New Emerging
Markets

CHINA

Visitor Arrivals to Thailand in 1997-2002

Source: Immigration Bureau, Police Department Thanks to strong airline connections, the Chinese market grew to become Thailand’s third largest source of visitor arrivals, after Malaysia and Japan. The average annual growth rate between 1987-2002 was a spectacular 27%. It had a good mix of male:female visitors (55:46). In 2002, 81% of the visitors were first-timers, which tallied with 77% of them being group tourists. A healthy market was also emerging for convention delegates, who were up 13% to 4,920 in 2002. With an average daily spend of 4,054 baht per person, Chinese visitors pumped 18.7 billion baht into the Thai economy in 2002.

KOREA

Visitor Arrivals to Thailand in 1997-2002

Source: Immigration Bureau, Police Department After plunging from 488,669 in 1996 to 202,841 in 1998 due to the economic crisis, the Korean market struck a V-shaped chord by surging to 716,778 in 2002, attaining an average annual growth rate of 22% since 1987. In 2002, it showed a healthy male:female ratio of 53:47 and a robust rise of 15% in convention delegates to 3,853. Both first-time and repeat visitors were up strongly, up 32% and 21% respectively. With an average length of stay of 5.3 days and an average daily expenditure of 4,510 baht, Koreans generated 17.3 billion baht for the Thai economy in 2002.

INDIA

Visitor Arrivals to Thailand in 1997-2002

Source: Immigration Bureau, Police Department India, just like China, is a mega-population country within a few hours' flying time from Thailand. Unlike China, however, it was only recently beginning to show some growth, having been restricted for many decades by poor airline connections. The average annual growth rate between 1987-2002 was a low 5.4%. In 2002, there was a strong growth of 47% in repeat visitors and a 53% increase in convention delegates. A relatively high total (10%) of the visitors were business travellers. The average daily spend of 4,198 baht per person generated 6.2 billion baht in earnings for the Thai economy in 2002.

MEXICO

Visitor Arrivals to Thailand in 1997-2002

Source: Immigration Bureau, Police Department A small market in terms of head-count, Mexico nevertheless has good potential. Arrivals surged from 2,131 in 1995 to 11,159 in 2002, an annual average of 27%. It is a heavily family-oriented market, with 90% of the visitors being on holiday and a nearly evenly balanced male:female ratio of 54:46. In spite of being a far-away long-haul market with no direct airline connections, it showed a high portion of repeat visitors (36%) and independent (non-group) travellers (66%) in 2002. Average daily expenditure figures are not available as the number of arrivals was too small to be included in TAT’s visitor expenditure survey.

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