Thailand had a record year for tourism in 2017 despite a strong Thai Baht.
The country welcomed more than 35 million visitors last year, up by nearly 9% year-on-year.
Tourist spending receipts now account for about 12% of GDP, generating an estimated 1.8 trillion baht ($56 billion), the tourism ministry said.
"The trend is moving to the higher-end market, for both Chinese and European tourists. The spending per tourist is increasing," said ministry official Pongpanu Svetarundra.
The China market is still way out in front and continued to grow in 2017.
The number of Chinese tourists grew by nearly 12% while spending was up 15%.
The Tourism Authority of Thailand also said it is launching a new programme of Thai local experiences ahead of the ASEAN Tourism Forum (ATF) taking place in Chiang Mai next week.
The TAT will showcase the offerings at the dedicated ‘Thailand Prestige’ space at ATF, focusing on regional food.
"Thai food continues to gain worldwide acclaim and is a major attraction for the millions of tourists who visit Thailand every year. ATF 2018 will draw on Chiang Mai’s outstanding reputation for tasty Thai gastronomy tourism that is so engrained in its traditional Lanna culture, both for international and domestic tourists visiting Thailand’s Northern Region," said TAT governor Yuthasak Supasorn.
By Charles Kao
