Visitors to Thailand in 1st 4 months of 2017 up 4.71 percent YoY

APD NEWS

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BANGKOK, May 24 (APD)— Thailand eyes 12 million visitors spending around 620 billion baht(17.7 billion U.S dollars) in the first four months of 2017, an increase of 4.71 per cent year-on-year, the Ministry of Tourism and Sports Wednesday released.

Of the 12 million visitors to Thailand from January to April, 7.5 million came from East Asia, generating 308 billion baht(8.8 billion U.S dollars). China remained the leading source market at about 3.2 million arrivals, though Thai authorities have invoked measures to crack down unscrupulous tour operators taking advantage of visitors.

The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has earlier expected a total of nine million tourist arrivals from China this year.

In addition, larger numbers of European visitors arrived to Thailand from January to April, totalling 2.7 million arrivals, up 8.41 per cent when compared with the same period in 2016. They contributed over 200 billion baht(5.7 billion U.S dollars) in revenue.

The figures show that the strategy of attracting higher spending, quality tourists put in place by the Ministry of Tourism and Sports and the TAT is now paying off as people recognize that Thailand offers luxury experiences, dining and leisure opportunities which rate among the world’s best.

Yuthasak Supasorn, TAT Governor credited the growth of tourist arrival to the new and unique experiences with amazing festivals that Thailand has offered.

He concluded that Thailand has struck a healthy balance between its new Eastern markets and the more traditional tourism markets in the West.

(ASIA PACIFIC DAILY)