Hoang Vu May 17, 2024 | 3:58 PM PST
Tourists look out over the view from the top deck of a sightseeing boat on the Chao Phraya River in Bangkok on December 27, 2023. Photo by AFP
Thailand regained its position as Southeast Asia’s most popular travel destination in the first quarter of this year after being overtaken by Malaysia last year.
Thailand welcomed 9.37 million foreign tourists in the first three months of the year. Southeast Asia’s second-largest economy has rolled out a series of policies to boost tourism, including a permanent visa exemption for Chinese nationals.
Malaysia, the region’s tourism leader last year, came in second with 5.8 million tourists, up 32 percent from the previous year, according to data from the Tourism Ministry.
Vietnam ranked third in the region with 4.6 million visitors, up 72% from the previous year, followed by Singapore with 4.35 million visitors, up 50% from the previous year.
Indonesia ranked fifth with 3 million foreign tourists in the first quarter.
The Philippines welcomed 1.6 million international tourists, up 21.3% from the previous year, while Cambodia welcomed 1.58 million international tourists, up 22.5% in the same period.
Laos received only 1 million foreign tourists.
Southeast Asian countries such as Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia are competing to attract potential tourist markets such as China, India and Europe through visa exemptions and visa-free extensions.
