The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) today touted results of a survey naming Bangkok as number three among top destinations for world travelers.
The MasterCard Worldwide survey placed Bangkok in the top three, behind London and Paris, as a favorite destination for international holiday makers in 2012. According to the survey, Bangkok is expected to host about 12.2 million visitors who will spend around U.S.$19.2mn this year.
The survey also noted that Thailand was ranked fourth in terms of tourist spending for 2011 – raking in a record U.S.$14.4bn – behind the United Kingdom, the United States and France.
TAT deputy governor Prakit Piriyakiet said he believes these results will shed more positive light on Thailand in the eyes of foreign travelers.
Political turmoil and flooding in recent years have contributed to worries over Thailand’s vital tourism industry.
