Thailand's Visa Policies Help Boost Tourism Numbers for the First Quarter of 2024

Thailand is on track to welcome 36 million international visitors in 2024, according to the Kasikorn Research Centre (KResearch). This forecast is based on the robust performance in the early months of the year, which marked a notable 50% increase in foreign arrivals, totaling 6.4 million in January and February.
The surge in tourism arrivals is attributed to the country's economic recovery and a series of strategic tourism promotion policies implemented by the government, including the visa-free policy launched in September 2023 beginning with the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and Kazakhstan. Thailand and the PRC have eliminated visa requirements for their citizens on a permanent basis starting March 2024. Furthermore, increase in flight routes and frequencies from key markets such as PRC, Japan, and the Republic of Korea, are pivotal factors driving the tourism momentum.
The positive trend is expected to continue, with projections indicating that by the end of the first quarter, foreign arrivals could reach 9.32 million, marking a 42.7% increase compared to the same period last year.