BANGKOK, July 1 (NNN-TNA) – The Tourism Council of Thailand said, it expects to see only an estimated eight million foreign tourists this year, 80 percent down from last year, due to the impact from COVID-19.
“However, we are confident that tourism in Thailand will begin to pick up in 2021,” said Chairat Triratanajaraspon, the council’s president.
He said, last year, Thailand had a record 39.8 million foreign tourists, whose spending accounted for about 11 percent of Thailand’s GDP.
Meanwhile, Santi Sawangcharoen, deputy executive director of East Asia for the Tourism Authority of Thailand, told media earlier that he is banking on hopes that Chinese tourists will return to Thailand during the Golden Week or the national holiday in Oct.
Santi said, he believes Thailand will face tough competition from other countries, also eager to lure Chinese tourists back.
Earlier on Tuesday Thailand lifted a ban on international flights, allowing some groups of inbound travellers entry.
Thailand has lifted the night curfew and nearly all restrictions related to COVID-19 pandemic; however, the state of emergency will remain until the end of July.
