thailand all demonstrated dramatic tourist arrival decreases.

Travel cancellations

The outbreak of COVID-19, a respiratory lung infection, originating in Wuhan, China, began to spread just before the Chinese New Year of 2020. Consequently, travel restrictions and increased infection cases hindered plans over the festive period. This in turn resulted in both domestic and international travel cancellations and subsequent losses to the tourism industry. As anxiety over the COVID-19 outbreak grew in 2020, citizens of the Asia Pacific region even stated that flights from China should be banned. Importance of Chinese tourism in Asia Pacific

China is renowned for its economic dominance within the Asia Pacific region. Its thriving economy has allowed for an increased level of affluence among its citizens. Wage increases have allowed Chinese people to travel more frequently, with many opting to travel within the Asia Pacific region. Through increased domestic tourism, many countries across Asia Pacific have come to rely on Chinese tourism to support their respective tourism industries. Interestingly, Chinese tourism alone made great contributions to many of the Asia Pacific GDPs in 2018. As the tourism industry represents a significant part of the GDPs in Hong Kong, Singapore, and Thailand, it is believed that these economies have suffered greatly due to the COVID-19 outbreak. Although there have been outbreaks of infection previously, which have disrupted the tourism industry in Asia Pacific, none have been quite as severe as the COVID-19 outbreak. This is likely due to the fact that previously Asia Pacific tourism industries were not as reliant on Chinese tourism as they have been in recent years.

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.

As of March 17, 2024, Thailand had approximately 4.76 million confirmed COVID-19 cases. In that same period, there were 34,576 deaths from COVID-19 in the country.

Impact on the economy in Thailand The Thai economy was heavily impacted during the peak of the pandemic. Various restrictions were imposed in the country, resulting in businesses being temporarily interrupted or even permanently shut down. This resulted in a marked decrease in the gross domestic product (GDP) in 2020. One of the most impacted industries in Thailand was tourism. For months, Thailand had exercised regulations for visitors, such as quarantining, causing the tourism contribution to GDP to drop significantly.

Impact on the society in Thailand The COVID-19 pandemic also impacted the ways of life of Thai people. Apart from additional concerns for their health, Thai people had to adapt to changes in their daily lives. Some key changes include the increasing popularity of online shopping, cashless payments, online education, and even working from home. In January 2023, a survey conducted on online shopping behavior in Thailand suggested that the majority of Thais have shopped online more. Working from home also became the norm for many employees during the pandemic. For further information about the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, please visit our dedicated Facts and Figures page.