Thailand nears 25 million foreign arrivals, but remains below last year
Thailand recorded 24.93 million foreign visitors from 1 January to 24 October 2026, generating about 1.21 trillion baht in spending, as a weekly rise in arrivals was led by long-haul markets.
Thailand welcomed nearly 25 million foreign visitors between 1 January and 24 October 2026, generating about 1.21 trillion baht in tourism spending, although arrivals remained 4.43% below the same period last year.
The Ministry of Tourism and Sports figures, reported by Khaosod English, put total international arrivals at 24,925,645. A rise in visitors during the latest reporting week offered a stronger short-term picture as Thailand approached its winter tourism season.
Tourism and Sports Minister Surasak Phancharoenworakul said the country received 501,965 international visitors during 18–24 October, an increase of 2.99% from the previous week. That amounted to an average of 71,709 arrivals a day.
Long-haul visitors lead weekly growth
Long-haul markets accounted for 199,954 visitors during the week, up 12.03% on the preceding seven days. The ministry linked the increase to a short school holiday period for European and American travellers, alongside the approach of Thailand’s winter tourism season.
Arrivals from Russia rose 25.45% week on week, while those from the United States increased 11.52%. India also recorded a substantial increase, with visitor numbers rising 18.09%, supported by travel demand around the Hindu festival of Navaratri.
The improvement was not shared across all markets. Short-haul arrivals totalled 302,011, down 2.24% from the previous week. Visitors from China fell 24.17%, despite increases from other major source markets.
Malaysia tops the weekly rankings
Malaysia was Thailand’s largest source of foreign visitors during 18–24 October, accounting for 62,724 arrivals. China followed with 49,494, narrowly ahead of India with 48,089. Russia contributed 34,986 visitors and the United States 20,167.
The year-to-date rankings were different. China remained the largest source market from 1 January to 24 October, with 4.19 million visitors, followed by Malaysia with 3.16 million and India with 1.88 million.
Russia ranked fourth over that period with 1.37 million arrivals, followed by South Korea with 912,597. The weekly gains therefore came against a broader picture in which Thailand’s overall international visitor total was still below its year-earlier level.
India flights feature in the outlook
The ministry expects arrivals to increase in the following week, supported by the winter tourism season and additional flights from India.
The new or increased services cited include routes from Gaya and Guwahati to Don Mueang airport, and from Kochi and Visakhapatnam to Suvarnabhumi airport, placing the two Bangkok airports at the centre of the additional India connections highlighted in the forecast.
That outlook remains a projection. The latest confirmed figures show a weekly increase in arrivals, led by long-haul markets, but not yet a return to last year’s cumulative visitor numbers.
