Thailand’s tourism sector is facing a significant post-pandemic challenge, with the Tourism Council of Thailand (TCT) forecasting that foreign visitor revenue in 2025 will fall by over 20 per cent compared to pre-COVID levels.
The TCT estimates that revenue from international tourists will drop to approximately 1.52 trillion baht in 2025, a steep decline from the 1.91 trillion baht recorded in 2019.
This projected 20.2 per cent revenue slump is higher than the anticipated 17 per cent decrease in tourist volume.
The council expects 33.14 million tourists in 2025, which is 6.7 per cent lower than the figure for 2024, and 17 per cent down on the 2019 total.
The data highlights a critical trend: whilst fewer tourists are visiting, the ones who do are spending considerably less.
The TCT attributes the disproportionate fall in revenue to changing tourist behaviour and structure.
A key factor is the sharp decrease in high-spending Chinese visitors, offset by a continuous rise in Malaysian arrivals.
Tourists, in general, are now exhibiting behaviour focused on achieving better value for money. This trend is compounded by a growing proportion of budget-conscious Free Independent Travellers (FITs) and backpackers.
Negative economic pressures are also weighing heavily on the sector.
The TCT’s survey for the “Tourism Business Confidence Index in Thailand” for the third quarter of 2025 (Q3/2025) registered at 66, reflecting that operators nationwide consider the current situation “significantly below normal,” a drop from 68 in the same quarter last year.