#Travelresearch

A widely circulated forecast in early 2025 predicted a sharp slowdown in inbound visitors to the United States that would tip the travel sector into a visible slump and shave billions from the tourism economy. That alarm did not materialise in the way many analysts expected. New analyses of arrival data and travel patterns show a more nuanced picture: short-term falls in some months were offset by stronger-than-expected recovery in other periods, shifts in traveller origin markets and resilience in domestic travel and spending that together blunted the impact of headline pessimism. For Thai readers wondering whether this is a cautionary tale for Southeast Asian tourism or a sign of shifting global travel flows, the story matters because it highlights how fast-changing economic signals, policy choices and traveller behaviour can reshape forecasts — and how Thailand might respond to both opportunity and competition.

A new study has revealed stark contrasts in the cost of international travel for 2025, ranking Iceland as the most expensive country to visit, whereas Thailand continues to offer some of the best value for global tourists. The findings carry major implications for travelers from Thailand and Southeast Asia, highlighting the continued importance of currency trends and inflation in shaping vacation budgets worldwide.

According to the latest research released by The Forex Complex and shared with Travel + Leisure, Iceland outranks all other major tourism destinations in terms of cost, with the average traveler needing to spend more than $400 per day to visit the Nordic island nation. The analysis, which evaluated 19 popular countries, factored in core travel expenses like accommodations, transport, and meals, as well as local inflation rates and year-to-year shifts in currency strength against the US dollar (Travel + Leisure). For Iceland, a 5.5% inflation rate has led to noticeable jumps in the prices of hotels, food, and transit—exacerbating the financial challenges for American and other international tourists, even before considering airfare.