PATTAYA, Thailand – As the number of Chinese tourists continues to decline, Thailand is turning to nostalgia — and Europe — to boost its tourism industry. With vintage charm, the country is reviving traditional markets reminiscent of the 1980s and 1990s, aiming to appeal not only to local visitors but also to a new wave of international tourists seeking authentic cultural experiences.
The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), under the leadership of Governor Thapanee Kiatphaibool, has acknowledged the slowdown in Chinese arrivals, traditionally one of Thailand’s largest tourist groups. But she remains optimistic, pointing to a sharp surge in European visitors as a promising sign for the upcoming high season.
“Although Chinese tourist numbers have slowed, Thailand is experiencing what could be a golden year for European travelers.” — Thapanee Kiatphaibool, TAT Governor
According to recent tourism data, between January and April 2025, over 3.5 million European tourists visited Thailand — a growth of 18.91% compared to the same period last year. Key markets driving this increase include:
Russia: 1,745,327 visits (+17.72%)
Germany: 873,364 visits (+19.78%)
United Kingdom: 965,862 visits (+18.19%)
Israel: 281,803 visits (+29.81%)
Lesser-known but fast-growing markets such as Poland (+38.94%), Romania (+32.54%), Uzbekistan (+62.57%), and Israel (+91.07%) have also shown impressive year-on-year increases.
To support this growth, TAT has partnered with several international airlines to expand routes and improve connectivity to Thailand. New and returning direct flights include routes like Rome–Bangkok (ITA Airways), Paris–Bangkok (Air Calin), Madrid–Bangkok (IberoJet), and Brussels–Bangkok (Thai Airways), among others.
Meanwhile, tourism officials are turning to Thailand’s cultural heritage to enrich visitor experiences beyond beaches and nightlife. The reimagined traditional markets — filled with vintage aesthetics, retro food stalls, and old-school Thai entertainment — are being developed as vibrant alternatives to high-end malls and tourist-saturated areas.
These markets are designed to provide European tourists, especially those from long-haul destinations, with a taste of “Old Thailand” — where community, food, and everyday life intersected in lively, colorful marketplaces. They’re also an effort to reposition tourism to be more sustainable and culturally grounded.
With Chinese group tours slowing and uncertainty over that market’s recovery, this strategy aims to reduce dependence on any single demographic while capitalizing on the growing interest from Europe.
Whether these throwback market experiences can become a meaningful part of Thailand’s tourism appeal remains to be seen. But for now, they offer a creative, nostalgic answer to a modern economic shift — and a fresh invitation for the world to rediscover Thailand, one retro snack at a time.
