30-07-2025
- Business
- South China Morning Post
Thailand delays tourist entry fee amid sharp fall in arrivals
One of the world's most popular holiday destinations has postponed the introduction of a new tourism levy after a surprise drop of nearly 6 per cent in visitor numbers during the first half of this year.
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Laos , Thailand had planned to charge 300 baht (US$9.20) for air arrivals and half that for those getting off boats or coming overland from Myanmar Cambodia or Malaysia after agreeing to measures in 2023 in response to growing disquiet about so-called overtourism.
'We must wait to assess international tourist demand during the coming high season in the fourth quarter this year,' said Chakrapol Tangsutthitham, the assistant tourism minister.
Some observers speculated that hype around The White Lotus, a TV drama about affluent guests cavorting at a fictional hotel chain, would drive interest in visiting Thailand, the setting for the latest third series and host to around 35 million tourists last year.
Charlotte Le Bon, Aimee Lou Wood and Patrick Schwarzenegger in the White Lotus. Photo: HBO Max
And while analysts at the Bank of Thailand believe that international arrivals will increase to more than 3 per cent in 2026, any such revival would likely still lag behind the 5 per cent projected expansion across other countries in the region.
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