The Thailand tourism industry which welcomed the 29 millionth visitor on December 23, 2015 has attracted just under 30 million international visitors last year. Thailand Ministry of Tourism and Sports announced the total number of tourist arrivals for 2015.
Thailand attracted a total of 29,881,091 foreign tourists in 2015, representing an increase of 20.4% from the 24.81 million who visited in 2014. Tourism authorities had been forecasting 30 million arrivals for 2015 but the target appeared to be in jeopardy after the Erawan shrine bombings in August, when 20 people including seven foreigners were killed in the heart of Bangkok. Year-on-year growth in arrivals slowed to 8% in September and stalled at 1% in October before resuming a brisk double-digit pace.
Arrivals from China soared 71% last year to 7.93 million, representing 26.5% of all international tourists. From ASEAN countries, Vietnam, Malaysia, Myanmar, and Brunei showed strong performance and growth in arrivals.
However, European arrivals declined 8.6% overall to 5.63 million, including a 45% drop from Russia. Among European countries, Spain, Italy, Germany, France, and Belgium showed satisfactory increase.
Saudi Arabia and Kuwait from Middle East, Nepal, Bangladesh and India from South Asia, Argentina and USA from the Americas showed strong growth. See table below for more details in international arrivals to Thailand in 2015.
| January - December 2015 | |||||||
| Nationality | 2015 | 2014 | %∆ | ||||
| Number | %Share | Number | %Share | 2015/2014 | |||
| East Asia | 19.871.773 | 66,50 | 14.603.825 | 58,86 | 36,07 | ||
| ASEAN | 7.886.136 | 26,39 | 6.641.772 | 26,77 | 18,74 | ||
| Brunei | 13.833 | 0,05 | 11.285 | 0,05 | 22,58 | ||
| Cambodia | 487.487 | 1,63 | 550.339 | 2,22 | -11,42 | ||
| Indonesia | 469.226 | 1,57 | 497.592 | 2,01 | -5,70 | ||
| Laos | 1.233.138 | 4,13 | 1.053.983 | 4,25 | 17,00 | ||
| Malaysia | 3.423.397 | 11,46 | 2.613.418 | 10,53 | 30,99 | ||
| Myanmar | 259.678 | 0,87 | 206.794 | 0,83 | 25,57 | ||
| Philippines | 310.975 | 1,04 | 304.813 | 1,23 | 2,02 | ||
| Singapore | 937.311 | 3,14 | 844.133 | 3,40 | 11,04 | ||
| Vietnam | 751.091 | 2,51 | 559.415 | 2,25 | 34,26 | ||
| China | 7.934.791 | 26,55 | 4.636.298 | 18,69 | 71,14 | ||
| Hong Kong | 669.165 | 2,24 | 483.131 | 1,95 | 38,51 | ||
| Japan | 1.381.690 | 4,62 | 1.267.886 | 5,11 | 8,98 | ||
| Korea | 1.372.995 | 4,59 | 1.122.566 | 4,52 | 22,31 | ||
| Taiwan | 552.624 | 1,85 | 394.149 | 1,59 | 40,21 | ||
| Others | 74.372 | 0,25 | 58.023 | 0,23 | 28,18 | ||
| Europe | 5.629.122 | 18,84 | 6.161.893 | 24,84 | -8,65 | ||
| Austria | 97.806 | 0,33 | 100.968 | 0,41 | -3,13 | ||
