PCT responded to data on the mass outflow of Russian tourists from Thailand

Russian tourist flow to Thailand continues to grow despite increased competition from Vietnam and China. In July-September 2026, the number of arrivals from Russia increased by 5% year-on-year, to 249.4 thousand, said RBC head of the press service of the Russian Union of Travel Industry (PCT) Artur Abdyukhanov. According to him, there is no reason to talk about the mass refusal of Russians to travel to Thailand.

According to him, in 2025 Thailand received almost 1.9 million Russian tourists – 8.8% more than a year earlier. Russia has become the fourth largest inbound market of the country. In July-September 2026, according to the calculations of the Thai-Russian Chamber of Commerce, the Russian tourist flow also increased by 5% year-on-year, to 249.4 thousand arrivals, while the total flow of foreign tourists decreased by about 5%.

Abdyukhanov acknowledged increased competition from Vietnam and China. In the nine months of 2026, Vietnam received about 1.13 million Russians – more than 160% more than a year earlier. However, statistics do not allow us to determine how many of them refused to travel to Thailand. “Growth can also be provided by new travelers, additional trips and redistribution of demand from other destinations,” the representative of the PCT explained.

He also disagreed with the thesis about the widespread rise in the price of rest. According to Slet.ru, the average check of a tour to Thailand for December 2026 amounted to 175.5 thousand rubles - 12% less than a year earlier. The share of direction in service bookings increased from 31 to 33%. At the same time, New Year trips are more expensive: according to Fun & Sun, the average ticket for two tours for 11 days is 362 thousand rubles. Therefore, a single “average check for the country” without specifying the season, duration and composition of the trip is not informative, Abdyukhanov said.

In our assessment, Thailand will retain its place among the main winter beach destinations for Russians. At the same time, competition for tourists will become tougher: further dynamics will depend on the availability of flights, the ratio of price and quality and the stability of entry rules. It would be premature to expect an automatic continuation of high growth rates, but there is no mass refusal of Russians from the direction of the grounds now, he concluded.

A few days earlier, The Nation reported that more than 59% of Thailand’s tourism industry believe the country is losing competitiveness compared to other Southeast Asian destinations, particularly Vietnam. According to the forecast of the University of the Chamber of Commerce of Thailand (UTCC), in 2026 the country will be visited by 31.5 million foreign tourists – 4.5% less than the expected figure of 33 million. The article noted that against the background of a sharp increase in trips of Russians to Vietnam, the number of arrivals from Russia to Thailand almost did not change (down 0.1%).

Tanawat Phonvichai, president of the UTCC Center for Economic and Business Forecasting, said Thailand’s tourism sector is experiencing serious difficulties despite the expected growth of the country’s economy by 2.2-2.5%. “We still look forward to a rebound in tourism next year, but reaching the 34 million visitor mark is fraught with risks: Thailand is no longer as competitive as it was in the past,” he said.

Nearly half of respondents attributed the decline to external factors, including military conflicts and rising fuel costs. Another 47 percent cited domestic concerns, including volatile visa rules, border delays, flight shortages and security issues, including fraud and illegal financial schemes.