Foreign tourism influx in Thailand surpasses the 15-million mark, while Malaysia takes the lead as Thailand's top visitor market, traditionally dominated by China.
Headline:Slump in Chinese Tourists as Malaysia Tops Thailand's Foreign Visitor List for the First Half of 2025
Subheader:A shift in Thai tourism trends sees an increase in Malaysian travelers and a decline in Chinese tourists, leaving the latter in second place.
Thailand Witnesses a Tourism Shift
The Ministry of Tourism and Sports has shared revealing statistics on foreign tourist arrivals in Thailand from January 1 to June 8, 2025. The figures show a total of 15,016,878 visitors,showing a nearly 3% decline compared to the same period last year [1].
China Loses its Crown, Malaysia Takes the Lead
While traditionally the largest source of arrivals, Chinese tourists have been surpassed by Malaysian visitors this year. According to the latest data, a whopping 2,041,000 Malaysian tourists have visited Thailand, beating China's 2,029,481 visitors.
Tourism and Sports Minister Sorawong Thienthong stated, "Based on the statistics, the number of foreign tourists visiting Thailand from January 1 to June 8, 2025, has accumulated to 15,016,878 - a decrease of 2.87% compared to last year."
The Chinese Slowdown - An Unexpected Turn
The decline in Chinese tourists is a stark contrast to the country's past dominance in the Thai tourism industry. In fact, Chinese arrivals dropped by a startling 32.71% compared to the same period in 2024.
Factors behind the Decline
Heightened concerns over safety, particularity following high-profile incidents such as the kidnapping of a Chinese actor in Thailand, have contributed to the decrease in Chinese tourist arrivals [3]. Furthermore, rising fears of scams and other crimes targeting Chinese travelers have also played a significant role [3].
Indian and Russian Runners-up
Indian and Russian tourists follow in second and third place, with 1,035,864 visitors and 981,011 visitors, respectively. South Korea rounds out the top five, with 702,267 visitors.
Related Articles- Foreign arrivals fall by 2.7% in first five months of 2025- TAT to cut foreign arrival target below 37 million amid tourism slump- Thailand to Scrap Paper Arrival Forms for Online System on 1st May 2025
Tags- Tourism and Sports Ministry- tourism- Foreign Arrivals- Chinese tourist- Breaking News
- The decline in Chinese tourists and the rise in Malaysian travelers in Thailand's foreign visitor list signifies a significant shift in the tourism industry, potentially influencing the Thai economy and local businesses.
- The drop in Chinese tourist arrivals is not just a trend in the Thai tourism sector, but also observed globally, causing concern in the sphere of general news and politics.
- As the tourism shift continues, increased attention is being paid to the safety and security of sports events, given their potential to attract tourists from all over the world.
