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Southeast Asia’s Tourism Rebounds: Over 100 Million Visitors in 2023

Southeast Asia’s Tourism Rebounds: Over 100 Million Visitors in 2023
Southeast Asia tourism rebounds | pixabay

In 2023, over 100 million people visited Southeast Asian countries, which accounts for approximately 70 percent of the pre-Covid-19 pandemic peak. This information was reported by the newspaper “Nikkei,” which analyzed official data from nine out of the ten member countries of the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN). Notably, Brunei does not publish data in this context.

Before the pandemic, Thailand relied heavily on tourism, contributing about one-fifth of its national gross domestic product. Last year, Thailand attracted 28 million visitors, which is 2.5 times more than in 2022. The legalization of marijuana in June 2022 also played a role, although the current government has since revoked this measure.

China significantly contributed to Thailand’s tourism recovery, with 3.5 million visitors last year, partly due to a visa exemption agreement. Similarly, Laos benefited from Chinese visitors through the Laos-China Railway, which recorded 1.75 million passengers after its inauguration in December 2021. Cambodia also experienced a similar trend, welcoming a total of 5.45 million foreign tourists, with one-tenth of them coming from China.

While the number of Chinese visitors to ASEAN countries remained lower than pre-Covid levels last year, it still saw a 5.1-fold increase compared to 2022. Data for the first months of 2024 suggest a further rise in regional tourist flows during the current year.

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Akhyari Hananto

I began my career in the banking industry in 1997, and stayed approx 6 years in it. This industry boost his knowledge about the economic condition in Indonesia, both macro and micro, and how to More understand it. My banking career continued in Yogyakarta when I joined in a program funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB),as the coordinator for a program aimed to help improve the quality of learning and teaching process in private universities in Yogyakarta. When the earthquake stroke Yogyakarta, I chose to join an international NGO working in the area of ?disaster response and management, which allows me to help rebuild the city, as well as other disaster-stricken area in Indonesia. I went on to become the coordinator for emergency response in the Asia Pacific region. Then I was assigned for 1 year in Cambodia, as a country coordinator mostly to deliver developmental programs (water and sanitation, education, livelihood). In 2009, he continued his career as a protocol and HR officer at the U.S. Consulate General in Surabaya, and two years later I joined the Political and Economic Section until now, where i have to deal with extensive range of people and government officials, as well as private and government institution troughout eastern Indonesia. I am the founder and Editor-in-Chief in Good News From Indonesia (GNFI), a growing and influential social media movement, and was selected as one of The Most Influential Netizen 2011 by The Marketeers magazine. I also wrote a book on "Fundamentals of Disaster Management in 2007"?, "Good News From Indonesia : Beragam Prestasi Anak Bangsa di dunia"? which was luanched in August 2013, and "Indonesia Bersyukur"? which is launched in Sept 2013. In 2014, 3 books were released in which i was one of the writer; "Indonesia Pelangi Dunia"?, "Indonesia The Untold Stories"? and "Growing! Meretas Jalan Kejayaan" I give lectures to students in lectures nationwide, sharing on full range of issues, from economy, to diplomacy Less
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