Thailand faces tourism crisis as foreign arrivals stagnate, minister urges urgent action
BANGKOK: Foreign tourist arrivals in Thailand are slowing to a critical level, prompting Tourism and Sports Minister Sorawong Thienthong to meet with the private sector to urgently address the issue and mitigate its impact.
Sorawong on Wednesday (April 30) chaired a meeting to address safety concerns affecting international tourists visiting Thailand. The discussion involved key stakeholders from the private tourism sector, including the Association of Thai Travel Agents, the Thai Hotels Association, the Tourism Council of Thailand, and the Airlines Association of Thailand.
Sorawong acknowledged that the current foreign tourism market in Thailand is reaching a critical point, with concern shared by both the ministry and private sector. However, he noted that the situation is still manageable if swift preventative action is taken.
"Tourism remains the only strong engine driving our economy right now. We must act wherever we can," he said.
Sorawong added that since the beginning of 2025, arrivals from some major markets—such as China—have declined. However, revenue from tourism has increased compared to the same period in 2024, indicating that tourists are spending more per person.
From January 1 to April 27, Thailand recorded 11,841,911 foreign visitors—a minimal increase of just 0.12 per cent year-over-year—generating approximately 565.6 billion baht (US$17.07 billion) in revenue. The top five source countries were China (1.6 million), Malaysia (1.48 million), Russia (865,634), India (729,414), and South Korea (571,409).
Sorawong emphasised that the main factor contributing to the decline is Thailand's perceived safety image. The ministry has been coordinating closely with the Tourist Police and other relevant agencies to ensure safety for all travelers. Although these efforts have not been widely publicised, he reassured the public that security measures are being implemented thoroughly.
'Many recent negative reports stem from misleading information, particularly when translated into other languages like Chinese and English,' he said. 'Not all reported issues reflect the real situation, and some involve scams targeting foreigners to work illegally in Thailand, not genuine tourists.'
The minister also addressed concerns over high prices for tourism-related goods and services—like hotels, attractions, and flights—clarifying that the focus should be on value and fair pricing, not on being a "cheap" destination. While flight prices have risen globally, Thailand is exploring measures like cutting aviation fuel excise tax and increasing charter flights to offset costs for travelers.
In conclusion, Sorawong warned that negative perceptions and misinformation could significantly damage Thailand's overall reputation, not just the tourism industry, especially as other countries—such as China—aggressively compete for international tourists. - The Nation/ANN
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Star
an hour ago
- The Star
Sri Lanka hikes household power tariffs by 15 per cent, power regulator says
COLOMBO: Sri Lanka will increase its household power tariffs by 15 per cent, its power regulator said on Wednesday (June 11), a key step in the island nation's efforts to secure the next payout of a US$2.9 billion programme with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Industries will have a hike of 20.5 per cent while businesses in the tourism sector, a key foreign exchange earner for the island nation, will see their power prices rise by 20.2 per cent, K. P. L. Chandralal, the chairman of the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka, told reporters. The revised tariffs will go into effect from midnight. Sri Lanka's new government headed by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake reduced power prices by 20 per cent in January, which raised cost recovery concerns for the country's power monopoly held by state-run Ceylon Electricity Board. An increase in power tariffs was a key prior action for Sri Lanka to implement to secure board level approval for a fifth tranche of US$344 million from the IMF. Sri Lanka's economy crumpled under a severe foreign exchange crisis in 2022, but has rallied faster than expected, growing by five per cent last year following a bailout from the global lender in March, 2023. - Reuters
Barnama
an hour ago
- Barnama
China, US Agree On Plan To Ease Trade Tensions After Talks In London
WORLD ISTANBUL, June 11 (Bernama-Anadolu) -- China and the United States (US) have agreed on a framework and implementation plan after two days of trade talks in the UK, China's top trade envoy Li Chenggang said late Tuesday, Anadolu Ajansi reported. 'The two sides agreed, in principle, on the framework for implementing the consensus of the two heads of state in their firm call on the 5th of June, as well as the consensus of the meeting in Geneva,' Li told journalists in London. He said both sides would report back to their leaders on the talks and the framework reached in the UK. Li said the Chinese and US teams worked 'very diligently' and had 'very in-depth exchanges' over the past few days, adding that their communication was 'very professional, rational, in-depth and candid.' He expressed hope that the progress in the talks would be 'conducive to increasing trust' between the two countries, to promote stable trade and economic relations, and contribute positively to global economic development. A new round of trade talks between the US and China aiming to reach a deal started on Monday in London. The talks were expected to revolve around China's restrictions on exports of rare earths to the US and Washington's restrictions on some tech exports to China, as well as the dispute over tariffs. The meeting followed US President Donald Trump's phone conversation with Chinese President Xi Jinping last week, with Trump saying later that the conversation "resulted in a very positive conclusion for both countries." The two sides are aiming to build on a 12th May deal struck in Geneva, when they agreed to a 90-day suspension of most duties and to roll back measures imposed since early April after Trump announced "reciprocal" tariffs on US trading partners.
Borneo Post
2 hours ago
- Borneo Post
Dapsy Sarawak urges delay in SST expansion amid ongoing US tariff negotiations
Wong warns that the combined impact of SST-related cost increases and potential US-imposed tariffs could further strain both businesses and consumers financially. KUCHING (June 11): The Democratic Action Party Socialist Youth (Dapsy) Sarawak has urged the federal government to postpone the implementation of the expanded Sales and Services Tax (SST) until ongoing trade discussions with the United States (US) are concluded. Dapsy Sarawak treasurer Wong King Yii said that while he supports the government's broader objective of expanding the tax base to strengthen national revenue and promote long-term economic growth, the short timeframe for implementation presents significant operational challenges. 'Businesses will struggle, particularly in adapting to new compliance and reporting requirements at short notice,' he said in a statement today. Wong warned that the combined impact of SST-related cost increases and potential US-imposed tariffs could further strain both businesses and consumers financially. 'In this context, a more coordinated and deliberate approach is necessary. 'The government should defer the SST expansion until the tariff negotiations are concluded to avoid unnecessary economic pressure on the rakyat,' he said. Wong also called on the government to revise the exemption threshold for lessees that qualify as micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs). He proposed raising the current RM500,000 annual sales threshold to RM1 million to ensure more MSMEs are shielded from immediate cost burdens. 'This adjustment is vital to help MSMEs weather the financial uncertainties that may result from both domestic tax changes and external trade developments,' he said. DAPSY expanded SST US Tariffs Wong King Yii
