Indian visitors to Thailand surges

Tourists from India pose for pictures at Phra Tamnak Hill in Pattaya, Thailand. (Photo: Bangkok Post)

Thailand has so far welcomed 1.9 million Indian visitors, meeting the expected growth target of 22 percent for this year and earning 85 billion baht (2.56 billion USD) in revenue.

The number of Indian visitors surged after the Thai government decided to extend visa exemption for visitors from 19 countries and territories, including China and India, until April 2020.

Chattan Kunjara Na Ayudhya, deputy governor of marketing for Asia and South Pacific at the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), said the TAT plans to beef up this market by leading some 30 operators to participate in the South Asia Travel and Tourism Exchange 2020 in New Delhi next month. In July, it will conduct roadshows in four cities: Hyderabad, Kochi, Kolkata and Jaipur.

Tourism is an important economic pillar of Thailand, accounting for 20 percent of the country’s economy, and revenue from foreign visitors contributes about 12 percent of Thailand’s GDP.

The TAT projects foreign arrivals this year at 39.8 million, generating 1.96 trillion baht, up 4 percent in both volume and value from last year. Next year's arrivals figure is set at 40.8 million, up 2.5 percent, with 2.02 trillion baht in income, a 3 prcent rise./.

VNA