Domestic and outbound tourism have not been growing as rapidly, with some cautious consumers still uncertain about the viability of the recovery. We are trying to find out what caused this surprising growth. Thailand welcomed 1.1 million tourists. Right now, we are waiting for the end of Euro 2000 which may have kept many European tourists home in June. Major visitor sources such as Korea, Taiwan and Hong Kong delivered good results, as did Japan, the biggest single market for Thailand.
European arrivals continue to rise, though at a lower rate.
Figures were distorted earlier in the year as some travellers put off holidays because of Y2K concerns. Strong economies in most of Europe have resulted in increasing outbound tourist traffic, particularly among young travellers and families. Even Russians, among the star performers for Thailand in recent years, are holding their own despite their country's shaky economy. Scandinavia, with more direct flights now available to Thailand, has the TAT feeling particularly bullish. Thailand as a destination has a quite positive perception in the European market.