Blackpink Effect: Thailand Attracts Nearly 600,000 Tourists in One Week
Driven by Blackpink concerts and the start of high season, Thailand recorded nearly 600,000 foreign arrivals in seven days. This is a record since 2020.
A Record Week for Thai Tourism
The Thai tourism sector is booming, as the combination of high tourist season and major entertainment events, particularly BLACKPINK's world tour, has attracted nearly 600,000 international visitors in just one week.
This brings total tourism revenue for the year to over 1.2 trillion baht (37 billion USD).
Nattariya Thaweewong, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Tourism and Sports, stated that between January 1 and October 26, 2025, Thailand welcomed over 26 million foreign tourists.
The "Blackpink Effect" Sets Bangkok Ablaze
Last week alone saw a sharp increase due to the arrival, in peak season, of long-haul travelers and international fans attending major concerts.
The phenomenon is amplified by the presence of Lisa Manobal, BLACKPINK's Thai member, who has become a true national pride. Her global popularity has helped attract thousands of fans to Thailand, transforming the group's Bangkok concerts into a powerful tourism and media lever.
Lisa was recently appointed as Thailand's tourism ambassador.
Key Markets: Russia, India and China Lead
Russian tourists were the main contributors to this increase, with a 31% rise compared to the previous week.
The influx was further boosted by Indian travelers after the Diwali festival and massive crowds of Chinese and international fans who came to attend the BLACKPINK Deadline World Tour in Bangkok 2025 and the ZeeNuNew Crazy In Love concert.
Total foreign arrivals reached 592,196 for the week, an increase of 35,461 visitors or 6.37% compared to the previous week, with a daily average of 84,599 arrivals.
Malaysia remained the top source market with 90,855 visitors, followed by China (74,421), India (54,877), Russia (38,749) and South Korea (25,307).
India recorded the strongest growth at 31.3%, followed by Russia at 30.55% and China at 12.2%.
However, arrivals from Malaysia and South Korea fell by 13.45% and 2.38% respectively compared to the previous week.
Policies and Measures Supporting Recovery
Looking ahead, tourism officials expect steady increases in arrivals.
Growth supported by the ongoing high season for long-haul markets, government measures to facilitate travel, including visa exemptions, and increased flight frequencies.
1.2 Trillion Baht in Tourism Revenue in 2025
As of October 27, Thailand's cumulative tourism revenue reached approximately 1.21 trillion baht (37 billion USD), highlighting the sector's strong recovery and the appeal of world-class entertainment events.
This impressive weekly increase should, however, be taken with perspective. According to Tourism Ministry figures, cumulative foreign arrivals since January 1 still show a 7.25% decline compared to the same period in 2024.
