Thailand has been the top destination in Asia for European tourists looking to enjoy their summer for the past two years, with Bangkok remaining the most popular, according to a survey by the online booking platform Agoda.
Most of the European tourists travelling to the country were from Germany, France, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Spain, deputy government spokeswoman Sasikan Wattanachan said on Thursday, referring to the Agoda survey.
Hotel searches for Thailand on the platform were also higher, with those from Greece increasing 67%, Czech Republic 26% and Poland 16%, Ms Sasikan said.
“When Europe is reaching summer, it’s a chance for tourism in Asian countries, especially Thailand,” she said. “Our country has been the most searched destination for two years, and the government continues to boost tourism through year-long activities.”
Bangkok remains the most popular destination for Europeans, followed by Koh Samui and Pattaya.
Ms Sasikan said Samui has been a beneficiary of interest among Western travellers since the release of the third season of the the hit HBO series The White Lotus, which features the Thai islands of Samui and Phuket.
From the beginning of 2025 until June 1, Thailand recorded 14 million international arrivals, a decline of 2.7% from the same period a year ago, according to government data.
However, in the week from May 26 to June 1, officials said short-haul tourist arrivals from Malaysia, South Korea, China and Singapore were up 29.3% from a week earlier, and long-haul arrivals rose 9.6%.