Thailand, long celebrated for its pristine beaches, rich cultural heritage and vibrant tourism economy, has reported its first annual decline in foreign visitor arrivals in more than ten years, underscoring mounting challenges facing the kingdom’s once-buoyant travel industry. Official figures for 2025 showed that total international tourist numbers dropped to an estimated 33 million, representing a year-on-year fall of around 7.2 per cent — the first such annual downturn outside the pandemic years and a stark signal of waning global confidence in Thailand as a travel destination.
Industry analysts and government officials said a combination of cascading crises through the year eroded Thailand’s appeal to overseas travellers and dampened overall demand. The downturn follows a series of events that unsettled key markets, starting early in the year when a high-profile abduction of a visiting Chinese actor and his subsequent rescue from a scam operation in neighbouring Myanmar generated widespread concern among would-be tourists.
Shortly thereafter, a powerful earthquake — described as Myanmar’s strongest in a century — shook parts of the region and heightened unease about travel safety. That was compounded by escalating tensions along the Cambodia border, where a violent conflict disrupted perceptions of security in Southeast Asia. Severe flooding in Thailand’s south caused extensive local disruptions, and political instability culminating in the installation of a new government further clouded the outlook for visitor confidence.
Despite the overall decline, some source markets remained resilient. Malaysians continued to top the list of foreign arrivals, with approximately 4.5 million visitors recorded in 2025, marginally ahead of travellers from China, who numbered about 4.47 million over the year, according to data released by Thailand’s Ministry of Tourism and Sports. India emerged as the third-largest source of overseas tourists, sending roughly 2.5 million holidaymakers to the kingdom. Russian and South Korean travellers ranked fourth and fifth, with 1.9 million and 1.6 million arrivals respectively.
The slump in arrivals also translated into weaker tourism receipts. Revenue from foreign tourists was estimated at around 1.5 trillion baht (approximately $47.6 billion), a decrease of nearly 5 per cent from the previous year. When domestic tourism was factored in, total industry revenue was reported at about 2.7 trillion baht, registering a slight year-on-year contraction.
In response to the slowdown, the Tourism Authority of Thailand has reiterated its target of welcoming 36.7 million international visitors in 2026, with a strategic emphasis on short-haul markets that are expected to account for more than 70 per cent of arrivals. Officials have signalled confidence that improved safety messaging and targeted marketing campaigns, particularly aimed at rejuvenating interest among Chinese holidaymakers, could help rebound visitor numbers in the coming year.
Industry stakeholders noted that while the decline marks a symbolic setback for Thailand’s tourism sector, which has been a cornerstone of national economic growth, sustained efforts to diversify appeal and improve infrastructure could ultimately help the country recover its competitiveness on the global travel stage.
