This paper reviews previous studies relating to tourism development and economic growth. The
researchers argue that tourism development not only stimulates the growth of the industry, but also triggers
overall economic growth. As a result, most developing countries use promotion of the tourism industry as
an important economic development strategy to enhance economic growth. Therefore, a number of previous
studies have focused on examining the relationships between tourism development and economic growth in
various countries. Thailand is one of the leading tourist destinations in Southeast Asia since it embraces rich
cultures and traditions, a tropical climate and famous hospitality. Despite the great importance of the Thai
tourism industry to the Thai economy, since it accounts for millions of jobs and a substantial fraction of
export earnings and a wide range of other industries, there has been no previous study exploring the effect
of the tourism sector on economic expansion in the Thai context.
Keywords: tourism, economic development, Thailand