Thailand is booming: European tourism reaches record numbers!

Thailand is booming: European tourism reaches record numbers!

Thailand is well on its way to achieving its next record year in tourism. Thanks to a clear airline focus strategy, the long-haul market is growing and is increasingly attracting quality tourists. The country is currently experiencing a notable increase in flight capacity from Europe by over 16% compared to last year, which is five percent above 2019 levels. The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is aiming for a new record of 20268.8 million arrivals from Europewhat the total number of long-distance tourists is11.6 millionwould increase, according to Nation Thailand.

In the first few months of 2025, Thailand has experienced strong growth in long-haul arrivals internationally. Of particular note are the increases from key sectors such as the UK, Germany and the USA. Came from January to the end of Aprilover 11.35 million visitors to the country, as airlines increase capacity to accommodate this increase. TAT reports on target group definitions that target high-cost markets to promote sustainable growth. Priorities identified include Europe and Australia, as part of efforts to attract more high-quality travelers from these regions (TAT News).

The Airline Focus strategy

The Airline Focus strategy is particularly aimed at increasing direct flights, which is proving to be key to attracting more tourists. New Norse Atlantic flights from Stockholm and Oslo to Phuket could make a decisive contribution here. This strategy goes hand in hand with joint marketing efforts with airlines such as Condor, British Airways and Air France, enabling targeted access to European markets.

European holidaymakers' favorites include Bangkok and Phuket, but there is increasing interest in secondary destinations such as Krabi. The average spending of tourists exceedsTHB 60,000 per trip, which leads to longer stays, often lasting two weeks or more (Wochenblitz).

Tourism forecasts and strategies

The TAT has set itself the target for 2025 as a whole39 million visitorsand a turnover of2.23 trillion bahtto generate. In order to achieve these goals, additional investments will be made in the infrastructure and the visa regulations will be simplified to make the journey even more pleasant for tourists. Planned measures include increasing flight capacity24.59 million seatsto bring even more travelers to Thailand.

The TAT expects an optimistic outlook for 20256.94 million European tourists, which represents an increase of almost 13% compared to last year. When estimating arrivals for 2026, key markets such as the UK, Germany and France could each exceed the million mark, while Russia too2 million arrivalscomes into focus (Nation Thailand).