Bangkok, february 10 - Thailand foreign tourist arrivals rose more than 11 per cent in January from a year earlier to 1.79 million, according to Thailand's tourism ministry's website.
The country managed to lure foreign tourists after a slump in arrivals during political unrest in Bangkok in April and May last year.
The Bank of Thailand said the industry, which accounts for about 6 per cent of the country's GDP, had recovered since the second half of 2010, at a faster rate than was expected.
In 2010, foreign arrivals to the 'Land of Smiles' rose 12 per cent to 15.9 million. Of that 51 per cent are from East Asia, led by Malaysia, China and Japan, 27 per cent from Europe and 5 per cent from North and South America, it said.
According to the central bank's data, hotel occupancy rates rose slightly to 50.1 per cent in 2010 from 49.2 per cent a year earlier.
For 2011, the state tourism agency has said it aimed for a 7 per cent rise in foreign tourist arrivals to 15 million, generating revenue of about 600 billion baht (S$25 billion).
