A quiet Jomtien Beach marks the beginning of Thailand’s low season, with fewer tourists seen along the shore. PATTAYA, Thailand – As Thailand approaches the low season, which typically spans from May to October and coincides with the rainy months, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is shifting its marketing focus to high-spending luxury travelers, particularly from the Middle East and Europe, instead of investing in underperforming markets. A site visit by local reporters at Jomtien Beach found a noticeable decline in tourist numbers. Most current foreign visitors are long-stay retirees, while domestic tourists still visit regularly during weekends and public holidays. Recent tourism statistics revealed a significant 50% drop in Chinese tourist arrivals during March and April 2025 compared to the same period last year, largely due to economic challenges and natural disasters in the region. Ms. Natthariya Taweewong, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Tourism and Sports and Chairwoman of the TAT Board, announced that in response to recent challenges—including safety concerns, natural disasters, and geopolitical tensions such as tariff hikes between the U.S. and China—the ministry has instructed TAT to revise its marketing strategies for the second half of the year. The Thai Prime Minister has set a new tourism revenue target for 2025: to match the 2019 pre-pandemic level of 3 trillion baht, with 2 trillion from international tourists and 1 trillion from domestic travelers. This is a downward revision from the original 3.5 trillion baht goal. To reach this target, the TAT will concentrate efforts on attracting affluent travelers from Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and European countries such as Spain, Germany, Sweden, and the UK—many of whom are avoiding travel to the U.S.—as well as high-income markets like Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. In a significant shift, the TAT will also change its key performance indicators (KPIs) from counting tourist arrivals to measuring total tourism revenue. This recalibration of strategy and metrics is expected to be finalized by May.