Tourism revenue will reach only 50% of 2019’s level in 2022, and only 80% in 2023 as the country continues to make risk management a priority, the Tourism Authority of Thailand said.
TAT Gov. Yuthasak Supasorn said Dec. 29 that it would take years for the tourism industry to recover from the coronavirus pandemic. In 2022, TAT targets Thailand’s total income from tourism at only 1.5 trillion baht, half of that recorded in 2019.
Even in 2023, Yuthasak said, tourism revenue likely will reach only 2.4 trillion baht, or 80% of the pre-pandemic level.
While 2022 may see only 20 million tourists, Yuthasak said the TAT is targeting more “quality” tourists, industry-speak for high-spending visitors.
Forecasts for tourism are about as reliable as weather forecasts, however, and Yuthasak admitted that the unpredictability of the pandemic and its successive waves of coronavirus variants creates much uncertainty.
This year will see only 10 percent of pre-pandemic tourism spending and, in 2022, Thailand will continue to make risk management the top priority. That means the best-case scenario for 2022 will be 18 million tourists and 1.9 trillion baht in revenue. About 160 million baht more will come from domestic travel.
The worst-case scenario is just 10 million international tourists and only 1.3 trillion baht in revenue. Only 122 million baht more will come from domestic travel.
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