According to a visualization of recent UN World Tourism Organization data, Thailand ranks among the top 4 countries with the highest tourism spending alongside the United States, Spain and France, while outranking every other nation in Asia. Last year, it collected US $57 billion in international tourism receipts, nearly doubling Macao (US $36 billion), Japan (US $34 billion), Hong Kong (US $33 billion), and China ( US $33 billion). Globally, the only countries that out-earn Thailand in terms of tourism dollars are France (US $61 billion), Spain (US $68 billion), and the United States—which handily takes the gold medal, at US $211 billion.

With well-developed transport and communication infrastructure and a generous offering of luxury accommodation, modern retail centres and gourmet restaurants, Thailand continues to draw a diverse crowd of business and leisure travelers around the world. International tourist arrivals rose 8.8% in 2017, to a record 35.38 million in 2018 and could hit 40 million next year, which is more than half the country’s population.

Mastercard’s annual Global Destination Cities Index recently ranked Bangkok as the most-visited city in 2017. The study, based on undisclosed public data sources, rather than cardholder transactions, indicates that travelers shell out US $173 for a day in the Thai capital, compared to US $537 in Dubai or US $286 in Singapore. This year, it forecasts travelers will spend an additional 14% more.

Thailand attracts more and more travelers

While the fact that Thailand is recognised as a value hub might be its very attraction, the country is making efforts to shift the perception as the luxury scene expands around the world.  By next year, the city will have gained even more opportunities to spend, such as superlative new resorts from Four Seasons, Rosewood, Mandarin Oriental, and Waldorf Astoria, plus a US $1.6 billion Bal Harbour-esque mixed-use retail development called Icon Siam. Capella, one of the internationally renowned luxury hotels, will also be opening next Spring by the Chao Phraya River.

However, the tourism popularity in Thailand makes the pristine marine ecosystem pay a price with beachside pollution, decrease in the local turtle population, a sobering spike in unethical wildlife tourism. It requests Thailand to seek for the possible solution to promote sustainability and encourage better etiquette among travelers.