For the first time since reliable records have been kept, Thailand is experiencing a tourism deficit with Japan, according to statistics for the first 6 months of 2023, revealed the governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), Yuthasak Supasorn.

The number of Thai tourists who went to Japan between January and June 2023 (497,700) exceeded that of the Japanese tourists visiting Thailand (326,347). The Japanese government’s COVID-19 border controls, which were only relaxed in May, are thought to be the cause of the decline in those coming to Thailand, as Japanese might still be hesitant to travel outside their own country.

Such a decline paved the way for Korean tourists visiting Thailand to overtake the Japanese, with 757,767 Koreans arriving in the first half of 2023. Koreans now rank fourth in international tourist numbers, behind Malaysia, China and Russia.

The TAT’s office in Osaka, Japan, found that the number of Japanese tourists who came to Thailand in 2022 had increased 2% from the pandemic-struck year of 2019 (from 10% to 12% of total arrivals). The number of Japanese tourists had declined during the COVID years, thus, a decline was seen in Japanese tourists arriving in Thailand after the recovery from the pandemic. The TAT stated that they would be satisfied with the expected 15% of tourists being from Japan this year, if that goal is reached.

Another reason affecting Japanese tourists’ decision to travel is the domestic economy, as the Yen is weakening. The TAT has assessed that Thailand will experience a tourism deficit with Japan throughout 2023.

Yuthasak also said that the TAT hosted the “Amazing Thailand Fest 2023” in Osaka from July 21^st to 23^rd, at the Abeno Q Mall, to stimulate Thailand’s “5F Soft Power”, namely Food, Film, Fashion, Fights (Thai Martial Art) and Festivals. The festival also featured actors from “Boy Love” series, which are popular and have become a lucrative market in Japan.

Currently, the TAT has set a goal of attracting 500,000 Japanese tourists this year and hopes the rate of arrivals speeds up during the second half of the year.