Risk & Crisis Management in Tourism Sector:
Recovery from Crisis
in the OIC Member Countries
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Table 5.3: International Visitor Arrivals and Foreign Exchange Earnings - Thailand
Year Arrivals (million) Receipts (US$ billion)
1995 6.95 7.6
1996 7.2 8.7
1997 7.22 8.75
1998 7.7 6.4
1999 8.6 6.7
2000 9.5 7.1
2001 10.06 6.7
2002 10.8 7.9
2003 10 7.8
2004 11.65 10.0
2005 11.52 9.6
2006 13.82 13.4
2007 14.46 16.6
2008 14.2 18.1
2009 14.15 15.9
2010 15.9 19.7
2011 19.23 26.25
2012 22.4 30.1
2013 26.5 42.1
2014 24.8 38.4
2015 29.9 44.5
2016 33.2 54.7
Sources: Kontogeorgopolous, 1998; McDowall and Wang, 2009; Mintel, 2015; BMI, 2016; UNWTO online statistics
By 2000, Thailand had begun to forge closer links with neighbours such as Cambodia, Laos and
Vietnam to develop a regional infrastructure leading to itineraries across the region. From 2001,
the Mekong Tourism Development Project and the Greater Mekong Sub-Region (GMS) Tourism
Strategy were significant: the 6 countries of Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Myanmar and
China (represented by Yunnan and Guangxi Provinces) agreed to cooperate to realize the potential
of the GMS through creating an enabling policy environment and infrastructure linkages that would
facilitate tourism as well as cross-border trade, investment, and other forms of economic
cooperation (Sofield, 2008).
The project was funded by the governments of the countries concerned and by international aid
agencies, in particular the Asian Development Bank. Tourismwas designated as one of the flagship
programmes because it was recognized as a major growth engine for socio-economic development
and poverty alleviation and as a way to promote peace as well as conservation of natural and
cultural heritage. Thailand played a central role in this scheme because its tourism industry and its
economy were more mature than in the other countries. It acts as a hub for tourism and provides
considerable stimulus for the industry throughout Southeast Asia.