Tm:YAP crystals doped with 4 at.-% Tm3+ ions have been obtained by the Czochralski technique. Absorption and fluorescence spectra of the crystals have been measured at room temperature. The most intensive absorption peaks occur around at wavelengths of 689.5 nm and 795 nm, which are corresponding to the transitions of Tm3+ ions 3H6→3F3 and 3H6→3H4, respectively. The absorption cross sections are 1.89×10-20 cm2 and 1.35×10-20 cm2 with full width of half maximum (FWHM) of 22.5 nm and 30 nm respectively. The strong emission peak is centered at about 1.89 μm, the fluorescence lifetime is about 13.90 ms, and emission cross section is 1.58×10-19 cm2. According to Judd-Ofelt theory, the intensity parameters Ωt (t=2,4,6) of Tm3+ ion have been calculated as Ω2=1.4560×10-20 cm2, Ω4=2.0673×10-20 cm2, and Ω6=0.3181×10-20 cm2. Experimental results show that Tm:YAP crystal is a potential candidate for compact, efficient mid-infrared lasers at 2 μm output with laser diode (LD) pumping.