PHUKET (NNT) – The government is now anticipating no less than 20 million foreign visitors, which bodes well for Thailand’s tourism industry this year.

Bangkok, the capital of Thailand, has seen an increase in holiday-related activities. Bangkok is now the third most searched-for destination in Asia, behind only Ho Chi Minh City of Vietnam and Tokyo of Japan, according to the Canadian travel website and app Hopper. International flight searches among North Americans have increased from 19% to 27%.

The country’s economic recovery depends on all relevant sectors implementing the government’s policy on tourism expansion, which has been thanked by Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha.

The government has set a goal for this year of 80% tourism earnings and 50% of the number of international visitors saw prior to the pandemic. These goals translate to a minimum of 2.38 trillion baht in revenue and a minimum of 20 million tourists, excluding 180 million people from mainland China and local visitors.