Kasikornbank predicts the number of big-spending Middle East tourists choosing Thailand for their holiday will rise 5.5% to 695,000 this year, with a big jump in the number from Iran.
Travellers from the region were attracted by the diversity of attractions and services, which satisfied the needs of people who usually arrive with families on long holidays.
They were happy with the natural destinations, food and spa services, and some of them sought medical services during their stay, Kasikorn Research Centre reported on Friday.
Convenient travel from the Middle East to Thai destinations was another reason.
The centre said Middle East tourists spent as much as European visitors, about 70,000 baht per person per trip, while the average spending of tourists from other main markets including China was 47,000-48,000 baht.
In addition, travellers from the Middle East were often repeat visitors, and usually came to Thailand after Ramadan, the Muslim month of fasting in the third quarter of the year, which was the low season for tourism in Thailand.
The research centre predicted about 108,000 Iranians would travel to Thailand this year, making up about 15% of tourists from the Middle East. This would be an increase of 20% from last year.
It attributed the increase to the end of boycotts against Iran by the European Union and the United States in January, and the subsequent economic recovery there.
In the first seven months of this year, 410,000 visitors came from the Middle East, up12.8% year-on-year.