TAT Governor Thapanee Kiatphaibool said for the overall target, B2trn is expected to be generated from 39-40 million foreign arrivals, with B1trn derived from 200-220mn domestic trips, reports the Bangkok Post.
She said the agency plans to maintain the growth of major markets at 10% as they can help offset the unpredictable Chinese market, which needs a confidence boost following stories of human trafficking, with Thailand as the transit hub.
These potential markets include Southeast Asia, which typically accounts for 30% of total arrivals, particularly Malaysia and Indonesia.
Last year Thailand set a record for Malaysian visitors at 4.9mn. This year the TAT plans to promote rail and cruise travel, connecting Malaysia and Thailand via methods other than jets and land entry.
New direct airline routes, such as Bangkok-Johor Bahru, should strengthen the Malaysian market, said Ms Thapanee.
Indonesia is another potential market given its massive population of 270mn, she said.
Other significant markets include Taiwan, which surpassed 1mn arrivals for the first time last year, and South Korea, which should reach 2mn in 2025, up from 1.8mn last year.
The agency also targets 2.3-2.5mn Indian tourists, banking on growing air fleets and routes between the two countries.
For the long-haul market, Russia remains the top source market from Europe, with a projected increase of 10% from 1.7mn arrivals last year.
Other markets with the potential to grow more than 20% are the Middle East and Kazakhstan, as they have low bases, said Ms Thapanee.
“Despite intense competition from other countries, China will still be our largest source market and the most important target this year,” she said.
She said challenges and uncontrollable factors in 2025 include natural disasters, geopolitical issues, US president Donald Trump’s policies and possible emerging diseases.
In March, the TAT plans to join ITB Berlin 2025, one of the largest travel trade fairs in Europe.
The agency is expanding the Thai pavilion space to 1,820 square metres to accommodate 160 tourism operators, and expects to generate B5-6 billion from business deals, double the 3 billion recorded last year.
This year the TAT wants to invite 20 operators from new provinces that never penetrated the European market, training them on marketing strategies and having them join ITB for the first time without charging a booth rental fee.
Ms Thapanee said Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra ordered this tactic.