BANGKOK, THAILAND – Thailand surpassed 30 million foreign visitors by early December 2025, underscoring a strong tourism rebound despite remaining below last year’s record.
Arrivals pass 30 million but trail 2024 record
By 7 December, 30,273,872 international visitors had entered Thailand, according to the Tourism Ministry. This represented a 7.19% decline compared with the record year 2024, but officials said the figure still signalled a solid recovery for the sector. Tourist spending was estimated at 1,405,480 million baht, worth more than 35 billion euros.
Malaysia edges China in annual rankings
Neighbouring Malaysia led the source-market ranking with 4,234,976 arrivals, narrowly ahead of China with 4,184,791. India followed with 2.28 million visitors, Russia with 1.68 million and South Korea with 1.43 million, with these top five markets accounting for the majority of foreign tourists. Malaysian travellers were described as particularly resilient in the first week of December.
Weekly rebound as Malaysians return after floods
From 1 to 7 December, arrivals rose by 8.10% week on week to 669,991 visitors, or almost 100,000 tourists per day. Growth was driven mainly by the Malaysian market, which jumped 27.74% after severe flooding in ten southern provinces eased. As routes reopened and conditions normalised, travellers from the south showed pent-up demand for trips.
China leads early-December weekly top five
In the first week of December, the largest number of visitors came from China (83,046), followed by India (59,732) and Malaysia (56,291). Russia (53,307) and South Korea (34,161) also recorded slight increases, indicating that peak season for long-haul markets had begun. The government attributed the momentum partly to its “Ease of Traveling” measures and the removal of the TM.6 arrival card, which can now be completed online.
High season and policy support lift outlook
The Tourism Ministry expected further growth in the coming weeks as the high season in Europe and the Americas unfolded. Efforts to persuade airlines to increase flight frequencies were reported to be having an impact, and infrastructure was said to be ready for the Christmas and New Year rush.
“The positive preliminary assessment reflects the enormous financial contribution made by visitors,”
said Natthriya Thaweevong, deputy minister.
Strong progress but no new record in sight
Officials acknowledged that, despite surpassing 30 million arrivals, the record level of 2024 would likely not be matched in 2025. The modest decline remained a challenge for the tourism industry, which had faced political and weather-related uncertainties. Nonetheless, recent momentum lifted confidence, and Thailand continued to position itself as a top destination as the tourism engine ran more smoothly again.