DestinationsThe Chinese, Malaysians and South Koreans were the top three visitor groups to Thailand.

Thai tourism generates $23 billion in first half

By Travel Weekly Asia

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Jul 21, 2025

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Thailand welcomed over 16 million visitors in H1 2025

Thailand welcomed over 16 million visitors in H1 2025 Photo Credit: Agoda

China, Malaysia and South Korea remained the top three source markets to Thailand in the first half of 2025, according to Agoda’s latest booking insights. Japan and Singapore also featured in the top five.

Popular Thai destinations across these markets included Bangkok, Pattaya and Phuket. Hat Yai stood out for its rising popularity, particularly among Malaysian and Singaporean travellers, possibly due to its consistent ranking as the most affordable Thai destination for two years running.

While China sent the most visitors, Agoda’s data revealed that travellers from South Korea stayed the longest, followed by Japan, Malaysia, Singapore and then China.

Key Insights from Agoda’s H1 2025 Data:

Top inbound markets to Thailand:

China
Malaysia
South Korea
Japan
Singapore

Most-visited Thai cities:

Bangkok
Pattaya
Phuket
Hat Yai (especially by Malaysian and Singaporean travellers)

Markets with the longest average stay:

South Korea
Japan
Malaysia
Singapore
China

Where visitors stayed longer:

Ko Tao: popular with China, Japan, and Singapore
Ko Pha Ngan: preferred by Malaysians
Pathum Thani: favoured by South Koreans for a quieter inland stay

Thailand’s Ministry of Tourism and Sports reported over 16 million international arrivals from January to June 2025, generating approximately THB743.6 billion (US$23.05 billion) in tourism revenue. Government initiatives such as the Amazing Thailand Grand Tourism and Sports Year 2025, along with improved travel facilitation and flight availability, were cited as factors supporting the market.

Outbound travel trends also showed strong interest among Thai travellers in destinations like Tokyo, Osaka, Hong Kong, Taipei and Seoul.

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