Thailand’s tourism industry recorded a notable decline in international visitor numbers in 2025, marking the first drop in more than a decade outside of the pandemic period as a series of adverse events weighed on demand.

According to official data compiled this month, the country welcomed approximately thirty-two million to thirty-three million foreign tourists between January and December 2025, down from more than thirty-five million in the previous year.

This represents a contraction of around seven to ten per cent compared with 2024, reversing the recovery trend that had followed the pandemic shutdowns.

The downturn was driven by multiple headwinds affecting confidence among prospective travellers.

A high-profile kidnapping incident involving a foreign actor in Bangkok in early 2025 and an unusually powerful earthquake in northern Myanmar are believed to have dampened interest from key East Asian markets.

Renewed border tensions with Cambodia and severe monsoon flooding in several southern provinces during the peak travel season further eroded tourism sentiment in parts of the kingdom.

Safety concerns stemming from these events, coupled with increased competition from neighbouring destinations such as Vietnam and Indonesia, emerged as recurrent themes in industry assessments of the sector’s performance.

Malaysia remained one of Thailand’s largest source markets, with several million Malaysian visitors recorded in 2025, followed closely by arrivals from China and India, even as numbers from some traditional markets declined sharply.

The weaker performance also reflects broader shifts in global travel patterns and a softening in spending by international tourists, with some reports suggesting that revenue per visitor has fallen more steeply than the drop in arrivals.

Tourism authorities and industry leaders in Bangkok have responded by unveiling ambitious targets for 2026, including plans to attract more short-haul travellers and new promotional campaigns designed to restore confidence in Thailand as a safe and welcoming destination.

Initiatives such as targeted visa facilitation measures and marketing efforts seek to reinforce Thailand’s appeal in a highly competitive regional market.

Despite the setbacks, officials emphasize that the country’s cultural richness, world-class infrastructure and ongoing investments in tourism amenities position it for renewed growth once transient challenges abate.

With preparations underway for a rebound in 2026, Thailand’s tourism sector aims to capitalize on its established global profile while addressing the structural challenges highlighted by the 2025 downturn.