Bangkok (NNT/VNA) – The Tourism Authorityof Thailand (TAT) is expecting up to 20 billion THB to be spent by bothdomestic and international visitors during the Songkran holiday, especiallyafter the Cabinet announced an extra day for the festivities and tax incentivesfor tourism.
TAT Governor Yuthasak Supasorn revealed his agency expects anincrease of 12 percent in tourism growth from Songkran last year with as manyas 3 million people expected to travel from April 12-16.
The travellers are to put up to 10 billion THB into circulation, 15 percentmore year-on-year. He indicated the Cabinet adding April 12 to theholiday this year, bringing the entire period to five days, as well as taxincentives for travel to minor cities as contributing factors.
The TAT estimates 530,000 foreign travellers will enterThailand during the holiday, up 13 percent from last year. They are to spend anestimated over 9.378 billion THB, up 21 percent year-on-year.
The numbers of French, Taiwanese, Republic of Korean, Russian and Australianvisitors are forecast to grow the most this year. More than 165,000 Chinesevisitors are expected, 38 percent more than 2017.
All together domestic and international tourists are hoped tospend no less than 19.8 billion THB, 18 percent higher than last year.-VNA