International tourist
arrivals in Thailand from January to October 2013 increased to 21.7 million, up
by 22.3 percent over the same period of 2012.
The Cabinet, during its
meeting on 25 November 2013 acknowledged a summary of tourist arrivals in
Thailand during the 10-month period, submitted by the Ministry of Tourism and
Sports.
The Ministry stated that it
had worked out the System of International Tourism Statistics by compiling
information from various sources. The system will be used to set policies and
planning for the country’s tourism development, in line with the Government’s
objective to increase tourism revenue.
According to the summary,
the number of international visitors in Thailand has increased steadily.
Divided by region, they came mainly from East Asia, followed by Europe, and
North America. The 10 largest groups of international visitors between January
and October were from China, Malaysia, Russia, Japan, the Republic of Korea,
Laos, India, Australia, the United Kingdom, and Singapore.
The popularity of
Thailand’s tourism destinations and its diverse tourism products and services
were cited as major factors for steady tourism growth in the country. Other
factors include the hospitality of the people, good value for money, and safety
for tourists. The Ministry of Tourism said that impacts from the enforcement of
China’s new tourism law, Thailand’s political situation, and crime might create
a negative impact on the tourism situation in Thailand from November to
December 2013.
The United Nations World
Tourism Organization forecasts a growth in international tourist arrivals of
between 3 percent and 4 percent in 2013. Tourism has become one of the major
players in international commerce, and represents at the
same time one of the main income sources for many
developing countries.
Thailand’s tourism industry
remains promising. Tourist arrivals in 2013 are expected to reach 26 million, bringing
in 1.8 trillion baht. The Cabinet in October 2013 approved a proposal for the
Office of Justice Affairs, Ministry of Justice, to establish a tourist case
group to allow special handling for cases involving visitors.
The project aims to
expedite the judicial process for foreign tourists and provide them with better
protection. At the initial stage, this pilot project has been carried out by
seven courts of justice in major tourist destinations, namely Pattaya, Chiang
Mai, Phuket, Samui Island, Krabi, and two locations in Bangkok: Pathum Wan and
Dusit districts. It is expected to help increase confidence in Thailand among
international visitors.
As for the number of Thais
traveling abroad, the Ministry of Tourism and Sports reported that, from January
to October 2013, 5.84 million Thais visited foreign countries. The number
represented an increase of 2.94 percent over the same period in 2012. East Asia
has been cited as the most popular region for Thai tourists, the number of
which is likely to continue to increase.
(thailand.prd.go.th)