BANGKOK, May 6 (Xinhua) -- Thailand's inbound tourism revenue grew in April despite a contraction in overall international visitor numbers, as disruptions stemming from the Middle East conflict weighed on the vital tourism industry, official data showed on Tuesday.

A tourist takes photos of kites flying above a beach in Pattaya, Thailand, Feb. 25, 2026. (Photo: Xinhua)

According to the Ministry of Tourism and Sports, the Southeast Asian country generated an estimated 117 billion baht (about 3.59 billion U.S. dollars) in foreign tourism receipts last month, representing an expansion of 2.94 percent year-on-year, while total visitor numbers dropped 7 percent to 2.37 million.

The Asia and Pacific region remained the leading source market in April with 1.66 million arrivals, marking a slight decrease of 2.47 percent compared to a year earlier, the ministry said in a statement.

Meanwhile, arrivals from the Middle East region saw the most notable plunge, down 57.07 percent to 21,707. European arrivals also experienced a double-digit decline, down 15.79 percent to 549,123.

The kingdom has recorded over 11.97 million foreign arrivals so far in 2026, reflecting a 3.45 percent fall over the same period last year, the ministry data showed.