Arrivals of tourists from abroad for personal purposes in Thailand

Thailand: Arrivals of tourists from abroad for personal purposes was 466,300 trips in 2021. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2021)
466,300 trips
Change on year
down 92.8%
World rank
103rd
of 179 countries
All-time high
37.87 million trips
in 2019
All-time low
466,300 trips
in 2021
Years of data
24
1995–2021

Arrivals of tourists from abroad for personal purposes in Thailand, 1995–2021

010.0M20.0M30.0M40.0M1995200820211995: 6.3M trips1996: 6.4M trips1997: 6.4M trips1998: 7.0M trips1999: 7.7M trips2000: 8.5M trips2001: 9.0M trips2002: 9.8M trips2003: 9.0M trips2004: 10.5M trips2005: 10.0M trips2006: 11.8M trips2007: 12.6M trips2008: 13.2M trips2009: 12.3M trips2010: 13.7M trips2011: 17.3M trips2012: 20.2M trips2013: 24.2M trips2017: 34.0M trips2018: 36.1M trips2019: 37.9M trips2020: 6.5M trips2021: 466.3k trips

Source: UN Tourism (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in trips.

Analysis

The most recent figure for arrivals of tourists from abroad for personal purposes in Thailand is 466,300 trips, measured in 2021. That is the lowest value across all 24 years on record.

The figure is down 92.8% on the previous year and down 97.3% over ten years.

Over the whole period, arrivals of tourists from abroad for personal purposes in Thailand peaked at 37.87 million trips in 2019 and was at its lowest, 466,300 trips, in 2021.

Thailand ranks 103rd of 179 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Arrivals of tourists from abroad for personal purposes in Thailand, year by year

Annual values for Arrivals of tourists from abroad for personal purposes in Thailand, 1995 to 2021.
Year trips Change
1995 6.26 million trips
1996 6.38 million trips +2.0%
1997 6.40 million trips +0.3%
1998 6.96 million trips +8.8%
1999 7.72 million trips +10.9%
2000 8.54 million trips +10.6%
2001 9.05 million trips +6.0%
2002 9.83 million trips +8.6%
2003 9.02 million trips -8.2%
2004 10.48 million trips +16.2%
2005 9.97 million trips -4.8%
2006 11.85 million trips +18.8%
2007 12.65 million trips +6.8%
2008 13.20 million trips +4.4%
2009 12.27 million trips -7.1%
2010 13.67 million trips +11.4%
2011 17.27 million trips +26.3%
2012 20.18 million trips +16.9%
2013 24.21 million trips +20.0%
2017 33.96 million trips +40.3%
2018 36.12 million trips +6.4%
2019 37.87 million trips +4.8%
2020 6.48 million trips -82.9%
2021 466,300 trips -92.8%

Thailand compared with similar countries

  • Thailand's 466,300 trips is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 1.32 million trips, 35% of the median. (50 countries reporting)
  • Thailand's 466,300 trips is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 466,300 trips, 1.0× the median. (33 countries reporting)

Biggest year-on-year movements

Years where Arrivals of tourists from abroad for personal purposes in Thailand changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.

YearChange FromTo
2021 -92.8% 6.48 million trips 466,300 trips
2020 -82.9% 37.87 million trips 6.48 million trips

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 6.74 million trips 6.26 million trips 7.72 million trips 5
2000s 10.68 million trips 8.54 million trips 13.20 million trips 10
2010s 26.18 million trips 13.67 million trips 37.87 million trips 7
2020s 3.47 million trips 466,300 trips 6.48 million trips 2

Countries ranked near Thailand

  1. 100 Martinique 515,600 trips compare
  2. 101 Mozambique 497,200 trips compare
  3. 102 Curacao 468,300 trips compare
  4. 104 Reunion 454,600 trips compare
  5. 105 Guadeloupe 435,000 trips compare
  6. 106 Eswatini 417,100 trips compare

See the full ranking of 179 places →

More reference data data for Thailand

All data for Thailand →

Frequently asked questions

What is arrivals of tourists from abroad for personal purposes in Thailand?
Arrivals of tourists from abroad for personal purposes in Thailand was 466,300 trips in 2021, according to UN Tourism (2025) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest arrivals of tourists from abroad for personal purposes recorded in Thailand?
The highest recorded value was 37.87 million trips in 2019.
What is the lowest arrivals of tourists from abroad for personal purposes recorded in Thailand?
The lowest recorded value was 466,300 trips in 2021.
How does Thailand rank for arrivals of tourists from abroad for personal purposes?
Thailand ranks 103rd out of 179 countries with data for 2021.
Is arrivals of tourists from abroad for personal purposes rising or falling in Thailand?
Over the last ten years it is down 97.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Thailand data come from?
The figures come from UN Tourism (2025) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Arrivals of tourists from abroad for personal purposes. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Arrivals of tourists from abroad for personal purposes in Thailand. Statizoid, drawing on UN Tourism (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Retrieved 23 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/international-trips-for-personal-reasons/thailand/

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About this data

Indicator
Arrivals of tourists from abroad for personal purposes
Unit
trips
Source
UN Tourism (2025) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
179 places, 4,054 data points, 1995–2024
Last refreshed

Number of international trips where the main purpose is personal (leisure, visiting friends and relatives, health, etc.) and the visitor stays overnight.