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Vietnamese tourists wearing traditional Thai costumes take photos at Wat Arun temple in Bangkok, 2023. Photo: Reuters . |
Omri Morgenshtern, CEO of online travel platform Agoda, said that in the context of political tensions and rapid changes, diversifying tourist sources has become especially important for Thailand.
“If a country depends too much on a single market, the risk is huge,” he told the Bangkok Post.
Figures from the Tourism Authority of Thailand show that the source of visitors to the country is quite diverse. The three largest markets contribute only 35% of the total number of visitors, lower than many countries in the region.
In Indonesia, Singapore and Japan, the top three markets accounted for 37%, 40% and 51% of total arrivals respectively. Some emerging destinations such as Vietnam recorded as much as 53% of arrivals from the three key markets.
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Vietnamese tourists explore Sukhothai, the first capital of Thailand. Photo: Nguyen Do La Phan. |
According to Agoda, the top five markets for bookings to Thailand on its platform are: Malaysia, China, South Korea, India and Japan. China dropped to second place due to safety concerns, while India rose from sixth to fourth thanks to its visa-free policy.
Searches for Thailand also increased sharply from emerging markets such as the Netherlands, Israel and Indonesia, with increases of 78%, 76% and 43% respectively compared to the same period last year.
Mr Morgenshtern said international tourists were attracted by Thailand’s beaches, shopping, food and cultural experiences. Price remained the biggest factor influencing travel behaviour in Thailand and across Asia.
The expansion of the region’s middle class continues to drive demand for travel, thanks to more affordable international options, especially to second-tier destinations at competitive prices compared to domestic travel. This trend is helping smaller cities attract larger numbers of visitors, he said.
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Asian tourists visit inside the Grand Palace in Thailand. Photo: Reuters . |
On the Agoda platform, the most booked destinations by international visitors this year include: Bangkok, Phuket, Pattaya, Chiang Mai and Hat Yai.
Despite the decline in Chinese tourists, Mr. Morgenshtern said that this market still has a lot of room for recovery because it is currently the second largest source of tourists to Thailand and Chinese tourists continue to travel internationally.
Regarding the severe flooding in Hat Yai and other southern provinces, Agoda said it is assisting affected travelers by offering refunds and alternative accommodation. The company believes the situation will improve once repairs are completed.
Source: https://znews.vn/du-lich-thai-lan-co-the-cuu-van-post1609015.html
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