Thailand’s tourism sector has demonstrated resilience and strategic momentum in 2025, underpinned by notable shifts in its source markets and ambitious targets for 2026. As the year draws to a close, the Ministry of Tourism and Sports reports that Thailand has welcomed more than thirty-one million foreign visitors between January first and December twenty-first, generating approximately 1.48 trillion baht in revenue.

The latest official figures show that visitors from Malaysia have overtaken China as the largest source market for Thailand this year, with Malaysia accounting for over 4.37 million arrivals and China close behind at 4.36 million.

India and Russia also featured prominently among top contributors, with 2.40 million and 1.80 million visitors respectively, followed by South Korea.

This repositioning of Thailand’s primary tourist inflows represents a meaningful evolution in travel patterns and regional tourism dynamics.

Government data further indicates a strong daily average of over one hundred eleven thousand international visitors in December, reflecting sustained confidence among global travellers as the year-end festive season approaches.

Thailand’s tourism authorities are predicting that final 2025 arrivals will reach approximately thirty-three million by year’s end, slightly below pre-pandemic peaks but signalling a recovery trajectory that sets a foundation for next year’s expansion.

Looking ahead to 2026, the Thai government and industry stakeholders have articulated clear strategic objectives designed to elevate tourism beyond volume-based growth to high-value, sustainable engagement.

The Tourism Authority of Thailand and the Association of Thai Travel Agents have set foreign arrival targets between thirty-six and thirty-nine million visitors, alongside revenue goals of 2.8 to 3.0 trillion baht.

Central to this vision is a recalibrated approach that emphasises quality tourism segments—including health and wellness, digital nomads and niche cultural experiences—supported by a government-backed budget to enhance destination standards and competitiveness.

In tandem with these efforts, Thailand has introduced the “Trusted Thailand” programme, a comprehensive safety and quality certification initiative aimed at reinforcing international confidence in Thai tourism services.

Under this plan, hospitality businesses that meet rigorous safety, secure payment, communication and mobility benchmarks will receive priority promotion on global platforms.

The strategic adoption of these initiatives underscores Thailand’s determination to not only recover its tourism stature but to fortify its global appeal and economic impact in the year ahead.