Tourism in Thailand experiences a decline due to earthquakes and safety concerns, amidst the growing popularity of The White Lotus show.
Challenges Plaguing Thailand's Tourism Rebound in 2025
Thailand's ambitious goal of hitting its pre-COVID-19 tourist numbers by 2025 seems to be in jeopardy, as reported by government data, showing a four-month consecutive decline in visitors. Despite initial optimism over a surge in "set-jetting" visits because of the TV show The White Lotus and a partnership with Trip.com, concerns over safety, scams, and people trafficking have dampened enthusiasm.
Originally aiming for 39-40 million foreign arrivals, given 2024's 35 million, the authorities have eased visa rules for foreign pensioners, students, and digital nomads in Southeast Asia. However, they have also retracted a move that would let tourists from 93 countries stay for 60 days with an Electronic Travel Authorization, compromising it to only 30 days, due to misuse by business travelers.
Public Alarm and Rapid Rule Changes
The inconsistent visa rules might have led to a growing sense of complexity and confusion for potential tourists. Digital registration for foreign arrivals was introduced in May 2025 by the Ministry of Tourism and Sports as a replacement for previously paper-based "landing cards" that were suspended. Following reports of unprocessed piles of paperwork, the government recently announced new measures to improve safety and crack down on unofficial tour operators amid social media claims regarding travel security issues.
Reputational and Geological Challenges
Part of the reputation predicament comes from incidents like the disappearance of Chinese actor Wang Xing, who was abducted and forced to work in a scam center in Mae Sot on the Myanmar border. With China being the primary source market for Thai tourism, Chinese arrivals have fallen by 33% since the incident.
Wang Xing's high-profile case underscores the dual impact screen fame can have on tourism. Thailand had high expectations for a tourism boom driven by the US-produced black comedy series The White Lotus, following significant increases in tourist numbers for the show's locale in Hawaii and Sicily.
However, recent seismic activity and persistent rumors of crime in Thai destinations after a deadly March earthquake might deter visitors, as shown by May 2025 tourist figures, which dropped for the fourth consecutive month by 14%. Koh Samui, a popular White Lotus location, however, has seen a surge in US tourist interest, with a 65% increase, high-end hotel reservations up by 40%, and an 18% year-on-year increase in European arrivals.
As the country seems more dependent on the HBO series than ever, it remains unclear if these glimpses of optimism will offset the declining Asian arrivals.
Economic and Currency troubles
Analysts attribute the ongoing declines in tourist numbers to Thailand's strong baht and global economic uncertainty, which make the country costlier for foreign visitors while altering visitor behavior and spending patterns.
The Thai tourism industry faces a complex maze of obstacles in its pursuit of a swift return to pre-pandemic visitor numbers. Without addressing these challenges, the sector's recovery could continue to stumble, undermining Thailand's economy and reputation as a top tourist destination.
Key factors affecting the sector include:
- A robust baht, making Thailand expensive for international tourists, reducing its appeal and export competitiveness.[1][3]
- Global economic volatility, reshaping visitor behavior and spending patterns, yielding fewer bookings and reduced spending.[1][4]
[1] Bloomberg, [2] Reuters, [3] Nikkei Asia, [4] Financial Times, [5] Thailand Tourism Association
- Despite initial expectations, concerns over safety, scams, and trafficking have led to a decrease in reservations for tours and hotel stays on the Thai islands, impacting the tourism industry's rebound.
- As a result of the four-month consecutive decline in tourists, Thailand's ambitious goal of hitting its pre-COVID-19 numbers by 2025 appears to be in jeopardy.
- The inconsistent visa rules and a rise in social media claims regarding travel security issues have created a growing sense of complexity and confusion for potential tourists.
- The recent seismic activity and persistent rumors of crime in Thai destinations might deter visitors, causing a drop in arrivals from Asia.
- The strong baht and global economic uncertainty are making Thailand costlier for foreign visitors, altering their behavior and spending patterns.
- The withdrawal of the Electronic Travel Authorization extension for 60 days, initially intended for tourists from 93 countries, due to misuse by business travelers, has further complicated the visa rules.
- The Thai tourism sector faces a complex maze of obstacles, including the impact of general-news topics like crime-and-justice, lifestyle changes, and geological events, which could hinder its swift return to pre-pandemic numbers, potentially undermining the country's economy and reputation as a top tourist destination.
