March 9, 20233 yr From The Thaiger Thailand is expecting to welcome six million tourists from Europe this year, generating over 420 billion baht in revenue. The figure represents approximately 80% of pre-pandemic levels. The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) Governor Yuthasak Supasorn expressed confidence in Thailand’s ability to maintain its popularity as a tourist destination for European markets. He noted that pent-up demand for travel among Europeans should hopefully continue for one to two years. The TAT estimates a total tourism revenue for Thailand of 1.5 trillion baht for 2023. To capitalise on the European demand, at the ITB Berlin 2023 trade show, Princess Ubolratana promoted sustainable tourism and soft power. The TAT pavilion featured over 70 tourism operators from Thailand. While Europe is a key market for Thailand, several factors are hurting a more powerful tourism boom. The Russian invasion of Ukraine continues to drag on. Political and economic instability threatens the possibility of a global recession. Flight prices have been significantly higher than the bargain deals and specials before Covid-19. And the tourism infrastructure is still trying to recover from massive downsizing and loss during the pandemic. More flights are needed from more routes, and many airlines and airports are struggling with labour shortages after necessary layoffs when Covid grounded most flights. Suvarnabhumi Airport is expected to approve a third ground handler to alleviate congestion and delays.
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