| Belgium | 106.100 | 0,36 | 99.729 | 0,40 | 6,39 | ||
| Denmark | 159.425 | 0,53 | 160.977 | 0,65 | -0,96 | ||
| Finland | 134.731 | 0,45 | 142.425 | 0,57 | -5,40 | ||
| France | 681.097 | 2,28 | 635.073 | 2,56 | 7,25 | ||
| Germany | 760.604 | 2,55 | 715.240 | 2,88 | 6,34 | ||
| Ireland | 64.716 | 0,22 | 63.038 | 0,25 | 2,66 | ||
| Italy | 246.066 | 0,82 | 219.895 | 0,89 | 11,90 | ||
| Netherlands | 221.657 | 0,74 | 211.524 | 0,85 | 4,79 | ||
| Norway | 135.347 | 0,45 | 145.207 | 0,59 | -6,79 | ||
| Russia | 884.085 | 2,96 | 1.606.430 | 6,48 | -44,97 | ||
| Spain | 150.940 | 0,51 | 116.983 | 0,47 | 29,03 | ||
| Sweden | 321.663 | 1,08 | 324.865 | 1,31 | -0,99 | ||
| Switzerland | 206.454 | 0,69 | 201.271 | 0,81 | 2,58 | ||
| United Kingdom | 946.919 | 3,17 | 907.877 | 3,66 | 4,30 | ||
| East Europe | 364.967 | 1,22 | 370.726 | 1,49 | -1,55 | ||
| Others | 146.545 | 0,49 | 139.665 | 0,56 | 4,93 | ||
| The Americas | 1.235.095 | 4,13 | 1.099.709 | 4,43 | 12,31 | ||
| Argentina | 28.965 | 0,10 | 21.438 | 0,09 | 35,11 | ||
| Brazil | 48.522 | 0,16 | 46.378 | 0,19 | 4,62 | ||
| Canada | 227.306 | 0,76 | 211.059 | 0,85 | 7,70 | ||
| USA | 867.520 | 2,90 | 763.520 | 3,08 | 13,62 | ||
| Others | 62.782 | 0,21 | 57.314 | 0,23 | 9,54 | ||
| South Asia | 1.403.977 | 4,70 | 1.239.183 | 4,99 | 13,30 | ||
| Bangladesh | 107.394 | 0,36 | 88.134 | 0,36 | 21,85 | ||
| India | 1.069.149 | 3,58 | 932.603 | 3,76 | 14,64 | ||
| Nepal | 32.678 | 0,11 | 25.887 | 0,10 | 26,23 | ||
| Pakistan | 78.619 | 0,26 | 75.398 | 0,30 | 4,27 | ||
| Sri Lanka | 75.429 | 0,25 | 77.441 | 0,31 | -2,60 | ||
| Others | 40.708 | 0,14 | 39.720 | 0,16 | 2,49 | ||
| Oceania | 921.355 | 3,08 | 942.706 | 3,80 | -2,26 | ||
| Australia | 805.946 | 2,70 | 831.854 | 3,35 | -3,11 | ||
| New Zealand | 112.314 | 0,38 | 108.081 | 0,44 | 3,92 | ||
| Others | 3.095 | 0,01 | 2.771 | 0,01 | 11,69 | ||
| Middle East | 658.129 | 2,20 | 597.892 | 2,41 | 10,07 | ||
| Egypt | 25.216 | 0,08 | 28.934 | 0,12 | -12,85 | ||
| Israel | 141.021 | 0,47 | 138.778 | 0,56 | 1,62 | ||
| Kuwait | 66.772 | 0,22 | 57.845 | 0,23 | 15,43 | ||
| Saudi Arabia | 19.163 | 0,06 | 12.860 | 0,05 | 49,01 | ||
| U.A.E. | 124.719 | 0,42 | 117.907 | 0,48 | 5,78 | ||
| Others | 281.238 | 0,94 | 241.568 | 0,97 | 16,42 | ||
| Africa | 161.640 | 0,54 | 164.475 | 0,66 | -1,72 | ||
| S.Africa | 75.825 | 0,25 | 72.941 | 0,29 | 3,95 | ||
| Others | 85.815 | 0,29 | 91.534 | 0,37 | -6,25 | ||
| Grand Total | 29.881.091 | 100,00 | 24.809.683 | 100,00 | 20,44 | ||
| Source of Data : Immigration Bureau,Royal Thai Police. | |||||||
| Note : Primary Data | |||||||
| Last Updated : 22/01/2016 14.00 PM | |||||||
