Bangkok: Thailand recorded over 16.68 million foreign tourists in the first half of 2025, marking a decline of 4.66 percent from a year earlier, official data showed on Tuesday.

According to Namibia Press Agency, with 2.29 million arrivals, Malaysia became the largest source of inbound visitors for the first six months of this year, followed closely by China at 2.26 million, along with India, Russia, and South Korea, as reported by the Thai Ministry of Tourism and Sports.

The Southeast Asian country has generated approximately 771.55 billion baht (about 23.80 billion U.S. dollars) in revenue from international tourists so far this year, down 2.31 percent year-on-year, the ministry said in a statement.

Last year, the kingdom received over 35.54 million foreign tourists, a rise of 26.27 percent from the previous year, attributed to eased entry rules and visa exemption measures.

Tourism, the key driver of the nation's economic growth, accounts for 14.71 percent of its gross domestic product and 11.98 percent of employment in 2024.