December 25, 2002

Thailand Expects Rise in Tourism Despite Attacks, Warnings

Thailand expects tourist arrivals to jump by 6 percent this year despite recent terror attacks in Southeast Asia and warnings by Western governments to avoid traveling to the country. The number of tourists visiting Thailand this year is expected to reach 10.7 million, up from 10.1 million in 2001, the Tourism Authority of Thailand said in a statement. The estimate is based on figures showing that 8.8 million tourists entered the country during the first 10 months of the year, an increase of 7.2 percent over the same period last year when 8.2 million travelers arrived.

The annual increase reflects greater numbers of European travelers coming to Thailand, with 1.9 million visiting between January and October, representing a 5.4 percent jump over the same period in 2001, according to the report. The total number of Americans visiting the country also increased marginally through October this year, but slowed during the first half of the year in the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks on the United States.

Tourists from other Asian countries increased 8.3 percent, to 5.35 million, during the January-October period, with most coming from Malaysia, China and Korea, the report said. Economic problems have stemmed the flow of tourists from countries including Japan, Taiwan, Germany and Norway while a possible U.S.-led attack on Iraq could trim tourist arrivals next year, the TAT said. Thailand's thriving tourism sector is one of the few bright spots in the country's lagging economy, which is still recovering from the effects of the Asian financial crisis of 1997. Regional authorities have been concerned that tourism in Southeast Asia would suffer greatly after the Oct. 12 bombings on the Indonesian resort island of Bali, which killed nearly 200 people, mostly foreign tourists.