Bangkok named world’s top tourism city for 2024

Suvarnabhumi airport in Bangkok (Photo: VNA)

This figure far exceeds that of Istanbul, the second-ranked city, with 23 million foreign arrivals.

Bangkok’s success is attributed to not only its visitor numbers but also Thailand’s tourism policy and general appeal. Its traveller-friendly visa policies, including a 60-day visa exemption for citizens of 93 countries and expanded visa-on-arrival eligibility for 31 countries, have played a significant role in boosting its appeal.

The Thai capital already surpassed pre-pandemic tourism levels in 2023, with 2024 seeing over 30% growth, underscoring the resilience and strength of Thailand’s tourism industry.

However, when evaluated across six key pillars – economic and business tourism performance, infrastructure, policies and appeal, health and safety, and sustainability – Bangkok did not make it in the top 10 list for overall destination attractiveness. Paris led this list, followed by Madrid and Tokyo./.