PATTAYA, Thailand – Thailand’s inbound tourism saw a slight dip in total visitors, with Chinese arrivals plunging by over 41%, but a surprising new market is making waves—Israel. According to the Ministry of Tourism and Sports, from January 1 to May 11, Thailand welcomed 12.95 million international tourists, a 1.04% decrease compared to the same period last year. The key factor behind the decline is the sharp drop in Chinese visitors, once the top source of tourists.
Concerns about safety, recent earthquake incidents, and a shift in travel trends have caused Chinese tourists to favor destinations like Vietnam, Japan, and Singapore. Thailand’s lack of new attractions has also contributed to this shift.
However, Israeli tourists are increasingly filling the gap. Data from Thailand’s Trade Promotion Office in Tel Aviv shows that Thailand ranked 15th among Israeli outbound travel destinations in 2024, accounting for about 4% of Israeli travelers abroad—a number expected to grow. KResearch forecasts 350,000 Israeli tourists will visit Thailand in 2025, a 25% increase from last year, generating 29.35 billion baht in tourism revenue—up 23% year-on-year.
Israeli tourists spend an average of 83,000 baht per person per trip, with extended stays averaging 18.5 days. In just the first two months of 2025, arrivals from Israel surged 125% year-on-year to nearly 70,000 visitors, marking a record high. While Thailand is not yet a top-five destination for Israelis, the growth rate signals a rapid upward trend.
