Thailand’s foreign tourist arrivals dropped 6% in the first seven months of 2025, totaling 19.29 million visitors, with a 4.22% decline in tourism revenue to 895.16 billion baht. Competition from regional rivals—especially China, Japan, and Vietnam—has intensified, impacting Thailand’s market share.
Japan surpassed Thailand in visitor numbers, welcoming 21.5 million tourists in the first half of 2025, a 21% increase, aided by a weaker yen and better infrastructure. South Korea and China were top sources for Japan, while Thailand sent 680,500 tourists there, up 10.1%.
China remains Thailand’s largest source market with 2.69 million arrivals, slightly ahead of Malaysia. Thailand’s top source markets include China, Malaysia, India, Russia, South Korea, UK, US, Taiwan, Japan, and Laos.
Thailand’s tourism authority recognizes the growing regional competition, with Japan leveraging infrastructure and affordability, and Vietnam attracting visitors through development and cost advantages. Despite global challenges, domestic tourism remains strong, with 100.23 million trips within Thailand in the first half of 2025, a 2.49% rise, expected to generate 1.1 trillion baht annually.